Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-12-17
EDUCATIONAL ISSUE.
that the Result Of the
Election Should be Regarded
as Settling It.
Other Important Matters Claim
Attention and Merit
Consideration.
a Sound Position by Which All
Republicans Can Consist
emily Stand.

Milwaukee Sentinel: In recent article
the Sentinel pointed out the close analogy
which exists between the situation of the
democratic party in sthe country at large
and the republican party IN this state, the
one with reference to popular education,
and The other with reference to the free
coinage of silver Each thinks it would
be for its interest to be freed from the is
sue with which it Is more or less identified
in the coming presidential canvass. The
democrats claim that they wish to max e
that canvass turn solely upon the tariff
question, and the republicans will be very
willing to accommodate them in this re-
! spect.
Thus far, however, all democrats who
have expressed themselves respecting the
course which they recommend for adoption
by their party, fail to give any assurance
to those who are opposed to free coinage,
as to the action of the party on the subject
in case it should gain control OF the nation
al government. They simply propose to
ignore it in the party platform, but reserve
the right to take it up when IN power. To
those who think free coinage an ISSUE OF
vital Importance and that its adoption
would bring incalculable evils upon the
country, the proposition to Ignore 1t until
after the election is eminently unsatisfac.
tory.
They can very reasonably demand that
the party, if it wishes to keep the free
coinage issue out of the canvass, shall de-
clare against the enactment of a free coin
age law. The republican party can be
trusted not to antagOnize such declara-
Sloa1 hn d1 cnI
of.
A similar course should, in our judg-
memo, be adopted by the republicans OF
Wisconsin with reference to the educa
tioral issue. There are large number
of voters who are in harmony with us
upon all national issues between the
opponents while that issue remains unset
tied. To ignore il In our platform is not
to settle it. Without some distinct and
authoritative declaration on the subject,
we shall be charged with still entertaining
the purpose of making the instruction of
children in reading and writingiln the legal
language of their own country obligatory.
It is true that such a purpose does not
seem very atrocious, but we have con
siderable oody of voters who have been
persuaded so to regard it. Under the cir
cumstances, unless this educational issue
Is paramount in importance to any other
in our politics, 1t should in our opinion,
be dropped. We do not think it is Of
paramount Importance. We supported
The position taken last year by the re-
publicans OF this state upon the education
al question earnestly and conscientiously.
1t is of course no argument for aban-
doning the advocacy of a policy that it
had failed to secure a popular majority.
Popular majorities are often wrong, and
almost every good cause is won onl, after
a series Of defeats. In the case under con-
sidera ton, the question to be determined
is whether this educational issue is OF such
| moment that all other Issues should be
treated as subordinate to it. We do rot
think that it is. The Bennett law which
! brought il into existence was passed with
out opposition Il would in all probabil-
ity have remained a dead letter on the
statue beck If no opposition had sub
sequently been raised to 1t. When not
Only its special provisions but the right Of
the state to require children to be taught
to read and write the language Of the
country WAS challenged, we defended that
right and maintained its propriety.
Neither The Sentinel nor the republican
party ever insisted that the Bennett law
should be maintained In all It's features.
After quoting the republican platform
OF late years On the subject, the Sentinel
concludes:
Nothing is demanded in the above
which is not required by a law Of he
state If Ohio that has been in existence
for years, apparently W thop5 detriment to
religion, or race, or language, and with
| ont arousing the hostility of any part Of
the numerous Ioregr-born population Of
that state Ine Ohio law has been con-
Cured ia alike by republican and demo
cratic legisla< ures and governors. Ohio
contains large German population both
Catholic and lutheran. They nave not
comp aimed of the law, anO yet we have no
reason to believe that the German Catho-
lies and Lutherans Of Ohio are less friend
ly to their own language Or less loval to
their religion than the German Catholics
and Lutherans Of Wisconsin. In this
state, however, the question has become so
involved with religious and racial pre-
JUDGES, and in view of questions Of nation
al policy, which we regard as of greater
importance that are to be determined in
the next presidential canvass, we think
the Republicans of Wisconsin may without
inconsistency agree to accept the result OF
the last election, so fas as educational
policy of the state is concerned, as settled.
We would not have them adopt the course
proposed by the democrats Of the silver
question and invite voters who are opposed
to the republican platform of last year, re-
speeding education, TO help them win a vic
tory for the policy of protection, reserving
tie right TO betray those voters directly
the victory is won. The only honest course
will be either to adhere to tie platform Of
last year. or to declare that the result of
the last election is accepted as definite
settlement Of the issue, and faithfully and
Loyalty act in conformity with such de-
claration. The latter is the policy which,
in our judgment, the best interest Of both
the party and the country warrant the re
pubiicans of this state in adopting.
THE ALLEGED CON SPIRACIES.
John Sher on the History of the Silver
Question.
In the alliance campaign in Ohio a
Sn1niai effort was made to defeat Holm