The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-08-25
SAFETY ONLY in EDUCATION.
DR.. Riggs instances the Cleveland Strike
Suggestions TO Concentrate Missionary
Work in Cities Pertinent

DIR. Riggs instances the Cleveland Strike
Suggestions TO Concentrate Missionary
Work in Cities Pertinent
To the Editor of the Chronicle
The Reverend Dr. Riggs, in recent
sermon in the South Street Chu rich on
eThe V alue of City Missions" made a
profound impression as to the magnitude
of the great problem hich confronts us.
The congestion of the masses of pc ople,
espe cially of foreign populations, in Ger
tain quarters of our great cities, seems
to involve questions and conditions
which threaten the very fou ndation of
our national existence. The speaker
chose for an example the present upris-
ing in the city of Cleveland. Here we
behold the spectacle Of community Of
cultured, rein ed, intelligent and wealthy
citizens, occupying homes of comfort,
elegance and artistic beauty, apparently
completely terrorized by mob and I'M
der its domination. In this city, said
Dr. Riggs, are clustered in one spot,
900 Bohemians, speaking their own
language only, knowing no English, fol
| lowing their own customs and lines of
thought.
Among this great mass of people, has
come to reside, one missionary only.
Only one is found who can speak their
language and who has the faith and
courage to try single-handed what can
be done among SO many. eve have left
behind" say they, in the fatherland
both our soldering and our religion.
| The fact is they are are as antagonistic
to our government, or to any govern
ment, as they are to their own. What
is to be done2 DIR. Riggs evidently
thinks this is the greatest of our national
problems. In suggestion he said he
would have the overplus of the clergy in
the towns where there were more than
were needed, sent to these centres of ir-
religion and fostering revolt. He would
even have half the income of our promi-
nent colleges devoted to the study of this
problem and to work among those peo-
pie. Strong suggestions are these, and
startling measurement of municipal
conditions to which we cannot shut our
eyes.
Now, over and beyond the religious
efforts which were uppermost ia the
mind of DR.. Riggs, as vitality necessary,
may perhaps be added the vital neces-
sity, as an adjunct of these, special eff
fort in the educational line. The fact
of no English being spoken among these
1000 people, and of these being left to
seethe in their ignorance and in their an
archistic thought, is in itself threatening
to our republic. The question occurs to
us. should not compulsory education be
the rule throughout our land. Should
the matter of compulsory education be
left to States, counties or townships to
legislate about or to carry into effect2
We know that the truant laws in New
York and New Jersey are not inforced
Why? Because there is not school
room enough in either of these States for
the children who should be made to go
to school. This is probably the case also
in every State in the Union. The tax
payers all over the country are unwilling
to make the small addition necessary in
their taxes to accomplish this. We
know that in Morristown even-a city
as full of intelligence, culture, wealth
and ability to provide accommodation
for its school children, as any in the
land-there is not room enough There
will not be room enough when the new
school buildings shall be finished.
Whether for better or for worse. univers-
al suffrage seems to be fastened upon us,
and is it not a shortsighted policy to
ignore the fact that these children of
Italians, of Bohemians, of Huns or Slavs
or what-not nationality. are soon to have
the vote and to have voice in our
municipal and national affairs Now is
the time to change our policy and to
stem the tide of the threatening evil;
by and by it will be too late. Each year
we are more and more at a disadvantage
and the rising waters threaten to over
whelm us, if our dykes are not put up
strong and fast. Let our national legis-
lators take hold of this question of
educating the children-our future
voters-of compelling them to come in
from the highways and hedges to learn
in our public schools, at least the Ian
guage of our people and also to breathe
in the spirit of our civilization of which
they have become part. In this adj
vance movement, let us hope our city
of Morristown will set the example.
j. K G.