Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-04-12
A THE TO SPEAK.

The Chicago Herald, which is Demo
cratic in all its expressions, is amazed at
the unwisdom of the Democracy Of Wis
consin. Recently the RECORD UNION ex-
tendedly explained the issue in the late
elections in Wisconsin concerning the
compulsory education bill, and the re-
quirement of the law that all schools to
be recognized as such by the State must
teach reading, writing, arithmetic and
United States history in the English
language. Against the enforcement OF
this law the Democrats arrayed their
party, and with the support of the Luther
ands, Catholics, and also Of the anarchists,
who miss no opportunity to "stab the law, y
they elected their ticket in Milwaukee.
This was meant to indicate that the State
law will not be enforced in Milwaukee
that the majority of the children of that
city shall continue to be taught in Polish,
Bohemian and German, and that they
shall be brought up unable to read the
laws OF their land. The Herald now says:
The Democrats of Wisconsin seem TO be on
the eve of a stupendous bluDder. The election
of their ticket in the recent Milwaukee munich
pal election appears TO have turned their heads,
and they are now contemplating the policy of
stalking everything in the approaching State
election on their opposition 70 the Bennett bill
and compulsory education. Nothing could be
more shortsighted and suicidal.
Ifthe Democrats should happen to carry Wis
consin on such platform II would not be a
Democratic victory any more than if they were
TO carry 1t on protective tariff platform. The
National Democracy is not opposed to compul-
sorry education. On the other hand, it is ire
vocably committed to the public free school
system, 10 the principle of State control over
pubic schools and to compulsory education. A
party may assume any name it pleases, but if
1t antagonizes compulsory education it cannot
be Democratic party, and its victories cannot
be called Democratic victories. The present
vagary of the Wisconsin Democracy we must
charitably regard as local and ephemeral If
It should ever achieve victory we gladly quit
claim in advance all our share in the glory.
This is. brave speaking. Let us hear
from others of Democratic authority.
Speak out, gentlemen of the press, and the
caucus, and the Convention. Do you in
dorse the insane policy of your brethren
in Wisconsin? Are you prepared to let
viz LCHlOOldNS vi tldl koGdiS tOuIllI FOUT
party to antagonism to the teaching of the
English language in the schools, public
and private? Are you prepared to 60 be-
fore the American people as defenders of a
system which declares that the German,
Polish and Bohemian tongues are sufficient
in which to educate American citizens :?
If you respond in the afirmative-if you
propose to carry the constitutional con-
struction Of 'liberty" to that absurd extent
do not make two bites at the cherry, but
indorse also out of hand the Pennsylva-
mans who object to the raising of the
American flag over school-houses, and con-
cur in all the similar manifestations of ha-
tired to the nation that have been made of
late, South and North and East and West.
1t Is noteworthy that the Democratic
press, as rule, has remained silent upon
this Wisconsin issue. The Chicago Herald
is the first that is recognized as Democratic
authority to lift its voice in protest that
has come to our notice. The silence may
mean approval-it may mean confusion
and shame. Let US hope that it is the
latter. But this is no time to be silent.
Patriotism that cannot rise superior to
partisanship is unworthy the name. The
party, no matter what its title or its claims
upon the allegiance Of its followers, cannot
suppress the manhood of its membership
and leave them free men. The man who
holds that it is wise policy in any State to
consent to the exclusion of the English
tongue from the schools on the ground that
the Constitution guarantees the pursuit of
happiness land this is the sole defense
offered by the Wisconsin Democracy, is
not only weak in his knowledge of consti-
tutional law, but is weaker is his Ameri-
canism, and on quibble will part with
the birthright of his freedom. We are
not disposed, however, to believe that the
Democrats Of the nation at large are pre-
pared to indorse the folly of their Wiscon-
sin brethren, or to consent to the doctrine
that the greed for victory by the party
justihes such means as the Wisconsin
Democrats adopted to secure temporary
party triumph. We repeat that it is
time for party press and party leadership
to speak out. Silence will not do in this
matter.
POSTAL INCoMPETENCY.