Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-05-12
The Religious Conflict.

zon, but which has once more blown
over without breaking, has once more
returned, and with a more menaclng
aspect than ever.
A certain portion Of the press appear
to be firmly convinced that the Catho-
lie Church is engaged in a concerted
effort to break down the public school
system OF this country, and build up
system Of sectarlan schools in It's stead.
1t Is well known what Plus TX thinks
of goddess education" The Catholic
clergy and press, or at least an infuen-
tial part of them, have long protested
against the alleged Injustice Of taxing
their co-re!igionists Tor the support of
schools in which the reading of the
Protestant Bible forms leading fea-
turc in the daily exercises. Demands
have been made, more frequently of
late than ever, for an arrangement
under which this Catholic tax money
should go to the support of Catholic
schools. In New York the public
funds were actually thus diverted to
sectarian uses under the Tweed regime.
Latterly, too, there has been an in
creased activity not only in New York
but In New England and the West. in
getting parochial schools under way
and importing Christian Brothers from
| Europe to teach in them. In some in
stances, where schools of this kind are
established, Catholic parents have been
threatened from the altar with excom-
munication if they continued longer to
send their children to the public school
and the lnore ignorant and supersti-
tlous succumbed to the menace.
When to all this we add the violent
utterances Of certain Ultramontane pa
pefs, and the Incorporate language of
the more bigoted priests, who are
disgrace to the pulpit, it is not surpris-
ing that people who are attached to the
public school system, and have an her
editary prejudice against priestcraft
should become uneasy and indignant.
10 make matters worse, some political
Journals of large circulation aud high
probability, such as Harper's WeeEH
and the New York Times, appear to
cultivate this uneasiness and fan this
indignation to the best of their abjli-
ties. While the Times is constantly
calling attention to the alleged political
designs Of the Roman Church ia this
country, Harper's labors with pen and
pencil to precipitate another era of re-
ligious politics which bids far to revive
the wretched jealousness and unhappy
passions OF the native American. This
may seem serious. change to prefer
against a journal otherwise so eminent
Iy patriotic and sound as Harpey's
Weekly, but it is certain that the mo-
tlves and the ends of such cartoons as
thetwo which appear in its issue of
May 8 will hardly bear inspection. In
:" No Church need apply" and 'The
American River Ganges," the artist
tries to precipitate controversy aud
conflict which no friend of his country
can look forward to without the gravest
approximations. La this connection the
attack on cur new American Cardinal
strikes US as singularly unjust and wan
ton, for 1t is well known that DR.. Nc
closkey has always distinctly recognized
the hopelessness of any sectarjan raid
upon the school fund.
But though, as we have already
stated, that black cloud on the poliri-
cal horizon, with whose appearance late
years have made US but too familiar
looks now more menaeing than ever.
there IS still some reason to hope that
the apparently impending calamity may
be ayerted from the country. It is
certain that not all the Catholic hierar
chy are IN sympathy with this raid
upon our public school system. Among
those who deprecate this mischieyous
agitation we are happy to say is pre-
late of DR.. McCloskey's influence and
exalted rank In the Church; and SO are
prominent clergymen like Father
Glynn, the learned and eloquent pastor
OF st, Stephens, New York, VIII O is as
thorough public school man as can be
found on Manhattan Island. In
Brooklyn, Catholic priest has hit
upon simple, rational, satisfactory So
luton Of the whole problem, by pro-
Vldlng for religious instruction out Of
school hours and outside Of the school
building. The example of these and
number of other patriotic clergymen
of the Church Of Rome shows that this
question is by no means so difficult IS
it looks, if only both sides would ap-
preach in fair and conciliatory spirit.
All that is needed is that the good
feeling and the good sense of laymen
eccleslastlcs, Protestant as well as Cath
Ollie, should make themselves felt and
respected The bigoted element, on
whenever side, whether represented by
H"'per.s Weehly, or the Freeman S
.jO1Lr10/ ShDuld ho bn.,.L1