The record-union., 1894-10-09
PROTECTING AMERICAN INsIITU-
IIONS.

TIONs.
The RECORD UNION the other day said
that an open organization having for its
purpose the promotion of non-sectarian
popular education would have our un-
qualified support. We apprehend that
such an organization would be level with
all efforts to preserve the integrity of es-
sential American institutions. Two and a
half years ago the RECORD UNION called
attention to an open association of the
character referred to, namely, 1.-THE Ma
tional League for the Protection of Amer
lean Institutions" That society, which
operates almost wholly through its liter
ature, has for its prime purpose the edu-
cation of the people to the wisdom of
adopting the proposed sixteenth amend
ment to the Constitution of the United
States. This amendment was advised by
General Grant, while President, in a
special message to Congress, and it reads:
No State shall pass any Law respecting an
establishment OF religion, or prohibiting the
tfee exercise thereof, or use its property or
credit, or any money raised by taxation or
authOrlZeieither to be used, for the purpose of
1oundlngi maintaining or aiding, by appro-
prlation, payment for services, expenses or
otherwise, any church, religious denomina-
ton or religious society, or any institution
society, or undertaking which is wholly, or
troll.
y 1t is almost inconceivable that in q ma
tion where it is admitted that church and
State must be kept apart, if the republic
is to be preserved, there should be any
opposition TO the purpose of the league
named. Yet it is true that it is opposed
by powerful influences mainly emanat-
ing from churches. and by no means
wholly from one church organization.
The most powerful essay of the year on
the subject of the A. p. a. movement
appeared only few weeks ago in fore
most magazine from the pen of one of
the first essayists of the country. In that
paper he stated that the league is more
dangerous than the A. p. A. 1t is i'm
possible to comprehend why he should so
consider it. TIE league is not a secret
society. 1t INDUCES in no prescription
and creeds, and denies to no man the
right to aspire to or to fill office because
of religious belief. 1t is purely patriotic,
and resists mainly the un-American idea
that there should be division OF school
funds among the sects, and the tranform-
alton of the common school system into
a system for religious training. 1t op-
poses openly and without prescription,
abuse or secret tactics. the taking of any
public money for the uses directly or in
directly of any ecclesiastical institution
whatever.
1t has had hearings before Congress,
and on one occasion a favorable report
for the submission of the proposed
amendment. 1t has induced all of the
churches in the United States save two to
withdraw from the system that placed
public money in the hands of relig-
ious orders for the promotion of the In
dian schools, and has succeeded in re-
ducing from millions to few hundred of
thousands of dollars the sum appropriated
by Congress to religious bodies for that
purpose. 1t has greatly quickened the
American spirit that opposes the intru-
sion of the church into the schools under
the plea that it only can well teach moral
codes.
In part through its labors several States
have incorporated in their Constitutions
or their codes sections forbidding the ap-
preparation of money TO sects for the sup
port of any institution. So we have to-
day the following States by their funda-
mental laws or their statutes forbidding
diversion of the school funds: Alabama,
Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Idaho,
Georgia, Illinois, Iowa. Kansas, Ken
lucky, Louisiana. Maryland. Massachu-
sets, Michigan. Minnesota, Montana,
Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, North
Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South
Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington,
West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
1t is true that in a number of these
States there is more or less evasion of the
inhibition, as in Wisconsin, where the
Bennett school law agitation ragged SO
furiously two years ago. So too in New