The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-08-26
THE RELIGIOUS AND SCH00b'
QUESTIONS.

IHAllNNl OidNOlb ia NNiAO AARfN
their war upon greenbacks and adj
vocating hard money and are devoting
themsd yes to the Religious and School
questions.
They charge the Democratic party to
be the servile ally or tool of the Catholic
church.
Ofcourse these unprlpCipled politicians
we'll know there is not one word Of truth
in the charge. Our State Constitution
guarantees entire religious freedom-al-
lowing each individual to worship
God according to the dictates Of his own
conscience this is the Democratic
position-the position the party has OIL
ways maintained and acted on,
jefferson in his inaugural in 1901 gave
as the first article in his thirteen funda-
mental doctrinal statements
Equal and exact justice to all inen of
whatever state or pepuasio. religious Or
political"
What single act Of omission or commits
sion On the part of the Democrats, justi-
fes the villainous twaddle of the cor
rupt radical Grant leadersr
ooh, the Geghan bill, the Geghan BILL"
they yelp out. Now let US again publish
this act of our General Assembly, for the
Republican newspapers rarely do 50.
Here it is:
"A Bill to secure liberty of conscience in
matters Of religion to persons impris-
oned or detained by authority of law.
"SRcrIoN !. Be it enacted by the Cen
eral Assembly of the State of Ohio, That,
as liberty of conscience is not forfeited
by reason of conviction Of crime, or by
reason of Ofdetention in any penal, retor-
matOry or eleemosynary institution, or
any House Of Refuge, Work house, Jail or
public asylum of the State. no person IN
any stlch institution shall be compelled TO al
tend religious tUorShip or institution cfa form
which is against the dictates of his or her con-
scisnce; and it shall be the duty of every
Director, Trustee, Superintendent or 9th
er person having in charge any such in-
stitution To- furnish EQUAL FACILITIES
10 all such persons for Tecevtng The nintSlrd-
tiOns otthe authorized Clergyman Of their own
religious denomination or persuasion, under
such reasonable rules and regulations as
the Trustees, Directors, Managers or Su
perintendents shall make; but no such
rules .hail be- se constructed aa 10 pre-
vent the clergyman "f u, y denomination
from fully administering Tie rghln OF ms
denomination to such inmates provi-
dHd such ninistratiUn entail no expense
on the public treasury.
SEC. 9, This act shall take effect from
and after its passage"
GEO. l.. CONVERSE,
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
ALPH0NSO HART,
President Of the Senate.
The Chicago Tribune leading Repub'
IiCan paper says:
Relative to the Geghan bill, passed by
the Legislature in OHIO, and providing
equal privileges for al religious sects in
public, retormatory, penal and eleemosy-
nary institutions, there is no question as
to its intrinsic propriety and justice. The
Tribune has never reflected upon the
character of this law, on the contrary, 1t
has approved its purpose, and believes
that such law should be adopted in all
States where bigOted officials excludethe
inmates of any constitution from the |
consolation of their own church; where |
there is no official attempt of this kind.
the law is unnecessary. The law en-
bodies principle of common justice,
which needs only to be formulated
where the principle has been ignored"
In the late Massachusetts Legislature,
Republican in both branches, an act
similar to the so-called Geghan bill was
passed by Republican votes. The bill is
correct in principle and proper in prac-
tice. tits merely giving to inmates OF
all state institutions full and entire liber-
ty of conscience.
Our opponents say the act was unnec-
essary. Let us see. During the admin
istration of Hayes and Noyes the War
den of the Pemtentiary was partisan
of the party in power, and we believe, a
member of the NJ. L. Church. The chap
lain was member of the same church.
And during that time, every inmate ofthe
Penitentiary wa8 compelled TO attend Serrice
no matter what his sJdith, His rights Of con-
science were ignored nor ,CaS he consulted at
all.
This shows the necessity of this law.
Suppose, for example the NJ. L. Church
should become the ruling element in the
State, should furnish Governors, mem
bers of the Assembly, Wardens and Su
perintendents of publicinstitutions, have
all the chaplains, in fact should be strong
enough to have things their own way in
these matters, this "act to secure liberty
ofconscience" might protect the oppress-
ed. And, SO, of any church organization.
We say, though by crime man forfeits
his liberty-he does not forfeit liberty
of conscience"
1t is to be seen then, there is nothing in
this religious clamor Of the radical Grant
leaders, except political trick to cover
up their own iniquities,
And the school question is just as bar
rem of food for the Republican leaders.
The Democratic party, in their platform
and in their practice, maintain intact,
without division or innovation the Pub
lie Schools of the State. No Democratic
member of the General Assembly has
ever proposed or mooted a division or
abolition of the School fund. The Con-
stitution of the State, Democratic in
strument, forbids it, our platform is open
and avowed on the question. Why, then
all this clamor charging the Democratic
party with favoring one religious demon.