New-York tribune., 1875-12-09
MR. BLfINES WAY IND PRESIDENT

GRANTS
President Grant has disturbed the peace OF
politics with the tactics Of war. He has con-
fscated Mr.. Blaine's constitutional amendment
Just as hlr. Blaine appropriated his idea, and
he has added so much to it that the ex-
Speaker is in danger of losing his prior title
Mr.. Blalne's amendment, If promptly acted on,
might eliminate the school question from the
active arena Of next years contest, though the
cynical might doubt if exactly that was what
Mr.. Blaine wanted. The Presidents plan
seems openly aimed at the very opposite
effect. The two plans are radically different
Mr. Blaine merely wishes to modify Section
10 of Art. |. of the Constitution, which,
among other things, mhibits Congress from
making any law respecting an establishment
" of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise
"thereOf," as follows:
No State shall make any law respecting m establish
men of religion prohibiting the free exercise thereof
and 40 money raised taxation for the support Of public
schools derived from any public fund therefor shan
ever be under the control of any religious sect nor shall
any money so raised be divided between religious
sects OF denominations
President Grant goes much further than this
He wishes an amendment which shall make II
the duty Of The States |" to establish and for
"ever maintain free public schools adequate
"to the education Of all the children in the
rudimentary branches within their respective
Limits, irrespective of sex, color, birthplace,
"or religion" that shall forbid " the
"teaching in said schools Of religious,
"athcstic, OF pagan tenets :" that shall
prohibit &" the granting of any school
funds or school taxes or any part thereof,
i incl r,,fl,
"thorty, for the benefit or in aid, directly 81
1" indirectly, Of any religious sect or denomi-
"nation, or in aid OF for the benefit Of any
I" other object of any nature or kind what
"ever" Growing ont of these recommends
tions are those making ,iIlteracy q bar TO suf-
frage after 1890, and subjecting all church
property, with some possible exceptions to
taxation All these hc wants action on AT this
session. These changes might involve more
than appears on the surface. They would not
only prevent a division of the school funds
and make the support Of the schools impera-
tive, but they would drive tho Bible from the
public schools, as well any other form
of religious. athcis;ic, or pagan" teach
ing that may liDger there. This latter change
and those bringing church property under tax
alton and limiting the right OF suffrage, might,
if pressed now, arouse the ficrcest contest our
country has ever known. Evidently the Presi-
dents proposal confuseS the issue with eX-
traneous matters on which there Will be wide
and vehement differences of opinion; Mr.
Baine's would he likely to receive the hearty
approval Of Congress, as an amendment to
which no one could properly OF safely object
The latter might DC got out of the way Of
Congress before the campaign begins; the
former would precpitate the campaign and be
itself the chief bone of contention. In this
view it is surely not unjust TO label this
message "Giant Document No. l, Presi-
"dentiaI campaign OF 1876; No in course
:" of preparation by the same author" With a
digniGed rcbuke to those of his friends and
dependents who arc pushing him forward for
third term, the Presidents sweeping recon-
mendatiOns would have seemed patriotic, if
not slatcsmanlike. In its absence they sink 10
the level OF strategy.
There is one man in the present Congress
who can do much to defeat the schemes OF
politicians willing and anxious to Arouse rclig-
ious strife for partisan purposes. Senator kcr-
nan of this State is a Roman Catholic and u
Democrat but friend to the common schools,
who has distinguished himself by his Opposi-
ton to sectarau appropriations If Senator
KEENAN, will take the sense of Congress and
his party on this question, he may be able to
show the country that there is no real differ
ence of opinion among good citizens of all
religions and parties as TO the necessity Of
preserving the common schools. This action,
coming flom representative both of the
church and the party at which these move
ments are aimed, would have great weight.
1t might Illustrate the tricks of the mere poll
ticians and teach sac1legious meddlerS with free
institutions the duty of doing all thugs
deceutly and in order.