AGITATION MEANS VICTORY AT HOME; AGITATION WILL MEAN VICTORY HERE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 24, 12 October 1894, Page 17

AGITATION MEANS VICTORY AT HOME; AGITATION WILL MEAN VICTORY HERE.

B. JOHN MORLEY, Chief Secretary for Ireland, has sanctioned the employment of the Christian Brothers in the Catholic Schools in Ireland." Thus spoke the cable message of Monday last. The agitation of the hierarchy and clergy and Catholic laity of Ireland has been crowned with success. Justice has been done to the Christian Brothers. The cause, ably championed by the Irish Parliamentary party, has been won. This should be an object lesson to New Zealand Catholics, and give a merited rebuke to the small section of thebe who may be styled the " what-is-the-use-of-agitation " party. There were croakers in Ireland in the matter of justice to the Christian Brothers. If their advice had been heeded, the victory now recorded would not have been won. There are croakers in New Zealand, and if they be heeded, in a few years material injury will be done to our Catholic schools. Ihe transition from "what is the use of striving to obtain justice from the Legislature," to "what is the use of supporting Catholic schools," is not so difficult as might seem at first sight. We must agitate for justice, or decidedly go back. Dan O'Connell did not get Catholic Emancipation in a year. There were croakers, too, in his day as in our own time. lie, however, persevered, and success finally was his reward . We write in the foregoing strain because we notice apparent apathy on the question of Catholic education. We say apparent, for we have reason to know that an effort has been made, though, unavailing, to forward the interests of Catholic schools. We think, however, ihat more might be done. We must agitate ceaselessly and fearlessly; or the dawn of justice will be long deferred. It is only by persistent effort that we can hope to compel our fellow-colonists to consider the strength of our claim to justice. It matters not that we are numerically weak. The famous battle of Inkerman was really won through the bravery of a mere handful of Jrish soldiers. The battle of religious education will be won in New Zealand if croakers bo relegated to the retirement of croakdom and Catholics continue to unitedly fi^ht the good fight.