National Republican., 1883-09-13
An Established institution,

are both enlisted In the cause of free common
school education. The power of this mighty
people would speedily destroy any force
which should dare to seriously attempt the
disestablislmcnt of this great national insti-
tuition. We call Irrational, because although
it is not under national authority, il is never
theless one of the great treasures of tho ma
tional heart
Tho free school has two enomics-two in
tcrcsted and intelligent enemies. One is u
political and the other q religious organiza-
ton. The hostility of each is based on the
law of sclf-prescrvation, for neither would
long survive the free, and therefore tho gem
eral, education of the people. Free discussion
is involved in universal education, for tho
fountains of learning spring from no single
source. Only those who dare not trust their
own dogmas in a struggle with their oppojites
are the enemies of free discussion. In this
republic, as in the nation from which we
sprang, freedom of thought, tongue pon, and
action is the basis of our system.
The democratic party made itself, during
the lifetime OF u generation. the active and
jealous ally and guardian of freedoms oppo-
Sitc-slavery. Fate, interest, and prejudice
made the alliance, and in obedience to the
law of sclf.prcservation the democratic party
was the enemy of general education because
its light was bancful and destructive to the
principle of slavery. The democratic masses
of the north could not be marslialed solidly
against the public school system, but in the
south, where it could be done without danger
to party asccndcncy, the free schools were
made odious, and placed on level with
ginia in 1860 was on the fundamental
condition that her constitutional guarantees
for free education should never be impaired
but tho old bourbon class set at defiance this
compact to which it had itself agreed and
thereby promoted its own overthrow The
defenders of the state treasury against the
schemes of the funder wreckers made COM
mon cause with those whose children were
suffering from dishonest and unconstitutiona
diversion of the school fund. and thus were
the bourbons "hoist by their own petard."
bonism, and will therefore always find in it
determined foe.
Tho religious foe of the free common school
system is the church which denies to its COM
municants the right of private judgment.
Those religious teachers who refuse to address
the understanding, but insist that each mind
shall receive without dispute, inquiry, or rea-
son the dogmas which have been proclaimed
by an infallibo human head, cannot with
safety permit any instruction of youth which
has not been first purged of every syllable call
ing in question any one of those dogmas. The
Catholic church, then, stands the implacablc foe
of any but an aflrmativcly Catholic education
1t strikes at the American public school sys-
TEN whenever it does not fear to receive
moro harm than it inhicts by tho blow. 1t
is as wise as serpent and as fixed in its
purpose as destiny. 1t is obeying the law of
tion. General education would be to the
power of the church over tho youthful mind
as tho sun of the tropics to the iceberg.
We are led to these observations by the
able, and as insidious as able, address Of the
Rev. Father Ryan on education at st. Alloy
sius' church on Sunday evening, an abstract
of which appeared IN this paper on Monday
morning, He exalted tho importance Of re-
ligion as an clement in all instruction of the
young, and appealed to the adherents of all
religious denominations to join mis- own in
enforcing this view. He would have the
state pass measure to compel every church
by statute law 10 educate its own children,
and yet in the same breath he declared that
he thought " tho state should mind its own
business in this matter Of education" That
is TO say, the matter Of education is not tho
states business. lie did not toll his hearers
how the state could compel each church to
educate its own children and still leave the
matter Of education to be dealt with only by
tho church. The reverend fathers zeal out
ran his discretion. lie invites controversy
which not even his powerful organization can
afford 10 engage in. The public schools are
and will continue to bo the business of the
state, The school fund will not be divided
around among priests or clergymon of the
| different denominations. The Catholics and
others who choose to avail themselves of the
benefits Of this general fund by sending their
children TO our public schools will not bo per-
mitted 10 suffer therefor in mind, body, or
estate so far us they can be protected by law.
Father Ryan Is reported as having com
planned Of Gen. Grant for having onco main
tanned in a speech in Iowa that the Catholics
were opposed 10 public schools. But what
better proof need there be of the truth of
Gen. Grants view than tho very address be.
fore u.s. in which the most determined hos
tiity is manifested to the public school sys
TEN, aud 20 any in which Catholics arc
not allowed TO use the public funds for
the strictly Catholic education OF the children
Of Catholics? We have only the most liberal
feelings in matters of religion. We believe
Ia tho same absolute freedom for all Others