Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-12-10
WILL THE DEMoCRATIc PARTY FIGHT THE
SCHOOLS AND. 30 MAKE THEM AN ISSUE

WILL THE UEAOCHATlC FAhT1 fludI IdE
SCHOOLS AND. 30 MAKE THEM AN ISSUE
We have no idea that the question of free non
church schools should be made the Issue of the
Presidential campaign. 1t ought not to be an
issue" At all. 1t cannot be, unless opponents
to educaten--friends Of public ignorsnce-en-
ter the field to resist the making of q constitu-
tonsl guaranty. II they do that, and if it hap
pen thxt they are generally Of one political par
sy, the subject may come unto the csnvass next
year, and It's doing so will be the fault solely, Of
those who choose to array themselves in oppos-
ition to what every American should endorse
with Al his soul
30 far from desiring, that parties should be
divided In the Centennial election on the issue
we have described, we hope they will be placed
before tho people on comparison Of their abil-
ity to restore sound public prosperity, and pro-
vide honest and statesmanlike administration
The questions growing out Of the finances ought
to be the chief issues of 1876, for they are now
the vital factors in the problem Of restoring nat
ionh prosperity They are not settled the ell
ections Of the last Autumn did not dispose Of
them, nor will the action LOT the present Con-
gress give them their quietus; they must and
will remain before the people, undisposed OF, at
least until the vote Tor President is taken.
II, with such Importance, some other question
should come to thrust them aside, 1t would be a
public injury, and it would be nothing less than
that il the hold which administrative reform has
gained upon the public attention should now
slip. We are not only willing but anxious that
that too, shall be in the forefront OF next
years. contest. We do not fear comparison of
purposes, pledges, or results. We do not fear
to have the administrative capacity and ability
of the party to which we are devoted put to the
sharpest tests of fair public comparison. We
dare set an honest and faithful officer, with lib
ersl and progressive tendencies, against one also
honest and faithful, who is retrogressive and
hunkerish. We dare put Briatow- against a
Kerr.
1t may happen, however, that "the school
question" will become campaign issue, in spite
OF the importance of other subjects. Shonld the
Democratic party be forced to undertake an op-
position to such constitutional amendment as
liz suggested that opposition will at once define
the limits Of an issue, and create an earnest con-
test. This may be intensified and made even
more significant. should the Democratic party
tempt for general education has been plainly
and publicly expressed, and who, in his speech.
90, holds that the people are only likely to be
injured by the instruction given them in the
public schools. The choice OF such candidate
with such record, would indeed emphasize a
position OF antagonism to education, should his
party be compelled by the forces within it to
take such position, as very probably it may be.
Both the candidate and the party would then be-
fit each other, and their association in an effort
to canonize ignorance and cruelty intelligence
would be shining example of propriety.
Whether the schools shall be guaranteed or
not, will be a question on which parties will di-
vide next year, if the Democratic party chooses
to oppose the proposition. IL can do az it pleases
1t can oppose or not. 1t il almost inconceivable
that any number of American citizens should dc
30, yet with such leaders and such newspapers
as some recently referred to in these columns it
may be that the Democracy will decide to enter
the field against the schools. II 30, they alone
will be to blame for the resultant contest