The Dominion. SATURDAY, JULY 4, 1914. THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2193, 4 July 1914, Page 4

The Dominion. SATURDAY, JULY 4, 1914. THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE

The efforts whlctt are being matte to deny tins people the right to decide for themselves whe/tfau' w not their children sli»M be given the opportunity ttf reed'riftg MMe lessons in the State schools arc worth a little scrutiny. It ivill m> doubt have been noted that persistent personal attacks haVo foceji of I-atc tlii'«etx v cl against tlio organiser of the Bibk-in-sehools movement. Sis utterances liave been twisted a,r\& distorted, aad the meaning straisiecl ill .fi.to endeavour topnyudiw- the pttliife against the cause lib advocate. The injustice of these attacks fs apparent to all who.kivo* CakonGarSsAXb mi, his 'work, and. we tnontioti tfoaii now merely that lite public may appreciate the difficulty the- opponents of a referendum experience i.n .finding justification for their opposition to t'he riglit of the . people to express their will in a dltwfc Hird 'straightforward way. The Anii-liible-in-cchools party arc seeking to confuse the issue; tne-y will no!, fiicr: it sipiarely, n\vi so U)ny attack Canon Garland, and introduce <; host of epiite irrelf.vant matters, Ij-clir'vinfj that by this rocMna they may cheat the people out of their right. The real questiflii before Parliuraent and the couutry a-4 the feoment is lsot

the qnsstion of Bible lessons in Stateschools; tho ibsue is, whether the people can be justly refused the oj.il.wrtunity to say whether or not they want Bible lessons in thoir own schools.' Ail sorts of dreadful possibilities have been dragged forward with a view to influencing members of Parliament against Bible Ikssojis being nsado a part of the school cur-1 nculum, and most of those- objec-1 tioiKs_luivo no more to do with tbti question now at issue than has the fact that the strongest epprmefits ol' Bible lessons are to be found amo'iigst : ißembers of tho Ited federation.: Parlianwiiit has not to dftrfcte the question of Bibie lessons jft the State s'cbci&ls: it is lor this, petipio to decide. fa-rti.wcTit is. .recrely asked to provide the madiinery l>y which the; people can express-their will in the wattor. This fact, though.streritfMtß efforts art being ftm-de to obsent'e it, nieaibors nviist bear in mind whoti ; thsy are «ia3ted oil to deal with ths itak. Jsii'fis' Eolerfiodmn Bill rjM.ling with tb<j question; this fact iiioiftbers will have to fa.cft wlien they confront tlwir canstitu-eiit-s al th&cnd of the- yea?, to acconiit fer their vote for or agftiast the right of file peopl* to -exp-ress their will on this question. There are- .eerkjn '.t-lnn-gs which the pß.opte behind tbo Anti-Bible-ia-schools movemont keep well in the li*ckgroUßd, Tlitty are vef-y indnstvioos in Rireu'latibg glbomy predict tiaas of the possibi'littes a'boad of the eoiiMry- if the people are given th>. or>px)Vtun% to deeida hi aclca* arid dkeefc ffiafltwt :'ftis pnestion which has ojfttc to the fron* ia out. natipija't life, Bttt they : igiijßro the fitet that other cowti.tries .: vrbioh lio.ve dealt with the question in the manner tesw proposed .ha™* in cgoavped t&as'e'evils wbieh... it, is asserted will eyeriaks N«fw Zea'knet ll.ow' is it that tlitee terrible! thiags did mot bappdt etefrliijre wbeii I'efcr.eadit! have been tafecn on the Bible-ifrsdioais tjoii ? lii .New jSotfth Wates,- itt 'Suewsland,. ih: W-e'st Aus't»lia-, iii ■■ Ttisjiiavnia, in, Horfolk .I'sl.a ;: Bd- fe-fsr- : ond.a. were- taken,. «ifcj thi?. people voted iii f'Mrur. of BiHe kssans in . the'. State schftbfs. and the 'less'Siis liavg teeii .g,H'St!..in- the sc-hools of the' , countries' limied fer yeai's past. In •TidtWia and ift- Sputji AMstr.alitt tbfi3*eiida were tafcek mt the peltioii, : aijd the ptpjJpß'ai was in efeli -ci.ase: rejected. Did the takiiig erf"these nitHierous r'cteenda in ab.y ins-fence bring abotit the-, dreadftil state' Q.f tMiigs propl'ißs'i'ed by' the ■oppori&n'k o'f the B'ibte.-ih-S.cboo.l.s iri New gealaiTd? JJWryariO k&oivs Ihftt, flie'J did ilbt, Parliament cannot. Mf-owl to alfew ifseil to be hiifti■bugged }n this Matter. Mcimbtirß ■iiaii-st face Ws qaestioß foirly oh its niorite, and not bo led astray by' .false issues.' 'Thc-f aiftst Mt de'eoi^ : themselves «& to the strenfth hx fte 4n:tE;e:*tncs;§. behind the dtai.aM fctf a ■relerbndiim; " The mo'veroent' is the biggest and the bastorgaflised .'.this,: . : ''coiihfjy. has ever If a: : ratecfidaiii is if. nlember.s. say . the pc4>pfe ' ar"e' ii-ot fe . be : iri ' this iH'aifcr, • tfait. they theniselves are better- qua.lir: fjad to deeidff it thai} ai'B jieo.piie wbo .elect-iKfifflt. then tnembeis arc: ■niere|y ; .' ai:?the bogini?iiii| of thfttr: troubles:. Tliey can jiiftke up;theft; miads' aboitt' that.. By grst:Bt.iag.,'a: t ! efepiidiHji'l;he qwsjtioo Can be- lfept' : nisei Iron'i parby pjaKbi.Gs; by t&ftte-; ing a voferiindnin 'it will, be forjed.: iato' the- forefront fef; the . pdiitissal ■ struggle, a.nd wi11...be.-a distiirb'in.g': liietaj;- ii jip,ctiiJ4% nf&it elector-' ■ at.o'- J'n' the' Beijiiiiipti, L?t tt^mbeV's-' ■:. what it irili Bjenii to Kayo' Gandidates cttntest; : .ing seats rcgardicSs ol party/; aird! B'ible-kvsciook advoca-tes Or.gainisiiiS : to 'oust caivdadatfls .opposed to thei.v ■ : -views, splitting existiftg iiartiy fe: ■sloasj aftd gener-alfy spttalg'.'ng fer'irtg- ,' ing abetit a sta.te of cliaos ifi tfeji-ft'lv : tical strtigg-'lft. fhls- is bo' ii'flagiiTa.r.y. . bogy,, as i| Sflits the AaH-Siljlo-iii; : Schools party to s'liggcst. IjefcJliosc' who have aijy db'i.ibts pri tlie. (|iiestioii .irive'stigate saii] seo for thcinsj>:lyes. an#. meJutes 'Ve believe' &-ve failed tg appwd'ate the. strength Wd ■determMiiat.iof) beh v i : nd the demand; for. the righ.it. to a-ri' ■' ej£pressio.tt fi|'. the. pmp-l/j'a Mil. : Shft Jests on tberfl. ': if ' retio* ibfeii j. positipß iii ■ tbc Sight ©f the real. fs«te.. 3'hi?y" a*e npt asteij to vfite' for ■ S'ibfe lfeaons iii State seli-oelsi they: art- rtskiedto give, the -ottpttrfcttnifcy to !>he people tji.,d*" cido the qxtestioh fe ttehi'se'l'ves; 'Sip is all. Shoii.ld they relttse this rigfitthen the. eohMßg efcdtjoil stirß-gKle will be- thrown. ifit& a state oi utter.. tonfeio-n by thfi ifttrodufetiori of -an. j-ssuo ivhieii roii-st enJba-rrass all pinvHes, and which rn-a-y' ted te.fndleSs complications. .No Hjcabcr ca-u ,].3osfeifofor be sai-d tohwe bvokori. li.ig M'ledge to support tfo existing -seei^ ; ter' sj'jjteti) if ho should de--crdo to cast Ms Vote* for a refcrebduri), far the sforple reasoii that his vote Will, have:.l3.o.other efefc thai} it) stitoit tie \fhi?le ilttiSstirtij to tlits will of' bis tisiistitoents, wlio MiUst always be the- final cotrft of appeal.