St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-30
RIVALRY OF sECrs.
Illinois NTethodists AssaiI Catho-
lie Motives and Methods.

Illinois NTethodists Assail Catho-
lie Motives and Methods.
JOLIET, H., Sept. 29.-The Rock river
conference of the Methodist Episcopal
church, comprising the northern and
southern portion of Illinois, including
Chicago, adopted report to-day on the
public school question, which contained
the following utterances:
Our public schools are the conserva-
tors and the safeguards of the nation.
No system OF parOchial or church
schools can meet the demands of public
school instruction. The principles on
which our public school system rests
are the Outgrowth and in har
mony with the principles of
the progressive interests of our
government. The system itself de-
serves, and has hitherto received, the
approval and cooperation of all classes
of our citizens. 1t has, without ques-
ton. done much TO give us a distinctly
intelligent national character, and TO
give to us n national and most import
ant political and linguistic unity. That
educational system is now endangered.
The constant attacks of the Roman
Catholic hierarchy upon our public
school system and the persistence of
that ecclesiasticiSm in demanding of its
adherents the withdrawal of their chill
dren from the public schools, and their
undivided attendance upon the parU-
chIal schools, is slowly but surely ar
raging an un-Amerlcau antagOniSm
against the most cherished Institution
OF our common county.
All concessions have been made that
can be consistently to preserve the ma
tional character of our public school
system. These concessions have not
satisfied an hierarchy which demands
that religion be made the basis of the
public education, and demands that
said religious instruction shall be wholly
under lis own control. This demand
has been voiced in the pope's encyclical,
the councils and conventions at Balti-
more Of Roman Catholic laynen and
clergy, and the utterance and action of
the Roman Catholic German clerical
convention just closed at Buffalo. The
demand is now formulated in the seduc-
tive utterance Of the Buffalo convention,
which announces i S purpose to secure
home rule in all matters of the educa-
ton of children of the nation. We stop
not now To speak Of other features of
its CahenSly plans for the disintegrat-
ing of our national unity in language
and character. We know well what IS
demand for home rule in educational
matters means and we reply as follows:
Resolved, First-1hat we declare empha-
ticaliy for American home rule in all matters
Of public education, and the sustaining of
our public school system.
Second That nom. rule in our state and
national affairs forbids the interference of
any foreign pope, priest potentate or prince
in our domestic affairs, or the furtherance
OF any foreign scheme for the disintegration
of our national unity or language or III edu-
cational interests.
Third-That home rule in matters of public
education shall mean no interference of any
ecclesiastical sectaran or sectional organi-
zaton in the administrator of our educa-
tional affairs, and no appropriation of pub
lie moneys 10 be sustaining of schools con-
trolled for ecclesiastical or sectarian pur-
poses.
Fourth-That we will seek to cure such
enactments by constitutional and legislative
provisions as shall strengthen our entire pub
lie school system and make it more than ever
worthy OF the support of every earnest. loyal
moral patriotic and Christian citizen. who
wishes 10 see free ballot in the hands of an
intelligent Free pure, patriotic and prosper
Gus people.