The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-02-27

mas urged them TO present similar me-
MORALS to their legislatures" it would
surely have been received differently by
our foreign born population and would
have been free from the sting it had
as it was published rs the work Of
those Indians. l would also have eitll--
er ignored it or would have written
my answer differently.
But ] say such documents help inn
mensely to arouse prejudices and class
hatred and suspicion even against the
most loyal foreign born citizens among
n large number OF our American popu-
lation who have no idea that one man
can and does in such a way work upon
the public opinion over the whole cOun
try.
| suppose Mr.. Covcy knows as wen
as do that Uncle Sam and all states
OF tho union are more than sufficiently
provided by laws against every act of
nnloyalty: lie may also know that
nearly every state of the union has
laws which demand school cducA-
ton I'M English from all children.
have not the school laws of our state
it hand. hut some IA years ago when
I opened q parOchi:u school at Rich
nrdton. an over ZealOils county school
superintendent. publicly called my at
tcntiOn to this fact. ! answered him.
l am willing TO close my parochinl
school at once when proofs are brought
that the pupils there do not learn Eng
public school, and better than in most
l,nt x, CT;
doing business. &#t|
pose of such memorials? Iscannot
judge the personal intention Of Mr..
Covey. but | say. according to common
Judgment. such memorials are made
and published as widely as possible
for the purpose Of forming public opin-
ion and Of arousing prejudice and sus-
piciOn against the citizens Of foreign
BIRTH. This becomes more evident
when one reads his letter carefully.
How many destinations How indcti-
mite and general his complaints or sup
posed proofs How he tries to make
people believe that those who do not
approve Of his action arc unpatriotic.
, Take for example what he says of
.the parochial schools. He states: II
am one of those who believe that parO-
;chial schools of any denomination are
,In-American :" but gracionsly, permits
me to keen such un.Amcrican schools,
but asserts that: Had we not been
protected by the free public school sys-
ten, our republic would probably, have
persisted ere this" Does he not plain
~ state that parochial schools of any
denomination are un-IAmcrican and
contrary to American ideals? Does
he not thereby accuse the whole Cath
Ollie population who consider it duty
to have parochial schools wherever it
can be done without too severe tinan-
cial sacrifices. as opposing American
ideals at least in this respect! In the
same sentence there is also a Stron"
inSinuatiOn as if the country could not
rely upon Catholics enough in the hour
OF trials
Take his way of speaking of some
German settlements in Todd county.
S. D. He sees "the mark Of the beast"
in their faces. He may be an expert
in physiognOmy hut wonder whcth-
cr he ever asked himself whether he.
himself is free from narrOwmndcl-
ness whenever he Judges people that
way. i#,>aj, u.'raIJt a&@ ,t"' III
=, In his statements regarding condi.
lions in North Dakota he has no real
proofs either, except the ease Of a half
cracked preacher who was convicted Of
'disIoyalty. and a statement about "a
school board. concerning q fact which
may have happened in.the first pioneer
days. But who reads his statements
and similar statements without some
independent thinking will easily be-
come .prcjudiccd and suspicious against
the bigger number of citizens of for
cign birth We have. seen enough Of
such agitation during the past year.
Our North Dakota council of, defense
and even President. Wilson found it
necessary to warn against it. l may
say again what said to Mr.. Speak. a
conditions in North Dakota last Au
gust. the biggest obstacle against a
healthy Amcricanizing Of the foreign
born population is at present found
in the papers and orators who arouse
suspicion and hatred against foreign
born citizens. He agreed with me and
said: Eyes, men need in, such times
first of MI good common sense. ~ L..
Mr.. Convey tells me that in South
Dakota it was a crime during war to
speak German, If Mr.. Covey means a
legal crime he may be correct if he
means moral crime, l object. In
both cases the fact remains true that n
government undermines it's authority
when 1t declares actions which are
morally not bad to be legal crimes.
We undermine also our liberties when
we do not emphatically stand up for
the truth that every individual person
has certain rights. given through the
natural law by God Himself. which
no state can take away without COM
hitting sinjustice. 49,.