The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-07-26
Unwise Advocates.

Unwise Advocates,
The effort to promote the cause of
compulsory education in this state by
secret caucuses is unwise; and however
well meant, it will do more harm than
good. The furtive gathering of secret
society representatives said to have
been held in Harrisburg this week for
the purpose of promoting this needed
reform makes Il mistake to involve in
fictitious mystery Il subject that needs
to shun no publicity, however conspic-
uous. The proposition that children
should be educated in the public
schools, or in private schools where the
equivalents of public school educa-
tion are taught, requires Of its advo-
Gates no resort to star chamber tactics
nor hocus pocus. 1t is Il frank, plain
and sensible proposition, to be seen and
studied of, by and for all men, the
more the merrier.
The platform Of true Americans with
reference to this line of furtive advO-
cacy is one of unqualified hostility.
There is nothing in the proposed re-
form that calls for boted doors. The
notion that obtains in some circles
that unless the progressive duties OF
American citizenship be mutlled in a
deal Of secrecy and thimblerigging this
country will go to the dogs, is false
and ridiculous The patriotism that,
in time of peace, has to exact a hailing
sign and pass word from its votares
is not the same patriotism that makes
men heroes. In the final analysis it
will be found to be not far removed
from selfishness and self-seeking.
Much more to our liking, much more
in keeping with the liberal teachings
Of our times, is the kind of patriotism
advocated the other day by Theodore
Roosevelt, when he said at Chau-
tauqua:
Iwant 10 preach the doctrine of practi-
cul politics and decent politics. To amount
to anything in our p ,litical life you have
to be practical. But the man who thinks
that practical politics means bad politics
is I'M enemy Of the country Most en-
Ihttlcally the decalO2us and the golden
rule DO have place in our political strug-
giles. We are bound in honor to carry the
same standard of morality in cur pUli tical
as into our private life. Every man, and
especially every educated man, must 60 in
and do all there ia in HIM to see that we
have clean, decent government, and If he
does not he cones very near being trai-
tor TO the state. Moreover, he must act
rs au American. lie must not bring in
race or religious questions. He must ac:
toward men from the standpoint Of good
citizenship alone. 1 am an unqualified
believer in American ideas. l believe in
the public schools. lam against any state
or national MD being given to parochial
schools Exactly in the same way / am
utterly against the American Protestant
association, because I am against any
body that seeks to discriminate
in political and social life against
American citizens because OF their creed
wouh oppose, tooth aud nail, the CathO-
lie who Glscrlmlnates against Protestant
b~cause he is PrOteItHut. And l equally
oppose the Protestant who from similar
reasons dscriminateB against & Catholic.
We have got 70 stand by decent men and
IF We are real Americans we will pay no
heed whatever To Il mans creed or man =
birthplace SO long as he honestly and in
good faith tries TO fulfil the duties Of
American citizenship. We demand that
the man who comes here from abroad BE-
come nm American pure and simple. Let
him celebrate the Fourth of July as his ma
tioual holiday, not st. Pat!icks day nor the
Lirthday Of kaiser or queen. Let him be-
come au American, not an Irish American
or II German-AmericGn. Let him become
an American straight out, pure and simple
and vote purely as an American. Ii he
does this it Is simply an outrage not to
treat him precisely a5 well us we treat any
native born American citizen, no matter
what his religious belief may be.
1t is time in these matters for good
citizenship to come out into the open.
The cause Of truth and justice will
never be permanently injured by frank
speaking. If compulsory education is
of value, it is because it tends to make
citizenship manlier. 1t cannot be of
value along lines thatcultivate strategy,
chicanery and self-deception. We are
of those who scout the idea that anv
race or class or faith, anarchists DOS
sibly excepted, is secretly plotting to
overthrow this government. We re-
pudiate the suggestion that our Catho-
lie fellow citizens harbor any such
design; just as we would repudate a
counter suggestion charging nefarious
purposes to Protestants as class. Let
us get rid of these miserable little
prejudices; let us, one and all, get out,
man to man, in the clear sunlight OF
real fellowship.
HENRI WATTERsoN turns away from
the nauseating spectacle at Washing
ton sick and sore at heart "There
was" he says, "but one key to the
situation, and that was the Chicago
platform. If our leaders had trusted
to this, and this alone, they would
have electrified the country, have
forced the traitors to their individual
accountability, and, having lost bat
tie that was destined to be lost, they
could have adjourned congress, APP
pealed to united party and looked
without a fear or blush to Novem-
Der. AS 1t is, and for the time being,