The Portland daily press., 1890-04-04
An Interesting Contest In Wisconsin

An Interesting Contest In Wisconsin.
The first skirmish in what may prove a
struggle of national moment took place in
Milwaukee few days ago. The last legis-
lature Of Wisconsin passed what is known
as the Bennett law. which, after providing
for compulsory attendance on school for a
certain portion of the year by the youth of
the State, declares that no school shall be
regarded as school In the meaning of the
act unless there is taught therein, as a part
of theIelementary education of children, read
ing, writing, arithmetic and United States
history, in the English language. To GER
tain extent, obviously, this law undertakes
to supervise the education of youth, and as a
corollary to certain extent to supervise the
schools. But it does not undertake to con-
fine the education of youth to schools directly
under the control of the State. Any school
which teaches the elementary branches
enumerated above, in the English language,
whether it be the paroehial school or the
common school, meets the requirements of
the act. The act attracted very little atten-
tion when it was before the legislature, and
passed substantially without objection.
Lately, however, the Roman Catholic
church has taken umbrage at the act, and
is straining every nerve to secure its repeal
The objection raised by the church lies rath-
er to the principle underlying the act
than to the provisions of the act itself. 1t is
not seriously commended that the act has ma
terially interfered with the parochial school.
But the Church takes the ground that it is
practically an assertion by the State of a
right on its part to take the education of
youth out Of the hands Of parents, il 1t sees
fit, and supervise it itself. The friends of
law do not deny that it is an assertion of
such right, but on the other hand they de-
clare that such right exists-that it is essen
tial to the States preservation. Though
nominally pleading for the right of the parent
to have sole control of his childs educa-
tion the real solicitude of the church is lest
the power and influence of the church,
to which the education of Catholic children
is now largely delegated by their parents,
may be crippled by having the.nature of that
education regulated by the State. What it is
contendiDg for is the right, which it claims
belongs to 1t, of educating Catholic chill |
rem as the Catholic hierarchy may de-
clu0, "iOuVuts uoCoosdIHy, any f6RATu 10
the welfare Of the State at ALL In the
dueation Of the Catholic youth it is
determined to be supreme. OF course
THIS does not necessarily imply that it medi-
tates an education inimical to the interests
OF the State or intends to teach allegiance TO
papal authority as paramount to allegiance
to State authority, but it does implv the
power to teach these things il so disnosed
Practically therefore the Wisconsin strro
gle resolves itself into strnogI.
between the State and the Church.
the former cOntending for the right
to supervise the education Of children as
means for its own defence and protection
the latter contending for the right to educate
such children as their parents may commit
to its charge in its own way. without regard
to the effect its teachings may have upon the
attitude or relations of the citizen to the civil
government.
Wisconsin contains very large foreign
population, large per cent of which is
Catholic. The Democratic iparty, thinking
they see in the controversy some tenn
porary advantage for themselves, have allied
themselves with the Catholic church on this