, 1890-05-28

MILWAUKEE, May 27.-In the conveu-
ton OF the German Catholic societies this
morning several speeches were made. FL.
j. Spannhorst OF st. Louis. said the Ber-
nett law presented a political question the
Catholics could not figure because it di-
recily affected the welfare of their %institu-
tons.
Bishop Flasch in address referred to
the Bennett law and upheld the right of
the church to go into politics when It's in
terests were attacked.
He was followed by Bishop Kaiser of
Green Bay, who attacked the Bennett
law in the buterest manner He said the
law practically denied the right OF the
child to obey its parents by quitting its
claims before those of the parents. The
friends of the law, he said, tell us the
child has rights which the state must see
accorded it, but the parents have morein.
terest in the child than the state. As the
bishop proceeded he warmed to the sub
ject and fairly brought bis bearers to
their feet by the intensity Of his
manner. He became angry, pathetic
sarcastic by turns. " The manner of teach
ing English they tell us is what we are
fighting" he exclaimed. but this is not
so. English is now taught in our schools,
but If the state has a right to tell us they
must teach US what we shall eat and what
shall be on the table for the family din
ner. They are all OF a class, these laws,
whether in Wisconsin. Illinois or Massa
cbusetts. They attempt to interfere with
the personal parental rights, carried out to
their logical conclusions would be very
dangerous to the church and society. This
Bennett law" the bishop continued.
was conceived in minds of free thinkers
and those opposed to the Catholic church
and her schools. He was told recently.
he said, by a mason. that the Bennett law
was hrst suggested by a mason. The man
said L could prove 1t to YOU, If | d d not
put 20 high a value on my head, that the
Bennett law was frs az I ted in he Grand
Lodge of Masons in Wisconsin," The
applause that followed this was deaf hing
and the bishop had to strand fully half a
minute before he could continue. In
closing he urged his herr rs II OF pose al
measures ike the Bennett law to the best
of their ability and stani firmly by the
church..
At the afternoon SIS i n the following
resolution was unanimously adopted. In
view OF the attacks upon the most 'slcred
rights Of parents. which recently been be-
u by nativists and adherent4 of
paternslism, we are compelled to present
to tn pc pie Of tn 5 state the following
declaration
l. By device and national law parents
arc entltl ID and in duty bound to provide
for the education OF their children, there
fore we claim for parents the right TO
select such school for the education OF
their children which they are convinced
will best promuts the welfare of their
children.
2, In case parents neglect this duty the
state is justified in compelling them by
appropriate Legislation 70 discharge their
duty. The state may a'sp, when parents
are unable to provide for the education OF
their children, assume this duty. From
this results. a. Jusiiic ton Of compulsory
school attendance under the above men,
toned conditions, C. Necessity OF pub
lie schools. Right of general taxation
for their sopport.
8. We declare tn 1t we make no claim
upon the public schools for the support
of parochIal and other private schools.
As citizens and taxpayers we Insist on ouI
rights, even at the risk of being decided
as enemies of public schools. To pro
lest dBtiust duu Hllhuse anu WASTE Oh tnls
fund.
4. As we make no claim on the sup.
port of the state for our parochial and
private schools, we deny the state right tc
exercise any control over our schools; We
only then grant it right of interference
with the management of private school.
if tLese collide with the public order Of
law of morals
5 Because the so called Bennett Law
violates the above mentioned principle,
and unnecessarily and unjustlv cuItails gu
religious liberty, we declare our,
selves for unconditional repeal Of
the law. Whatever good is con
tanned in this law has been long agC
offered by other laws and, therefore, W,
cannot recognize from 1t any other inten
ton but this:-To compel citizens VIII
provide for the education of their chill
dren to adopt the methods of those VIII,
hate religion aud their nationality.
We, therefore, also declare that with
out regard to former party connections ",
will only vote for such candidates VIII
pledge themselves to work for the Tepea
of the law