The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1875-09-02
From the Cincinnati Gazettel
The Danger Of the Day-Shall the Pub
lie Schools be Preserved?

| ONO, 1T was that the public schools weF'
permanent institution, and, in the
words. of most people, the glory of the
State Is that system of public educa
| ton certain any longer, or is it no
| threatened by ideas, and schemes, anc
majority of the people would maintain
them, if left to themselves, there is nc
doubt. But on the other hand, there i:
no fact more certain than that great
bodies of men are more influenced by
their party and their Church than they
are by their own judgments. In this
case the public school is threatened by
both those influences. The Roman Cath
olic Church is utterly opposed to the free
public schools, is thoroughly disciplined
and has large body of voters. The or
gans of this Church-such as the Catholic
Telegraph, and, we believe, all the Ro-
man papers-say to the Democratic par
ty, 1--WE have a great body of voters, and
they can control the Democratic party.
You must divide the school money with
US. You must make grants to our chari-
ties and churches. If you do not, we
will cast our vote solid for you. We are
your main support, and you know it. "
1t must be admitted, and by candid men,
that this is a severe threat and hard to
resist The Democratic party did not
resist-they did what the Roman Catho-
lie priests asked. Are you indignant and
deny that, my Democratic friend? Well,
then, l ask you to deny or admit these
facts in New York and Ohio: The larg-
est cathedral in this country is building
in New York The lot on which it is
building, worth near a million of dollars,
was given to the Roman.Church by the
Democratic Common Council of New
York. Again, large amount of funds
are distributed to public charities, pre-
tendedly among different sects, but as
the Catholics get up great number of
apparent charlottesville the Protes-
tants, are worthy of public or secular
characteristics result is, and probably
was intended to be, that they get the
great bulk of the funds. Now, let US
turn to Ohio, which has only recently be-
The late Legislature of Ohio Zone which
proud of,) was threatened openly and
publicly that if they did not pass the
Geghan law they would lose the Catholic
vote, and if they did they should have it
solidly. The Democrats did not resist
They passed the Geghan law. No mat
ter what the law was, it was passed under
the threat of losing the Roman Catholic
vote. Nobody will have the. assurance
to deny that. These instances are
enough, and they might be multiplied to
show the influence of the Roman Catho-
lie Church on the Democratic party. l
make no argument upon the principle
set up by the Roman Catholic Church,
nor upon the wisdom of the Democratic
party. The one thing l would, if possi-
bic, carry to every voter in the State is
this simple fact-a fact not to be denied
that the Democratic party in New
York and Ohio has legislated under the
influence of the Roman Catholic Church.
Now, if there be legislation specially for
the Roman Catholics, can you avoid leg
islating for Methodists and Presbyteri-
ans? Or are the Roman Catholics the
only ones to have special Legislation?
Well, then, legislate for sectarian purpo
ses, divide the school funds, make grants
for sectarian charities, tax the people for
special Institutions, and where are your
Where is the equality of legislation
How can the State charities, the public
institutions, be maintained with contend
ing factions fighting for their share of
the public funds? Now, to apply this to
public schools, what is. the actual posi-
ton?
l. The Roman Catholics, through their
public organs, attack the schools in the
severest language. They call them "god-
less" and heather" Institutions They
the Bible in schools because the
Bible apparently gives the schools
strength. The Bible is neither goddess
nor heather. What did they want to
get rid of it for? At any rate, the hos
tility of the Roman Catholic priests to
the public schools is manifested on all
sides. 1t is part of the necessary con-
sequences of the revival, we may call it,
in the infallibility of the
Pope and the Vatican DEGREES. 1t is the
of Papal despotism so POM
pously exhibited in the Middle Ages. 1t
is Rome or nothing. We do not dispute
right to set up that doctrine.
But we do deny the right of any Pope or
Bishop to interfere with our public
schools Gladstone did not begin his
battle one day too soon. The people of
Ohio can not begin to think of this mat
ter to soon. The battle is upon u.s. 1t
is the battle of ideas. but that is the
greatest of all battles.
2. The Roman Catholics have not only
set up their ideas as the standard for US
all to adopt, and the Papal DEGREES as the
law we are to obey, but they have imper-
atively demanded of the Democratic par
ty that it should carry out their ideas,
and when Rome wants a law it should
enact it. Did the Democratic party re-
sist that demand? No. Then we see
how despotic and how dangerous it is to
the future.
g. But the Democratic politicians will
tell the people that they passed reSOt4=
ton % against meddling with the school
funds What is this resolution worth
when it suits the leaders to change their
position2 Did not the Democratic con-
ventions pass anti-slavery and pro-slavery
resolutions; hard money and paper mon
ey resolutions; tariff and anti-tarif reso
lutions2 and did they stick to any one?
To make the Democratic resolution at
Columbus good for anything, you must
vote square against the Democratic
Roman Catholic alliance. Then you will
have the matter in your own hands. The
Romanists don't ask the Republicans to
legslate for them. They know their
chances for that are mighty small. The
danger is in the simple fact that the
question is forced upon US. We have
the almost irresistible influence of the
Roman Catholic threat on the Democrat
ic organization. Human nature is rather
a weak thing at any rate, and when it is
threatened, even against Its own views,
by party, and church, and society," it usu-
ally ends by backing down. This is the
danger No doubt Mr. Thurman, Mr..
Allen, and even Cary himself would deny
being Influenced by the Roman Catholic
hierarchy, but do they not uphold the
party, and fight for it, when that party,
as represented in the Legislature, yields
to the Papal threats? We can not ex-
pect much moral courage from the lead
ers of party; but may we not hope that
the intnlli GENT nnnnle on their farms and