The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-10-17

The Rev. Mr.. Cummings of Rockland, a
Methodist clergyman In that city, is reported
tc have said In his address to the Sunday
school convention that a large majority of
the young men contract their habits of i'm
morality and vice in the public schools while
they under the age Of fifteen. and that the
public schools in this way do more harm than
the saloons. If Mr.. Cummings is correctly
reported his condemnation of HE public
schools is much more severe than that in.
dulged In by the Catholic priesthood. They
characterize the pgOlic schools as Goddess y
by which taey mean apparently that there
: Is an estire absence from them of religious
instruction. But in Mr.. Cummings opin-
ion there is not merely absence of religious
instruction, but presence of instruction in
the arts Of the devil The Catholic condem-
nation is sort of negative one, while Mr..
Cummings is positive. II, as Mr.. Cum
mings is alleged to have said, the schools
are more potent in corrupting youth
than the saloons 1t would seem that
crusade should Immediately be begun
to abolish them. What good they may
do in the way of mental discipline can
hardly compensate for the demorallzing ten
dency which Mr.. Cummings finds in them,
and which In his estimation is worse than
the saloons. The public school system of
New England has always been her pride,
and her people have rallied to It's defence as
to that ofsDo other of her institutions. Can
1t be that this zeal has all been mistaken
and that in the common school system they
have been nourishing viper more corrupt.
ing in its tendencies than the saloon? Can
1t be that the arraignment of this system by
the Catholic priesthood is amenable only to
the criticism that it is not severe enough?
1t has besn good many years since the
prospect Of Republican victory in the
Empire State.in state election was as good
as now. The party is much more harmoni.
GUS than 1t has been for long time, the
Platt Republicans and the Miller Republi
cans are apparently all Fassett Republican:
and laboring assiduously for the success Of
their ticket. The candidate too is ia
superior in vote drawing power to any tina
has headed the ticket for years, and in
ferior In no other respect. His record |!
clean, he has had great experience in tn,
affairs Of the state. he is full of energy an,
he rouses great enthusiasm wherever he ap
pears. On the contrary the Democrats ar
handicapped by,a number of considerations
HIPS administration has been so bad, 4
has pandered so much to the base elements
of the population, 1t has been SO full Of
trickery and so devoid of craftsmanship thai
great many respectable adherents of the
Democratic party have been disguised and
are quite willing to see change. Another
powerful consideration which is operating t.
the disadvantage of the Democracy is the
fact that the Democratic candidate is dis
tinctively Tammany candidate whose cleo
ton will inevitably tend to fasten. Tammany'
grip upon the state as 1t Is already fastene,
on the city. Personally Mr.. Flower is re
spectacle, but he has little to commend hin
to the voters except the fact that he is rict
and able to come down handsomely with cam
paign contributions. Undoubtedly the near
ness Of Presidential campaign and the effec
the result In New York this year is likely t,
have on that will keep many Democrats Ii
line who would otherwise bolt the Stat
ticket or stay at home, yet, nevertheless
there are plenty.of signs that good man,
of them cannot be whipped into line even b,
that consideration. When the full vote o
both parties is thrown New York is very clos
and very small percentage of dlsaffectiol
will accomplish very much.