New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-07-08


either side, are quite irreconcilable. No COM
promise between them is possible. With all
the fervor of religious faith, many believe that
it is sin to separate religious instruction from
popular education. With not less firmness ana
fcrvor of conviction, others believe that SELL
government cannot continue to exist among us
unless free, non-sectarian schools are NAM
tanned by the State for the education OF all It's
children. BY the latter class, it is held that
our only safeguard against the evils lncideht
to broad extension of suffrage, against the
growing power of corrupt combinations, anu
against the increasing tendency toward COM
munism is the public secular system OF educa-
ton But the convictions of the opponents OF
that system are thus plainly stated III me
Catholic Telegraph:
There could therefore, hardly he more impuhent
fasehood than the assertion that public secular system
Of education does not interfere with the reisioh Oh
Catholics The present sy stem of public schools
brands the Catholic faith crime. and the American
State punislcs il yearly by fines equal In amount 10 e
sum which Catholics compelled to expend after the
payment Of the school tax upon the Catholic education
Of their children.
In view of this sharp antagOnsm OF opinion
upon a question touching the very existence
of free institutions according to one bellef,
and the religious convictions of millions OF
citizens according to another, what can we say
of the honesty of those who pretend that tins
issue is manufactured" for party purposes 7
Yet this Is the subterfuso to which very
large number of Democratic partisan Journals
resort. Even Ihe ST. Louis RcpubIican recently
said:
The signs Of times all indicate nm intention on the
tho ReuI
a general war against the Catholic Church Some
new crsadine cry becomes necessity OF existence
and il seems to be decided that the cry OF NO Popery
is likely TO prove most available No actual issue
calculated to excite the desired feeling being in existence
a fictitious one must be manufactured.
Every one can judge of the honesty CT these
declarations, who reads the declarations OF
The Caitolc Telegraph already quoted, who
remembers the demand for the admission OF
parocha schools as part Of the school system
in this State. who recalls the passage OF the
Geoehan bill by the Ohio Legislature, and the
assurances then publicly given that the adhe-
rents of the Catholic Church would help the
Democratic party of that state III return, OF
who remembers the incidents OF the recent
city election in the very city in which me
Republican is published. 1t will do Republican
paltisans no good TO ignore tins question. 1t
will do the Democratic partlsans no good To
pretend that "nO actual issue exists"
and that ga fictitious one is manniac-
"tured" for partisan ends. Between those
who believe that secular education is wrong,
and those who believe that it is a necessity to
the maintenance Of free institutions, there is
not only an actual ISSUE" but one of the
very gravest character, which admits of no
d.. Inc IN ,.t
with the manly candor, and the respect for
opposing convictions, which such men ever
hold 1t their duty to show. Only those who
have no convictions of their own will iail to
recognize the strength of earnest beliefs Ill
others.
The Democratic party, especially, cannot
afford TO treat this Issue as fictitious one,
manufactured by Republican dcmagogues. 1t
so happens that every emphatic demand Tor
division of public school funds recognition OF
parochial Schools or abolition of the system OF
secular education, has come from adherents OF
the Democratic party. 1t so happens, too, that
many of those who have been most prompt and
earnest in resisting these demands have acted
with the Democratic party as Liberals. The
Ner- York Stats letting, the most widely cir
trv. translated and copied II recent letter i'll this
paper, pointing out evidences Of Demo
cratic hostility to the school system ut
the West, and strongly enforced the lesson
by its editorial comments. The Stats
Zcitmg of Chicago, and the |oNS6idH
of Cincinnati, though still supporting the
Democratic party, speak very strongly of its
tendencies in this respect. The |IeStlichc Post
of St. Louis constantly assails that party on
the same ground. 1t will be said that German
citizens are moved to especial feeling on this
subject by events i'll Europe, but no one viii
DENY that the feeling exists. Nor will it he
denied by any candid man that the great body
of independent American voters has quite as
strong feeling on this question. II the Demo-
cratic party supplies from its ranks every as
sault upon secular education and non -soctalian
government, and yet processes to regard the
whole controversy as fictitious issue manu-
featured by its opponents, it will be very
likely to forfeit whatever confidence in its
sincerity independent voters may have learned
to feel.
The Democratic party in Ohio has met this
question much more frankly than some others
treated in its platform, and so crcditably that,
but for honest apprchensions previously
aroused, it would put that issue quite ont of
the coming contest. But, while other topics
scngross immediate attention, friends of the
public schools well know that the opposition
is one which may slumbcr but will not die,
and that, sooner or later, the question must
be met maniully, candidly, and decisively. 1t
will not be settled by harsh words, or appeals
to prejudice. The system of public schools
will stand, because its necessity, IA the basis
of free government, will be calmly, cOur-
...,-i, Inf cnurlusiv,Iv demonstrated