The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1875-09-02
WHOLE NO. .l476.
From Haper's Weelx1y.l
The School Question in Connecticut.

We are glad to know that the imitation
issue in Ohio, important as it is, will not
be suffered to overshadow that of the
freedom of the common schools. In his
manly, earnest, temperate, and admirable
speech at Marion, which is a singular
contrast to the reckless fury and shallow
demogogery of his opponent, General
Hayes, the Republican candidate for Gov
ernor, spoke most plainly and conclu-
sively upon the subject The platforms
of both parties in that State assert, in
deed, that the schools must remain free
from priestly control But the relation
OF the Democratic party to the Roman
Church is such that its declarations upon
this subject can not be trusted. When
the Ohio Democrats pronounce for the
freedom of the schools, we cannot forget
that every attempt to place the schools
under sectarian control by division of
the school money has been made by Dem
ocrats; and it is notorious that except
for the Democratic intrigue to retain the
Roman Catholic vote, there would be no
such question as the division of the
school money. 1t is made question
solely by the effort of the Roman Catho-
lie managers, sustained by Democratic
leaders. The effort is made in every
same. One of the latest chapters was in
Connecticut, and has probably escaped
the attention of most of our readers. But
the whole situation may be stuffed in
events in that State, and the facts are
we'll worth attention.
partially successful attempt has al
ready been made in New Haven, Water
bury and New Britain to obtain a share
of the money for Catholic schools, and
during the recent session of the Legisla-
ture, in which the majority was Demo
cratic, Mr.. Lynde Harrison, a well-known
Republican, introduced an amendment
to the Constitution expressly prohibiting
any grant to sectarian institutions. 1t
was referred to the committee upon the
subject, composed of five Democrats and
three Republicans. The Republicans,
with one Democrat, reported the amend
ment favorably, the other four Demo
Gratis adversely. Action was delayed in
the House because the Democratic ma
jority wished to avoid any record upon
the subject. We now proceed to state
facts which rest upon the best authority.
AS soon as the amendment was intro
duced, Father Hughes, leading Roman
Catholic clergyman in Hartford, notified
the Democratic managers that it must
not be allowed to pass Conferences were
held In New Haven, at which Governor
Ingersol and the editors of two. of the
chief Democratic papers in the State were
present, with members of the Democratic
State Committee, and it was decided, in
obedience to the priestly demand, that
the amendment must be killed A caucus
was held, and it was resolved that the
should be made party ques-
ton, and should be defeated by motion
of indefinite postponement Meanwhile
the priests were invited to appear before
the committee and publicly give reasons
for opposing the amendment But they
failed to come, and were content with
private interviews with Democratic
leaders.
Late in July the House took up the
question. Mr.. Harrison, the chairman of
the committee, opened the debate, for
chilly stating the argument against secta-
rlan schools, and saying that the COM
mittee was equally divided upon the
amendment. Mr.. Stevens, of Hartford,
a member of the committee who had re-
ported unfavorably, followed in opposi-
ton, declaring that it was an attempt ''to
crowd sectarian issue upon the people
of the State, which, to their credit, they
had hitherto avoided" and he insisted
that the existing provision of the Consti-
tuition made such a prohibition unneces-
sary. When he had spoken, Mr. Carroll.
q Democrat and q Roman Catholic, moved
the indefinite postponement of the sub
ect, and called the previous question.
This form was adopted to cut off all reply
to Mr.. Stevens statements in regard to
the present Constitution, to prevent fur
ther debate, and to avoid a direct vote
upon the amendment. The friends of
the freedom of the schools demanded the
yeas and nays. The result was that one
hundred and eleven Q1D Democrats
voted in obedience to the priests for in
ietinlte postponement; ninety-four (94
Republicans and four (4) Democrats,
making ninety-eight (9S), voted against
oostponement Sixteen l6) Republicans
md nineteen (19) Democrats were paired
)r absent. The only German in the
House, Mr. Zeigler, was one of the four
Democrats who voted postponement, and
he other three were farmers from small
'ural towns
This is an illustration of the real atti-
ude of the Democratic party upon the
chool question, which we commend to
he consideration of the people of Ohio.
f the freedom of the schools is in dam
no one who is familiar with the
acts will deny 1.-THE peril lies in the
eryile obedience of the Democratic lead
RS to the Roman priesthood, which is
he price of the Roman Catholic vote for
he Democratic party. The important
'oint is not what Democrats may say
pon the subject in Ohio, but what they
10 in every State of the Union.
A Boy of True Grit. .c