River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-10-30

intelligent members OF the party-dis
gusted with the platform, will vote
with Republicans.
| PROFESSIONALLY some of the mos,
stirring speeches and most pointed
editorials have come from men who
are and have been lifelong Democrats
but who canDot swallow this Demo.
cratic opposition to one of the most
wholesome laws ever passed by Wis.
consin legislature.
Below we give some strong utter.
ances from Democratic sources. Chas.
Felker of Oshkosh. in speech before
the Democratic Bennett Law League
said:
| "Do not deceive yourselves. The
priests who are taking up collections in
their churches to swell the Democratic
campaign fund have an object in view.
| They have, from the pulpit, denounced
our common schools as goddess schools.
They have stigmatized them as hotbeds
of vice. They have forbidden their peo-
| pie TO send their children to the common
schools. Having exhausted their vocabu-
larry of denunciation they now profess to
attack the common schools by legislation.
Their seryiie allies are the managers of
the Democratic party. They dictated the
Democratic platform. They will, if they
succeed, dictate legislation. i tell you
plainly that this unholy crusade against
the common schools is carried on by a
coalition of priest, pettifogger, politician
and poltroon. Some are inspired by hate.
Some by love of gain. Some by hope of
office All are willing to sacrifice the
common schools"
The following from the Plymouth
Reporter (Dem.) refers to a recent
speech made by Prof. Harvey, the
scholarly and able candidate on the
Republican ticket for State Superin-
tendent:
1.-THE address of Prof l.. ID. Harvey on
Monday evening was most convincing
and logical presentation of the school
question. 1t was complete refutation
of the arguments which the opponents of
compulsory education in the English Ian
guage have put forth. Prof. Harvey did
not content himself with bare assertions,
but demonstrated truths in manner
llidl "a llO uOupto iiO gain
say. With keen insight into the mo-
tives of men and logical and penetrat-
ing mind, he tears the veil that screens
hypocrisy, lays bare falsehood and makes
even the demagogue feel that truth must
prevail"
The following is from John Nagle.
for many years Co. Supt. of Mantle
woe county-an ardent Democrat,
thoroughly fair minded and honest
man, but decided bolter from the
dictates of the Democratic platform:
"For years the process of superseding
the public school by the parochial, has
been Systematically carried on. 1t was
not because there existed any need of
enlarged facilities for elementary instruc-
ton, as the country school is rarely taxed
to its full capacity. 1t was not that in
efficiency of the teacher made imperative
higher grade of talent, as incompetency
finds it difficult to leap the barriers which
hedge the public school. 1t was largely
because the language of the public school
is English. The parochial school exists
to-day not so much for the religious in
struction it gives as for the language
which it teaches. The English language
is as foreign to the intent of parochial
school instruction as a foreign language
is to the purpose of the public school.
Both yield to necessity and give heed to
local conditions. There are parochial
schools in the state where nothing but
English is taught; there are public
schools in the state where, virtually,
nothing but a foreign language is taught.
But that does not deprive either OF Its
distinctive characteristic with reference
to the language it is its chief mission to
teach. If the parochial schools of the
state pushed their way into sections
where education was neglected, every
person would applaud their purpose no
matter what language they employed IN
their battle with illiteracy. But they do
not. The pioneer in the onward march
of education is the public school. The
parochial school follows, approprlates to
itself the sentiment favorable to educa-
ton and then diverts it to the accom-
plishment of its own ends,-the perpetual
ton of a foreign language and the sup
preston of English to the fullest extent
which circumstances will permit. is 1t
unreasonable to ask that these schools,
which in many places have destroyed the
public schools, not through the operation
of the natural law of the survival OF the
fittest," but through the admonition and
mandates oil the clerBy,-lS III unreaSonsi-
BILE to ask that they give in part, at least,
instruction in the language of the schools
they have supplanted? If conscious OF
their power to control legislatures and
carry elections through the active CO.
operation of politicians who look toward
office with extreme wishfulness, is it ask
ing too much of them to graciously per-
NIT the parent to send his child for a
limited period to some school where he
may obtain the instruction they refuse to
give? In view of the fact that they have
usurped the functions of the public
school, is there any force in the argument
used by Col. Villas prOtege, Prof. X. b.
Anderson, that little time is all these
schools want to prepare themselves for
the work of teaching English?"
Don't fail on Tuesday next to vote
for men who will see to it that the
Public Schools are maintained, and
not only rote but see that your Repub-
lican neighbor votes. 49,
Cady mus.