Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-03-14

nevoleat character of these Institutions,
and about he propriety OF the state sup
plem. nting the efforts of the humane and
praisewerthy individuals engaged in so
good and necessary IA labor We yield
to none In our sympathy with, and ads
mlratIon CT, the work OF these noble in
slitutlons Bot we submit that the fine
words on that sub ject so warmly INDUCED
! in by the COMMITTEES on claims, in their
report recomme nding the appropriations,
is more creditabe to the hearts than to
the heads of the honorable committee
men. 1t is scarcely sufficient reason
Tor asking an appropriation OF public
money, to say that the soliciting indi-
vldual or cause, Is wouthy aad benevo-
lent VI it We're, we iancy thar there
would be 20 end worthy aad benevo-
lent applicants at the Legislative door.
Neither do we think it is very good logic
to insist as do the committee, that, be-
cause the care of the unfortunate is the
proper province of the state, the public
funds my properly be conferred upon
these institutions Ii that reasoning is
] valid, then, every time an institution can
! truthtulIy SAP that it, object is the press
ervatiun OF lite liberty, and property, it
can consistently ask for public appro-
prlation, because, IOrsonth, the "preser~
yation Of life liberty, and properly" il
the proper and time honOEed province Of
civi government Granting that the
care Of the helpless and unfortunate.
properly deY0Ives upon the state, and it
by 40 means follows that private efforts
/ IN that direction should be peGuniarilv
patronized and supported by the govern.
ment Even granting that the state NAV
! properly Supplement- private enterprises
OF this character, that would be no good
| ground Tor aiding these particular insti-
tutions. la such case there should be a
general law emitting all such private
! humane institutions to receive the sup
Elementary public aid, upon complying
with certain prescribed conditions. 1t
may be that the state could more pldi-
| ciously extend its aid TO the wretched
under some euch general law, than it
could by establishing and supporting
large public charitable institutions, but,
! that is no reason why it should give its
aid in this particular instance We
cannot too often repeat that laws for the
appropriation OF public funds, should hc
general in their application Any other
! principle fosters the system OF scram,
bling and mportunate lobbying which is
so disgracing and demoralizing the leg
| slatures of our country
TO the great evil of public appropria-
4 tons for the support OF sectnrlan schools,
the whole nation Is becoming wide
awake Though we have laid no stress
! upon the sectarltn aspect OF the present
/ question, yet it is evident that the evil
we ha above deprecated is similar in
| its organ, to the evil Of sectarian appro,
! prlHtiOns, and those who ntelliLently
oppose the latter evil cannot consistently
advocate the former one The real and
! stateSmenlike opposition to sPctarlan up
! preparations, rests, not so much upon
religious considerations, as upon the
inct that such appropriations involve the
1 giving of the people money 90 private
/ Institutions over whose management the
people, in their sovereign capacity have
no control This, rs we have said, Is
/ the principal ground OF our protest,
against the proposed measure we now
i feel called upon 10 condemn Special
appropriations to private institutions
whether educational, seCtarian, or be-
neyoIeut spring from the same ell root
and we wouidsannlhIiatc all the abuses
together by striking bold blow at the
common origin - MlwaHkee Iader,