Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-09-21
TO THE FRIENDS OF LIBERTY.
The Appeal OF the German Lutherans
for Freedom From the Expressions
OF Republican Misrule.


During the Illinois legislative session
of 1889 compulsory education law was
substituted for the one of 1888 The
character Of the new law is deplorsbly
vicious, as an impartial inspection Of it's
provisions will show. Its most obnox-
ious features are, that the state assumes
the authority of prohibiting parents from
sending their children to schools of their
choice, unless the school directors, vested
with arbitrary power in the matter, have
approved such schools, and unless such
school has a plan of studies prescribed by
the compulsory law.
Every one who approves such legisla-
ton must, by force of correct reas oning.
acknowledges: 1, that the state is vested
with unlimited jurisdiction in matters OF
education; Q. that parents in Illinois are
no longer the divinely ordained educators
of their children; 8. that religious con-
victions in educational matters must not
be respected by the police power; 4. that
constitutional guarantees OF religious
and personal liberty can be wiped out by
q mere statute.
The obnoxious law met with energetic
protests when it was yet under delibers-
ton. as soon as it's revolutionary charac
ter became known. But it was passed
When this law went into operation.
its tyrannical provisions were not slow
TO disturb the peace of home and church.
as had been anticipated. and the sad
spectacle was offered to The friends OF
liberty, that Christian parents were
dragged into courts for no other reason
than that they had sent their children to
parochial schools, whilst school diroc-
tors, according to the unbridled author
ity they held uner the law, had refused
TO approve their schools.
In the last state election the verdict
declared, by an unmistakable voice
against the law and its underlying ruin
Gus principles. But 1t still stands IN
changed today, a disgrace to our statute
books.
One who will be taught by experience
ought to see that there is no prospect
toward our deliverance from this OPP
pressive law by way of amendment.
That way has been tried and is found 10
be the wrong way. The law has proved
to be so pervaded by the spirit of bigotry
and arrogance as to be incapable of being
satisfactorily amended. Nothing less
than fiat repeal of the law will secure a
redemption and will pave the way for
law that will prevent trusncy by com
polling parents to send their children to
some school.
How can this object be secured2
In the present Campaign both political
parties of this state, republican and dem
ocratic. declare they favor repeal of
the present compulsory Jaw. Now which
of the two offers the best guarantee, not
only that it will keep its promise, but
also that new school legislation will be
in accordance with sound principles.
tho nosit;op Of 20
can party the following must be taken
into consideration:
1. in the year 1890 this party solemnly
promised itself to amend the law SO that
1t would no longer permit the state to
control private schools. The platform
says on that point: 90. and we favor
also the repeal Of so much of said
law as provides for public supervision
over private schools"
2. But at the same time the party
nominated DR.. Edwards for the office OF
state superintendent. the very man who
had especially advocated and helped to
formulate the offensive law and who
most decidedly defended its underlying
dangerous principles.
8. In the subsequent campaign Of the
same year the republican governor, MIR.
Fifer. in public speech, assailed the true
principles in this question. and the repub-
lican press f1ercely attacked and sland-
cred those who upheld the cause Of per-
sonal and religious freedom in matters
Of education.
4. When the legislature convened last
year, the republican senate indeed passed
bill by which the most Objectionable
provisions Of the law in question were re-
pealed; but the principle was allowed to
remain untouched; that the state had the
right to dictate to private schools and
may therefore control the same.
D. When leaders of the republican par
ty were reminded OF the promise made in
the republican platform, they declared
that it was not binding
.. Rather than yield to the wicked
principle that the state shall
have the final authority to dic>
tate and to regulate the education
of children, they allowed the law to stand
with all its provisions by which the pa
rental domain is invaded, and thus chal,
lenge us to new contest.
z. These hostile sentiments of the re-
publican senate prevented tine adoption
OF very acceptable amendment of the
law as approved by the democratic, as
sembly.
8. Now. when state election is near,
the republican party names as candidates
Tor the highest offices the very men who
have opposed US, who declare that thew
have nothing to regret, and who have to
say not word about the Fundamental
wrong position of their party during the
last year.
These men are Gov. Fifer. who Oh.
posed US publicly, and Lieut-Gov Raw.
who twice cast his deciding vote against
US.
9-During the preliminary discussion of
the school plank in the republican Mat.