Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1892-09-17
....se for the national Democracy this

=
It was drawn battle. The opponents
but have been keeping them bright anil
in good order, and this year will renew
the engagement with undiminished
courage and sturdy resolve. The Re
publicans are trying to dodge the issue.
Their leaders declare it is dead. The
Republican press, which two years ago
had the ''liI,le red school house stand
ing out on each page Of every issue, now
freely~promise that the obnoxious fea
lures of the compulsory education law
shall be modified. But the large and
determined Lutheran electorate and the
huge Catholic population refuse to trust
them. They fear the too freely offered
wooden horse" The Lutherans have
heretofore teen stanch Republicans.
They do not object to paying their taxes
they prefer TO send their children to
their own parochial schools and pay for
their tuition.
The compulsory education law de-
mands that every child of certain age
shall each year attend public school
twelve weeks, but permits that GER
tificate Of attendance for like number
of weeks at a private school shall ex-
empt the child's parents from fine, pro-
vided such school shall be approved by
the regular board of education, and that
certain elementary studies shall be con-
Quoted in English.
The Lutherans object to both of these
provisions. They claim that it is diff
e.. 81, 80
continually speak German; that the
tendency is to speak the dominant Ian
guage of the country, and that the habit
of acquiring the elementary studies in
German alone grounds the language
| into their minds so they will retain 1t
| through life; that pride Of appearing
well among the larger American popu
lation tends to make all American BON
children of foreign parentage acquire
| English and speak 1t well in spite of
their use of their own language in the
parochial schools; that therefore the
compulsion to study the elementary
courses in English is q needless act of
| tyranny. They claim, too, that so long
as they pay their school taxes the at
tempted espionage of school boards into
1 LnG1T DdIOCuldk bCuOOib HJbtCu1 10 Univ
publican and naked tyranny.
The Democracy holds that the natural
guardian of the child is its parent, and
while the state may possibly have the
right to compel a reasonable amount Of
education, it has no right to demand
through school board by whom that
education should be impaired. That a
certificate that child has been to
school twelve weeks in the year is as
much as the state should demand. 1t
does not believe in a paternal govern
ment, and holds that the home and the
family should have the right to have
inscribed over the doorway "Intrare
non" to every one, except under necessi-
ties Of public safety.
The obnoxious clauses in the law were
forced by Republican legislature and
signed by a Republican governor, now
again candidate for reelection, and at
the last legislature, though promises
were made to expunge the obnoxious
features, it was promise made only to
be broken. The Lutherans will vote for
the Democratic candidate Altgeld al
most to a man. They will more than
probably carry to him from 20, 900 to 81, :
| 600 votes heretofore solidly Republican.
Now, look back twelve years. In 1880
Gar6eld's majority In Illinois was 40, 900;
Cullom's little less. In 1884 Blaine'e
majority over Cleveland was 1912;
Oglesby's, over your correspondent, a..
500. In 1883 Harrison's over Cleveland
90, 1876; Fifer over Palmer, 1850. The
Lutherans at each Of these elections
voted straight Republican ticket.
There is reason to believe that to man
the German Lutherans will oppose Fifer,
and it is hoped that a heavy percentage
OF the Swedes and Norwegians Of the
same church will rally with their Ger.
man coreligionists.
State pride will carry many wavering
and weak kneed Republicans to Steven
son. All men respect and honor Cleve-
land.
| But, on the other hand, Harrison has
winning ways to make men dislike him
Reds name falls out west as cold
blanket. But Adlai Stevenson appeals
largely to mems hearts. He is knowi
70 be frank. kindly man who belongs
TO the peoples one of them. In thit
respect the Democratic ticket is stronger
than the Republican. No Republican
ever speaks with any warmth of either
Harrison or Reid. All they can say Il
Harrison has given clean administers
ton. But what president gave cleaner
one than Cleveland? No Republican
viii deny that the country win be safs
in his hands. It is common expires
sion among business Republicans tha
no harm will come to the country will
either Harrison or Cleveland.
There is as yet no enthusiasm In poll
tics in this state. The skirmish line hai
not been thrown ont. The cleanness o
the last two administrations to grea
extent tends to repress any marked en-
thusiasm. This condition continuing
win have a worse effect upon the De
mocracy than upon their opponents
Why7 Decorous quietude tends to keel
men in accustomed lines. Now, ther
isa general tendency among the youni
men to lean toward Democracy; pos
sibly from the natural disposition Q
young men to set up for themselves ans
to show themselves free from LEADING
strings. In the east young men go west
In Illinois young men stay in the state
These young men delight In the excite
| rnents attending presidential election