, 1876-02-27
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.


is heard in our city. admitting no compromise.
The CRY is heard all the time, Our taxes are too
heavy; they have become CALLING IS q yoke.
| The city expenses must DO cut down. Our
City Fathers, in their deliberations the other
evening, began this work BY cutting down the
estimates Of the School Bourd to the tune OF
S250000. Perhaps this is beginning at the
wrong end Of the horn, but now lot the Council
turn their attention 10 another big expense, and
let tho matter come before the Board Of Educa-
ton, enforced by resolution from the Common
Council Resolved, That the German Language
be dropped from the studies OF our common
schools" The time for class legislation, class
education is passed; our country has entered
on its Centennial history. and this farce Of con-
tinuing separate class education ought to be
among the bygones. If it was necessary that
our children should learn German, thsn 1t would
be yery different; but while mlllloos ia the couu-
try speak The English language, and it is The
language Of our Courts, our legislatures, why
should German be enforced IN aI our schools?
Apart from this. what claims has tue Gsrman
over the Scandinavian in our pubic schools
Our Scandinavian citizens are largely represent
ed in their children IN our schools. Why, then,
in the name OF common sense aud justice, must
their language bo ignored. aud they forced to
learn Germaus Again, have the representatives
OF Ireland, Of much loved Erin, no claims that
their ancient tongue shall be revived aud
taught in the schools? So We can go on all
thi ough the list Of OLE cosmopolitan citizenship
ending with French, 40 much spoken in some
sections Of out country Why must every lau-
suage under the sun be intesdicted, and our
children Obliged 10 spend hours and months
upon useless study: II there Was any possible
benefit to be gained thereby. We could put up
with the expense OF bu5ing German textbooks;
but German children readily learn our comtnou
tonse, use it Gil she playground, in the streets,
"eyerywhero when among children; Why,
then, force another 1aco to learn an alien
toneuef Any other Board OF Education besides
the Que Chicago is cursed with would long
ago have rescinded thus rule-woula haze
paced our city IN the vanguard OF educational
reform, would have made our school-couTse tue
higheat aud best in tie land, and have placed
tho name OF our Chicago. High School on an
equality with the famous Boston High School.
but whose political truckers sit in Couoci- A.
the fotlutalnheadB OF learning, We must expect
our common b.rthright, ''a free educatiJn," to
80 to the wall IN the face Of political and Sec
tional influence. II is time for us 10 awaken, to
demand tbat this enormous drain on our schools
funds be stopped, that the thousands Of dollars
paid every year to German teachers employed
teaching that language be used to build new
schools. The German element ID ~eil repra-
scented among our teacher; OF that care no1h-
ing-let them teach II they are fitted for that Vo
cation but let Us protest against q useless
throwing away OF 40 much lnouey. Schools
ne cannot do without; our children must be eau-
Gated, but We can give them an education that
will fit them to become useful men and women.
an honor to the city AMI their country. without
such au appeudage as the German laDEnage
There are studies Of far more importance which
might DO admitted into our school course:
Let our Municipal and Educational Boards
take this matter luro consideration, aud at once
do as New York has done,-take the study of
the German 1anguage from our common schools,
leaving it as special s:udg, optional for pupils,
in the High-School. Yours respectfully,
NORMAN.
MOCK ACTIONS
To the Editor Of The Cht:ugo fTs5uns:
CHICAGO, Feb. 2G.-While the papers in our
city are not slow showing up political corrup-
ton and vices OF various kinds that exist
amongst us, there is yet, nevertheless an illicit
traffic earned on with apparent SUCCESS in the |
very heart Of the city without molestation either
from the police or the newspapers, with the ex-
ception of The TRIBUNE, which did-onc or twice |
relate quite fully the tricks Of this nefarions
business refer to those low dens popularity !
kuown rs ''nlock" auotions. OF these it is !
to say much; the subject pre- !
aents bus few attractions. They have |
been q long-standing stigma On the good !
name Of the city, and should without delay be
anDihilated- II would be a just and mertorious
act for the Mayor to exercise his authority q
smaller scale they are comparatively as bad as
any ''b bunko " den in the city, and, if anything,
worae, for they ply their vocation more openly.
Each one OF these places has in it's employ sew
aral dejected-looking miscreants, who continu-
ally hang around on the watch for unsnspect-
ng peraons who may happen to ba attracted to
he place, to practice their artfu1 games upon.
This, Of course, is done by them (the ropers)
assuming to be- interested spectators, only
little more esger than any one else
20 buy. They are thereby enabled
10 mislead innocent Grangers and rob
hem of dollars for trash that isn't worth so
many cents, by their gross misrepresentation.
The principal ono OF these mockerea ls located
IN Clark street, near Washington. The auction
aers at this place are quiet spccimens,-fne car
catures on humanity,-the one robust and whis-
ty-soeked, with blo2ted red face, aud, Of
.ourse, devoid Of all conscience. The other is
ather elongated, but shiftiess- looking fellow,
fifth eountensnce suggestive of roguery and
weakness for crooked" There ia another such
,lacs On Randolph street, and also one on Canal
treet, near Maaieon. They are all chips Of the
ne block. Tue TRIBUNE only has exhibited
hose places in their true color. Individual ar
ests and trifling fines amount to nothing. The
Rw has the power and should close them up.
A SUFFERER.
TIE CENTENNIAL RAILROAD RING.
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