New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-26
OHIO ISSUES.
THE SCHOOL QUESTION.

| RESIST THE CATHOLIC CHURCH PoiLcY-Drs-
TRUST AROUSED by THE GEGHAN BnLr-THl
WEAKNESS AND STRENGTH or REPUBLICANS.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
| SIR" What has the campaign IN Ohio to do with
the school question: many will ask. Intelligent
persons know that the Constitution OF that state
forbids any division Of the public school fund, and
that the Democratic State platform distinctly dig
avows any intention Of changing the present system
of popular education. Yet there are intelligent per-
sons in Ohio by no means few in number, who be-
eye that the success Of the Democratic party there
will involve eraye danger to the public school sys-
tenn So many of these are Democrats that it is
| oute probable this question will cost the party
greater loss in tho coming election than any Other
| Democratic politicians affect to treat IL WIN con-
| tempt Many Republicans who realize that 1t Is not
the chief question of the campaign would prefer to
ignore it, Yet in spite OF politicians OF all sorts. 1t
! i,a living and potent force in the campaign. Tho
people feel deeply regarding 1t. Ihousahds VIII 10
influenced By it in their votes.
SUPPORTERS OF THE SCHOOLS.
| This is not altogether the result Of nnreasonne
peiudice Popular instinct is sometimes more true
than the reasonings of the ablest leaders. Let nc
/ cxplai, the current of thought and feeling as the
attentive observer finds il among the masses here.
and readers % THE TRIBUNE may then Judge how
far thls question is likely to influence the result OF
tho campaign. First OF all, ono must bear III mnd
tbot while Northnrn Ohio was settled mainly by i'm
mi srants from New England and New-fork, iinbued
with the strong attachment which prevails IN tiat
section for the system Of nonsectaran free schools,
tbe southern part of the State mainly settled by
Immigrants from Maryland, Virginia. North Car
DINA and Kentucky, who retain a very keen de-
hesitation of the caste system which formerly existed
| in those states. and which tho lack of suitable
| provision for the education of children OF the
| poorer classes contributed powerfully to MAINTAIN.
Well DO these people remember the hostility of tho
! old Democratic leaders to popular education. They
realize better than any Northern men can that it was
q vital feature Of the old arstocTatc system at the
South to keep the of the people in that cond-
| ton of ignorance which, according to the slave
holding philosophy. best adapted to make labor
pesceablc, willing. and in all the lower branches.
effective whites who were not Of the aristocraiic
class felt the effects of this system most kceniy and
| bitterly, and such of them as escaped to Northern
States and their descendants often retain a stronger
d4trrst Of the Democratic party in respect to its
dealings with the school system, and more intense
| attachment for that system than many Northern
men themselves
THE ACTIVE OPPOSITION OF CATHOLICS.
Men of Northern and Southern birth alike realize
that the Democratic party is to-day controlled by
two powerful eements-tho former aristocraiIc
class OF the South and tho Catholic element OF the
| North. They find new proof OF tue power OF me
Catholic element i'll recent events 10 when eLdI
presently refer They need 90 farther than tic
nearest village to see evidence Of the wonderful
change which has taken place in the feelings Of
Catholics toward the school system since the Church
! took position auhoIatiyely against non-sectaraD
education. Among his neighbOrs every observans
man remembers that there were many Cathoics
who did not hesitate to oppose these doctrines when
they were first promulgated, and to declare that
4" they might do ia Europe, but could never be ac
cepted by Catholics ON this side of tho water" Yes
every obseryant man that these Same Catholics
no longer express any dissent from the doctrines
! Of the Vatican, but in very many cases
now openly roterate the arguments used by mo
Cntkolic 7cegrdph of Cincinnati and other papers OF
Ike spirit in utter hostility to the whole system or
| free schools. Wherever yon lind community par
| tiay composed OF Catholics, men will mention
marked instances of this change of feeling and pur
pose which they have noticed III personal inter-
course with their Catholic neighbors. in some IN
stances also, mention is made of-measures employed
! by the Catholic clergy to compel withdrawal OF
children from public schools, and acceptance OF tho
! hostile teachings of the Church. These compulsory
! measures have sometimes embraced refusal to per-
form the sscranens for the parents who continued
to send children 10 public schools, or TO uphold the
free school system. Incidents like these, coming
under the personal observation of men in many
towns have caused very grave alarm, and are often
mentioned IN conversation.
EFFECT OF THE GiGHAN BILL.
The Introduction OF the Geehan BILL and the cir
cunstanccs OF its passage by tue last Legislature
were peculiarly calculated to intensity this alarm.
and TO produce dstrust of the Democratic party.
The bill itself did not touch the school system bus
only required that the clergy of all cgeeds should bo
allowed 10 attend inmates Of tho varions State insti-
tutiona. Had it been passed upon its merits, much
less feeling would have boon excited But the IN
PRODUCER, Mr. Gcghan, in letter which was pub
lished called upon the Catholics throughout ths
State to demand the passage Of tho bill as an act
of Justice due from the DeaOcrotc party to Cathe-
lies. The Catholic telegraph said OF the Democratic
party. Withdraw the support which Catholics
have given to IT, and il will fall in this city, county.
and State az speedily as it has risen to it, long lost
no,ition aud power. That party is now on trial.
Mr. Geghans bill will test the sincerity of its profess
sionsv Other declarations of Ike character from that
and other organs of that ChUrch served 10 secure tho
passage of the hill with tho vote Ut every Domocratc
member of the L. gislature except one. Ihereupon
The Catholic 1cl,aYdph said, and us declaration WAS
echoed By other papers, The unbroken solid vote
OF the Catholic citizens of the State will be gwen "
the Democracy NJ the Fall election
Ii is hardly necessary say that these events pro-
dnccd deep impression in every school district in
the STATE. have not been in a single town III which
men have not freauept, referred 10 these facts, and
especially the utterances of Catholic papers befors
and after the passage OF the bill, proof that this
power Of that Church over the Democratic party
was absolute and was known to be absolute by the
leaders of both. These men say " The hostility OF
This Church to the school system is openly pro-
claimed Its power over the party Is proved. OF