Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-09-29
CREED ATTHE BALLOT BOX
BOSTON BOILING OVER A QUESTION
OF RELIGION.

Exclusion of a Text Book from the Schools
Because of Its Statements as to the
Doctrine of Indulgences Brings on
Bitter Fight in Which the Women
Take a Hand and Qualify to Vote.
Boston, Sept 29.-The women of Boston
are aroused as they have never been before
over the parochial school question Rich
and poor, old and young, married and SIN
gle white and black, are marching In droves
TO the city hall to register their names as
voters in the coming election for the school
committee. privilege which is allowed to
every adult female in this state who Is a cit
izen. This election is all-impor 'ant on ac-
count of the action of the last committee in
abolishing the use of Swinton's text book of
the worlds history in the public schools and
the deposition of Teacher Travis. The book
named, on complaint of Father Metcalf, who
charged that its exposition Of the Roman
Catholic doctrine of indnlgences was inim-
ical to his church because historically
untrue, was so adiudged by the school
committee. A subcommittee of three re-
Gently refused to reverse that judgment,
among them being the well-known Congre-
gational divine Rev. Joseph 7. Duryea. The
other two were Roman Catholics The up
shot of the whole matter was a passionate
religious war between the Protestants and
Roman Catholics. The former asserted that
the public school system was the object of
preconcerted assault by the Roman Catholic
adherents TO the parochial school idea, and
that the school committee, which was made
up largely of Roman Catholic members, had
PLAYED into the hands of the Jesuits The
Roman Catholics claimed that the text book
was injurious TO the young, and quoted vari-
Gus historical authorities to prove their state
nient.
Resolving to make a contest, the Protest
ants began campaign of agitation which
has been vigorously fought during the past
six months Meetings wildly enthusiastic,
literature denunciatory of Rome and Romish
methods, organizations to make recruits and
a house-to-house canvass to present the situa-
ton to those who did not attend the meet
| ings-these have been the weapons used by
the Protestants in fighting the enemy. The
result has been an agitation which has not
| failed to enter into the domestic circles of
| every Protestant family in the city. 1t was
| decided TO make systematic effort to defeat
| any and all candidates for the school commit
tee presented by the Roman Catholics. To
| effect this all the Protestant women were
encouraged to exercise their right
| of suffrage. The registration and assessment
| began ten days ago at the city hall, and
within forty eight hours 5000 women were
made eligible as voters. The Roman Catho-
lie women retaliated by themselves appear.
ing as candidates for registration. They or
gained an assessment bureau and gathered
!
to meet the move Of their Protestant sisters
who, they said, were influenced by feelings
| OF bigotry and alarmed far beyond the mer-
its of the question More Roman Catholics
than Prot stants, in fact, have been regis
tered the last five days, and if the present
average is kept up it would seem that the
| Protestants are i'll great danger of being out
voted on election day.
The scenes at City hall are unparalleled in
tue history of Boston An army of l. so or
more excited women is present from early
morning until nightfall awaiting their turns
in the line No woman is eligible unless she
was born in this country or has been natu-
rallied in the ordinary way, or by marrying
naturalized citizen As to these facts
of course applicants are required to
take oath. So great is the volume
of business that the clerks have
no time for lunch The excitement runs
high, the women being almost fanatical in
their eagerness to possess the necessary doc,
uments of registration. Thursday APO
women, an unprecedented number, were
registered, and yesterday at least many
more. The total registration will not fall
far short of 5000 The office for registrs
ton is now kept open until 10 p m.