Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-08-06


ends II Judge Thurman could get that convention
together again II is evident that be could now in tho
lery. Nothing but victory in Ohio can put initiation
9gsn es S on It's legs Let ! Be- defeated IN OS'S9sT @ AND
a clear field for at least generation.
STATE AFFAIRS.
Two years ago the Democratic party fully into
power In OhiO In the state Legislature and for the
first time in twenty years, elected the Executive oil the
state. They were also entrusted with the affairs OF
the leading cities and majority Of the wealthiest
and most pOpulous counties In the State. IL would be
profitable TO inquire how this about, and what
are the results In the course of the canvass ~ Is my
purpose 10 show in detail how unfortunate their man
agement Of State affairs has BEEN 1t will appear on
investigation that the interests OF the State In the be-
nevolent, penal and reformatOry institutions have
been sacrificed TO the spoils doctrne how the cities
and especially the chief city OF tho State has suffered
by the corruption Of It's rulers; how public expend-
lures have been Increased until the aggregate Of TAXA
ton In Ohio In this time OF money depression is
vastly larger than ever beore' how the number Of
salaried officers was lnoreased how the members OF
tho Legislature corrupted by bribery, notorious
and shameless aud how The dominant party utterly
failed to deal with this corruption duty and the
good name of the State demanded. Faacous and de-
ceptve statements have been made as to the reduction
Of the levy for State taxes and as TO the appropria
tlons II is enough to say that the aggregate taxation
In Ohio in 1874 was over s27O0000O, larger sum than
before collected by tax-gatherefs In Ohio.
THE sECTARfAN WAR ON SCHOOLS.
Altogether the most interesting questions in our
State affairs those which relate to the passage, by
the last Legislature, of the Geghan bill and the war
which the seciarian wing of the Democratic party is
now waging against the public schools In the ad-
mrabe speech made by Judge Taft at the Republican
state Convention, he sounded the key mote TO the
canvass on this subject, lie said "our motto must be
universal liberty and universal suffrage, secured by
universal education Before we discuss these ques-
lions 1t may be WELL In order that there may be no
for further Misrepresentation, to show by whom
this subject introduced into politics. and to state
explicitly that we attack no Sect aud no man, either
Protestant or Jew, Catholic unbelever account
of his conscientious convictions in regard TO religion.
Who began the agitation of this subject2 Why is 1t
agltated? All parties have taken hold OF it, The
Democratic party in their state Convention make 1t
the topic OF their longest resolution In their platform
they gave 1t more than TO any other subject ex
cept the currency. Many of the Democratic County
Conventions also took action upon it.
The Republican State Convention passed resolutions
the question II Is stated that 1t considered In
about iorty Republican County Conventions. The
State Teachers Association at their last meeting passed
unanimously the following resolution. Mr.. Tappen,
from the Committee Resolutions, reported the fol-
''ReSoiuei That we in favor of Free impartial,
aud unsecaran education to every Ghd in the State,
and that any division of tine school fund or appropria
ton Of any part thereof TO any religious private
school, would be injurious TO education and the best
interests OF the Church."
An able address by the Rev. Dr. Jeffers Of Cleveland
showing the perils which threaten public schools
emphaticaIly appauded by that intelligent body
| of citizens.
The assemblies OF the different religious denomina-
ons in the State, which have recently been held
have generally and think without exception, passed
similar resolutions Ii blame is attach to all who
consider and discuss this question before the public
we have had very large body of offenders. But
have not named all who engaged in It, have not
named those who began ii-those who for years have
kept il upthose who in the press on the platform, in
the pulpit in legislative bodies, in city councils and
in school boards increasingly agtae the question.
rybody knows who they are. Everybody knows
that the sectarian wing OF the Democratic party be-
gan this agitation, aud that it is bent on the de-
strucon Of our Tree schools. Ii Republicans acting
on the defensive discuss ;he subject and express the
opinion that the Democratic party can't safely be
trusted, they are DENOUNCED in unmeasured terms
Gen. Cary calls them political knayes" and "lools'
and "bigotS." But it is very significant
that no Democratic speaker denounces
those who began the agitation. All
| a;r Ilate Lave at i'm tl
| right side of the question. Agitation the wrong
side-agitation against the schools may 90 on. 1t
meets condemnation from leading Democratic can
didates ana speakers; Inc reason Is plain. Those
| who mean to destroy the school system constitute
formidable part Of the Democratic party, without
whose support that party, the Legislature told
last spring. eau not carry the county, the city, nor
| the State.
The sectarian agitation against the public schools
| was begun many years ago, During the last few
years 1t has steadily and rapidly increased, aad has
been encouraged by various indications of possible
success 1t extcnds to all the States where schools
at the commoa expense have been long established
Its triumphs mainly in the large and cities
1t has already divided the Schools and considera
bic degree impaired and limited thei usefulness. The
glory ul the American system of education has been
Thar il was cheap that the humblest citizen could
afford TO give his children its advantages, and
SO good that the man OF wGiith could no
better. fhs gave the system its most c6nspic-
uous merit 1t made it Republican system. The
and educated terms OF perfect equality. The ten
dency Of this is to aHsimae and to fuse together the
|
| harmony, and general good will in our American So
cety. But the enemies OF the American system have
begun the work Of destroying it, They have forced
| away from the public schools in many towns and
cities One-tbird OuC-fOurth of their pupils aud
them 10 schools which, it is safe to say. are
! not whit helter than those they have lett. These
youth are thus deprived Of the associations and the
education practical Republicansm and American
| sentiments, which they peculiarly need. Nobody
| questions their constitutional aud legal
right to do this aud to do it by
deuouueing the public schools Sectdrians
| have lawful right that these schools
relic OF paganism-that they gDdless,n and that
| 'the secular school system is social cancer" But
when having thus succeeded in dividing the schools
they make that ground for abOshing school taxa
ton dividing the school fund, otherwise destroy
ing the SYSTEM 1t Is time that its friends should rise
up in its defense.
I'VE all agree that neither the government nor polit-
ical parties ought 10 Interfere with religious 1t
Is equally true that religious sects ought not to inter-
lere with the government with political parties We
believe that the cause OF good government aud the
cause of religion both suffer by all such interference.
But il sectaTan make demands for legs atOn of pOt-
ieai parties anu tniei'te @ Prt Mltn oppoSi.ioh az
passed, and ii the political party yields such threats
those demands and that action OF the political party
become legitimate subject Of political discussion, aud
the sectarians who thus interfere with the legislation
of the state are alone responsible for the agitation
| which follows.
And now q few words as to the action Of the last
| legislature this subject. After examina-
conclusion that in itself it is not of great importance
would not undervalue the conscientious scrupleg on
y,
Of any unfortunate person in any State institution
But the provision Of the Constitution of the State
| covers the whole ground 1t needs no awaKwardly-
framed statute OF doubtful meaning, like the Geghan
BILL to accomplish the object OF the organic law. The
old Constitution of 1902, and the Constitution in
force of 1851 substantially alike. Both declareI
| quote Sec 7, Art !, Constitution Of 1881;
GAN men have natural and indefeasbe right to
worship Almighty God according to the dictates oil
their own conscience No person shall be compelled
to attend, erect support any place OF worship,
maintain any form of worship against his consent
| 10 q rnlf
gious society," shall interference with the right Of
| conscience be permitted"
If the Geghan bill is merely a re-enactment of this
part of the bill OF rights It is work of supererogation
and 1t is strange that theLegsature did not wheI
It introduced, favor its passage. The author o
the bill wrote the members claim that such bill il
not needed" The same opinion prevails in New
Jersey where similar bill Is said to have been de-
feated by vote of three 10 But the sectarians
Ohio were resolved on the passage Of this bill. Mr.
Geghan, its author. wrote to Mr.. Murphy OF Cincin
natl:
1--WE have prior claim on the Democratic party
The elements composing the Democratic purity in Ohio
to-day made up Of Irish and German Catholics
and they have always been lOyal and faithful to I'M