River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-10-23

tories whether parents desire them TO work or
not, and under the statute children who are
vicious or incorri gible may be taken from the
control OF parents and sent TO the reform
school. ii a parent cruelty beats his child he
rnay be arrested and punished for assault and
battery or assault With intent TO do bodily
harm. Many Of these statutes are more highly
penal than the Bennett law, and many,
of them lat erfeFe- more directly with
the habits, inclinations and parental rights OF
the citizen. Yet no priest, church or party has
been so bigoted or bold as TO demand their re-
peal
The State demands that every child between
seven and fourteen years shall. unless excused,
be instructed in the English language In four
elementary studies-viz: fading, writing,
arithmetic and United States history-or
shall acquire some proficiency IN those
branches. The priest says that this is an inter-
ference with parental rights; that the parent
has the right to sly whether the child shall re-
ceive any education OF not; that II the parent
chooses 10 bring his child up In ignorance the
State has no right to interfere. II That be true
why has not the parent the right TO demand
that his child under the age OF fourteen years
shall be allowed to work in a mill or factory
Why has he not the right when the authorities
discover that his child Is vicious and ineorrigi-
BILE and propose TO send such child TO the re-
form school, 10 claim that he has the parental
right to bring him up vicious and incorrigibie
anu turn MIN loose. tuuS utinbEdllLths upou eh9
community Ignorance is the mother Of crime,
and the State in dispelling ignorance more
surely suppresses crime than when IL places
the hand of the law upon the actual criminal
These political priests have not as yet dared 10
attack such wise and judicious legislation on
the ground OF paternalism or interference with
paternal rights The State asserts that its
power is supreme, and hat IL has the right TO
compel reasonable amount OF instruction in
the English language The German Catholic
priests deny this right. and declare that the au-
thority OF the church isparamount TO and above
the authority of the State These priests AFRO
gate to themselves the right to dictate 70 the
parent how his child shall be educated They
command the parent under penalty Of excom-
munication and denial OF absolution, not TO send
his children to the common school, These
priests assume the power they deny the State
and clothe themselves with authority over par
ent and child that is above legislative con-
troll. Which is to govern, the law of the church
or the law OF the lands II the priests have the
right to demand the repeal of the Bennett law
because il is opposed to the canons of their
church they have the undoubted right To- de-
mand the repeal OF any statute they deem OBJ
noxious to the law of the church. The German
Lutherans concede the right OF the State to in
sist on compulsory education. but deny that it
has the rigat TO determine that instruction
shall be given in the English language. The
power to determine that edu satiol shall be
compulsory the power to determine that the
instruction shall be given TO the child in En-
giish The churches can not be permitted TO
act as supervisory bodies to the Legislature
and determine what shall be taught and what
language shall prevail. The constitution per-
mits no such division OF power
The law has been in force over eighteen
months. What paroehial school has been preiu
dicedt What parental right interfered with, what
church harm ID, what individual Except the
dana a. infu rads ig m
these ecclesiastical enemies OF the common
schools are TO be believed-to prohibit again 81
the will of the parent, child under the age OF
thirteen years from working in a factory. but to
compel such child 10 read English is paternal-
ism IL is not 'unwise Unnecessary, undemo-
cratic and unconstitutional by authority Of
the statute to take a child from his parents and
confine him in the reform school, but it is ''un-
wise, unnecessary, undemocratic and unconsti
tutional," according TO the Democratic plat
form, to teach him to write in the English lam
guage. while to teach him to recite In arithme-
tic or to read a little United States history in
English makes each particular hair ofthe heads
of Apostle Mills and every Democratic office
seeking politician TO stand on end.
The real issue in this campaign, so far as the
Governor and members of the Legislature are
concerned. is whether the common schools shall
stand as they were intended to stand
under the constitution. Whether il
State shall receive reasonable instruction in
the language of the State or whether churches
that are avowed enemies of the common school
shall be permitted TO control legislation for the
schools.
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, de-
nounced our common schools as goddess schools.
They have stigmatized them as Dtbeds of vice.
They have forbidden their people TO send their
children to the common schools Having ex-
hausted their vocabulary Of denunciation they
now profess TO attack the common schools by
legislation. Their servle allies are the man.
ayers of the Democratic party. They dictated
the Democratic platform. They will, If they
succeed dictate legislation. tell you plainly
that this unholy crusade against the common
schools is carried on by coalition OF priest,
pettifogger, politician and poltroon. Some ara
inspired by hate Some by love of gain Some
by hope OF office. All are willing to sacrifice
the common schools. Woe woe the day when
the fangs of the church clutch the throat OF the
common schools of Wisconsin. Fearing the in
dignation of the people, editors OF Democratic
newspapers have FASTENED to place images OF
little schooi-houses at the head of their col
umns and to profess great love for the common
schools 1t is the old game of using the lions
skin TO cover the carcass of an ass. picture
OF a school-house in the columns Of a Demo
cratic newspaper in this campaign is as much
out OF place as would be the delineation of a
Christian church in hell, and here may say
that | fully agree with Mr.. Mills that the chill
dren should not be taught there is no hell II
there is no hell there ought to be-''a hell as
broad as deep. as deep as wide, as wide as long,
where burning waves of deep damnation do for
ever lash the hither and the thither shore"
Al d TO that hell followed by the excavations of
mankind should be consigned those informed
ding priests and politca mischiefmakers who
seek TO destroy that great bulwark OF American
liberty, the common school
Democrats of the Bennett Law League need
not exhort YOU TO stand by the principles set
forth in your address to stand by the little
Dollhouse" 1t sheltered you when young,
you'll not forget it now. You will be called
boilers But remember that the days OF the
bigot are numbered. Time was when the Ger
man Catholic felt It pleasure and a duty to tie
to stake and burn his Lutheran neighbor be-
cause of his religious belief. Time was when
10 bolt" party nomination was political out
lawry But those days have passed never to re-
turn. You will hear the scof of the office seeker
aud read the vituperation of editors whom Hor-
ace Greeley once happily characterized as lit.
tie vermin whom God, in His infinite mercy,
permitted to edit newspapers" / am assured
that none OF these things will move you, but
that. with an eye single to the true principles
of Democracy you will endure TO the end II
YOU do this when the campaign is over you will
have the esteem Of men who love their eoun
try, the approval Of your consciences, and each
can say rs a Democrat as honestly as did ST.
Paul: Il have fought good night. | have kept