The record-union., 1894-03-13

pose is to cultivate in the child the
elements that will fit him or her for the
duties of citizenship in representative
Government. But il for arguments sake
1t is admitted that business equipment is
It's chief end. then let us have Chinese
taught in California schools, since there
Is no tongue the knowledge of which
would prove such a mine of wealth to
youth in California The boy or girl able
to speak or write Chinese will not want
Tor place or high wage. Our friends.
however. claim that German is better to
place in the schools than algebra, ancient
Languages or geometry. We beg leave
to call their attention 10 the fact that
neither algebra, geometry nor ancient
languages are taught in the common
schools of this city. They will be found
in the High School curriculum, where
also German is retained.
Finally we are told that there is terri
tory of the United States where Spanish
is taught and the laws printed in that
tongue as well as English. True, because
they were conquered from a Spanish
speaking people, and the population was
taken into our system at one gulp, so to
speak, without opportunity to learn the
English tongue, and therefore common
necessity required that these people be
addressed in tongue that they could un-
derstand. 1t was true of California up to
twenty-five years ago, when our laws
were also printed in Spanish. But gen.
Grafton having passed, the custom has
been abolished, as it will be elsewhere.
We are opposed to the teaching of Ger
man or any other but the English tongue
in the classes below the high school be-
cause the course OF study is full enough,
and for the same reason that we opposed
the outrageous action of Wisconsin in
setting up a system in German commu-
mites that excludes the English tongue
and substitutes the Polish and German,
and requires even American history to
be taught in German. It is unameri
can, dangerous, undemocratic and threat
ening to free institutions because it stim-
ulates classes and clans.
Our esteem and respect for Germans
who come here and become American
citizens is unlimited. We will not per-
nit it to be challenged. We know and
appreciate their worth, frugality, stabil-
ity, provident character and loyalty.
But we object to any AmericanIsm that
parts its name in the middle or hyphen-
ates its title. We object to any and all
activities, movements and policies that
straddle the fence to catch the "Ger-
man VOTE" the Irish VOTE" or any other
vote than the American. 1t is an in
suit to the honest, intelligent German or
Irishman or Englishman who has be-
come an American citizen TO treat him,
toady to him, or barter with him as if he
were still the subject of an Emperor or a
queen. dlSloyaI 20 his oatn as an Amer1-
can, and as if he put his birth before his
citizenship.
Let our correspondents once for all un
derstand us; the RECoRD-UNIoN has no
quarrel with them; it has only friendship
and kindess for them; it respects them on
the level with all other loyal and good
citizens; it does not know them as Ger
mans; it does not want to know the
wishes of the COMMUNICATING citizens,
as such, as to this or that policy; but it
does honor and wish to know the will
and command of the American people of
Sacramento without respect to clan. color,
tongue or nationality.