The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1875-10-07
from Harper's Weekly
The School Question.

There is mo- declaration of the New
York Republicans moro timely or wiser
than that in regard to the public schools
The Tribune is greatly mistaken In sup
posing that il was a device of the Gus |
tom-house," or of any clique or claque, |
to "force the fighting" or to obscure by |
any unreal issue the actual one of honest |
State administration. The integrity OF
the public school system is not made
political issue by the hurra of conven-
ton, nor by the intrigues of schemers
actually intent upon something else, but
by the well-considered, resolute. and rad
ical assault of the Roman hierarchy. Its
sole hope of retaining its absolute as
tendency in this country lies in the over
throw of the public schools. and its policy
is. therefore one of the most important
problems of the hour, for that policy is
plausible, crafty, and of fatal persistence
Cardinal Manning, who is, perhaps. the
ablest of the ultramontane Catholics has
recently made an address in which he
unfolded the policy of Rome upon the
subject. He confessed what we have al
WAYS pointed out, and what explains the
tenacity of Rome upon this point, that IT
children are not educated to be Roman
lists, they are unlikely to become SO.
Secure the child, is the political policy Of
Rome. and that can be done only by con-
trolling the school The cardinal urges
that the great political duty of Romanists
is to obtain the direction of the schools,
and to stop what he calls Protestant
teaching And the Pope, the infallible
chief of the Roman Church, has cursed
the doctrine that the schools should be
free from priestly control
In this country the priestly attitude is
not less determined and belligerent. To
affect ignorance of it is absurd. To ridi-
cule the supposition that it means no
thing, is puerile To think that the
question can be deprecated and waved
out of sight as religion in politics, is
merely to become the tool of priestly
politicians. 1t is the priests, not the
party. politicians, who have put the
school plank into the platforms OF this
year. The Catholic World is the chief
organ of Rome in the United States and
it speaks for the only American cardinal.
In q recent article the Catholic World
says, 1T is our duty to oppose to the
pagan error that the State is master of
education. the Christian truth that the
Church alone is endowed with the power
to educate the young" The Roman
Bishop Gilmour, of Cleveland, Ohio, in q
pastoral letter denounces the secular
public schools. ''If we are Catholics"
he says, 1--WE must leave after us a Catho-
lie youth; and experience has clearly
proved this can not be done unless the
children are early taught that they are
Catholics. We must not sleep while our
enemies are working Nor must we for
get that the public schools are organized
and managed for and in the interests of
Protestantism......T There is little danger
of the old losing their faith, but
there is every danger that the young
will" The bishop, therefore. enjoins
every church in his diocease to have q
school, and if parents for trihing or in.
sufficient reasons refuse to send their
children to Catholic school, then, in
such cases, but in such cases only
we authorize confessors to refuse
the sacraments to such parents as
thus dispise the laws of the Church, and
disobey the command of botn priest and
bishop" This is the tone of priests to
the people in the times and countries
when the priests were the masters of the
people; but il is tone that Americans
will hardly endure.
These are illustrations OF the familiar
fact that the Roman hierarchy hates the
free public-school system. Is there any
doubt that it means to urge its projects
"Were Catholics alive and united on the
school question. were they to demand
from every man who asks their vote 6
pledge that he would vote for our just
share of the school fund.- legislators would
learn to respect the Catholic vote, anC
give US our just rightc." The Catholic
Telegraph, in Cincinnati, edited by
brother of the Roman Archbishop Pur
cell, says, I'VE have agitated, and shall
continue to agitate, for our share of the
school fund as long as we are taxed t.
support schools which Catholic children
can not attend" And the claim is tha
Catholic children can not attend an,
school which Catholics do not control
After Mr. Geghan had introduced hi
bill, and the Democratic majority in tn
Ohio Legislature hesitated, he said in hi
letter of the Sd of March, 1875, I'VE Cth'
Romanists have a prior claim upon tn
Democratic party......The party is unde
allegations to US, and we have perfec
right to demand of them as a party
support of the bill The Telegraph er
forced the demand asserting that
would not be safe for political leaders o
aspirants to political Office to ignore O.
despise the Roman vote. 1t announces
that the Democratic party was upon it
trial." and when the Geghan bill passed
by the Democratic vote, the same pape
announced that 'the unbroken, soil
vote of the Catholic citizens of the Stat
will be given to the Democracy at tn
fall election"
Here is question as important as ths
of the finances or the reform of the civ
service. There is really no doubt this
the New York Republican Conventio
spoke the truth in saying that the FIRE
public school is the bulwark of the Anne
lean republic That bulwark is assaile
by the most crafty and able leader
strengthened by an immense followin
of voters over whom they exercise p
culiar influence. Those leaders rely col
fdently upon the support of the DEM
cratic party, to whose ascendency in ever
large State the votes which the ecclesia
tical chiefs control are indispensable
and which has shown practically its will
ingness to concede the terms of the all
ance. For political convention to max
positive and ample declaration upo
such subject is not to force the fghtin
but to accept the battle offered. The
sue is presented, and whatever the Den
ocratic party may do, the Repub lican r
fuses to evade it, but will meet it frankl
and settle it upon sound principles
equal liberty.