Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1870-04-06
No seotarian Appropriations.

ACTION Is the WORD. 1he time Tor II has
arrived, and we are glad to say that the
spirit of the American people is reused. In
the city of New York, the metropolis and
heart of the country, movement is now
maturing to concentrate and direct the SEN
timent of the people Oh the great question
of the day.
The Roman Catholics having avowed their
hostility to the public school system, and
the politicians having shown a readiness to
vote the public money to support the schools
of the Romanists, the time has arrived when
all patriotic citizens, without distinction of
sect or party, should combine their energies.
their votes and their prayers, to save the
system of public school instruction from be-
ing sacrificed on tho alter of political aud
sectarian ambition.
The Roman Catholics want the public
money, the politicians want the Roman
Catholic votes.
The Romanists will give their votes to
the politicians who will give them. the pub,
lie money.
This state of things makes it necessary
for the people,-the American people, in
telligent Christian people,-who value their
Iirthright and desire to preserve the no
blest of all our civil institutions from des-
truction to combine their strength and re
sist this political and sectarian coalition.
We emust first, as Christian citizens, deny
the right of the State or the City or the
General Government, to make any appro-
! priations for sectarian purposes. Neither
| churches nor schools may be sustained by
! t he Government in the interest of any sect.
For some time past the Common Council
of this city has been in the habit of voting
donations to churches to pay assessments
levied on their property This is wrong in
principle. Nochurch should accept such
| donation Let every tub stand on its own
bottom. A church has no more claim on
road. The Common Council has given a
little in this way to Protestant churches,
merely as a cloak for the enormous dona
tons made to Romish churches 1t is all
wrong and, in going into the fight, let US go
| with clean hands
the State to provide education for all the
children, and che duty Of the children to
avail themselves of it. The common school,
system is to qualify all the children of the
State to become good citizens, and the
State, in its defence, may require that all
children under certain age shall be re-
cciving elementary instruction. If they are
not in the public schools, which are open
to them, they scould be reported as attend
| ing other schools where the elements of a
| good education are taught, and there they
should be taught without expense to the
| State The State provides for all: if some
refuse to enjep the provision, let them got
it themselves at their own expense. This
is reasonable 1t Is also democratic. The
State must not support schools m which,
besides good secular education, the prin-
ciples of any eligious sect are taught That
is so simple proposition, it is strange that
any one should he found to question it. Last
of all, should any democrat deny it.
Thus we put this question on the high
constitutional democratic ground, of equal
rights for all, special privileges for none.
If Ronanists wish the luxury of separate
schools for their children let them pay tor
them. The State provides schools for all,
and within easy reach of all. If Roman
lists are so exclusive, so aristocratic, so self
ish, that they are not willing to have theil
children taught at the public expense, IL
the public school, with the children of the
public, as the millions of American chill
dren are taught, then let the Romanist'
teach their own children at their own cost.
Our public school system is assailed By
the fana,icism of Romanism. The orde
has come from Rome The system is con
demned by the Pope. TIE whole Roman
priesthood is organized to destroy it. The.
6 have made a coalition with the politicians
and are now far along in the work of de
struction. The appropriation OF 5000, Oo
a year made last winter, and made for a
time, was the second blow. The overthrow
of the Board of Education was the hrs,
Others would have followed this winter, bu
: for the alarm the people manifested.
was thought wise to keep quiet till the e1
citeuient blows over. But the time ha
come for the people-the overwhelmin
majority-to demand that the school sy:
TEN be preserved in its integrity, and no al
=, preparations be made for .sectarlan schoo
or churches. T. (Presbyterian) Obser
. uer.
4 r L IL