Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-11-22
Still misunderstood.
(Milwaukee sentineD


The remarks on the Bennett law,
in an article Of the New York Even
ing Post, respecting the restoration
of republican ascendency in this
state, offer curious illustration of
how difficult it is to get correct UNI
derstanding of any subject before the
public.
The Post is an exceptionally we'll
informed and painstaking journal.
At the time of the Bennett law con-
troversy, it manifested good deal of
interest in the question. Yet 1t now
describes that measure as " designed
only to secure the teaching of Eng
lish in all public schools" Similar
statements have repeatedly been
made in other leading journals of the
east. Now there was never any
question In this state regarding the
teaching Of English in the public
schools. That has always been the
law. The question raised by the
Bennett law was whether the state
should require that children between
the ages Of Z and IA, whether attend
ing the public schools or not, should
receive instruction in English for a
certain number Of weeks in each
year-from II to "a weeks, the time
to be determined by the local school
boards. 1t left it optional with par
ents or guardians to secure that in
struction in private schools or at
home. 1t did rot require children to
be sent to public school, but merely
that they should be instructed in
English for a certain period each
year.
The law was enacted without OPP
position from any quarter. Later, its
supporters defended il upon the
ground that, in many of the country
districts of the state, where the popu-
lation was generally atholic or Iuth-
eran, parochial schools were main
tained, in which most of the children
received their education without
out learning either 70 speak or read
English. Instances were not unfre-
quent in some counties, aud still oe-
cur, where men and women of ma
ture age, native born American citi-
"a
courts required the aid of an inter-
prefer. Democratic politicians, like
Senator Villas, discovered that Il par
ty advantage could be gained by
making an issue on this law, and
representing that it was inspired by
hostility to the foreign-born, to the
Catholic and Lutheran churches, and
20 the German language. On the
stump that year, in a voice tremu-
lous with emotion and a show Of holy
ferNor, Senator Villas did not hesi-
tate to assert that man " ho spoke
only German had just as good
chance Of ultimately going to heay-
en- rs one who spoke English.
by thus working upon religious
and race preiudices, the democrats
carried the state, and the law which
had proved such a successful politi-
cal bugbear was repealed. The agi-
tation of the subject, however, ac-
complished more good in improving
the character of the parochial schools
than would ever have been effected
by the law itself. il it had encounter
ed no opposition. The law would
have remained dead letter, as its eX-
eeution was left To the local school
boards, as was the ease with the
former and is the ease with the pres
eat compulsory school law. But the
discussion Of the usefulness of I'M
struction ia the official and business
language Of the country to which the
controversy gave rise, led 70 the in
production Of the study Of English
in many Of the schools where before
it had been neglected.