Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1844-12-07

dom from the experiments Of others, and avoid
their errors.
We should go to work upon different plan
We should count the cost Of our improvement,
and its value TO the country when completed,
and compare these with the means at our COM
mand to make it. IL it will not pay, then we
should not undertake it; but If we find that II
will be profitable when completed, and we have
the means TO complete It, then we should go 10
work. In selecting the object TO be improved,
| if water course for example, we should have
regard 10 the extent Of country through which II
runs, the amount OF population interested, and
the value Of the commerce which it affords,
compared with the expense Of the improvement.
| If we have means at command TO complete but
one improvement, we should commence but one;
but il we have means TO complete two or more,
then the proprety OF commencing more at the
same timo could be considered; but two many
improvements should not be undertaken at any
one time.
The State, and the people IN every section Of
the country will be benefited by useful improve
ments The State will be benefited by an increase
| in the population and taxes, and in the wealth of
the people: the people near the Improvements will
ne benefited by cheaper transportation. cheaper
merchandise and higher prices for produce. The
people remote from the Improvements, will be ben
increase the wealth, the population and the value
Of property so in the same proportion. they in
crease the taxes within the range OF their lniu-
ence. Out of that range the taxes are in the
| same proportion diminished. Thus oil are bene-
| fitted.
But of all the subjects, that of education is the
most important. That nature makes a difference
in men, mentally as well as physically, there cun
be no rational doubt; but that the chief difference
between the majority Of men, is the effect OF edu-
cation in the one, and of the want OF 1t 1t in the
| other, can admit of just as little rational doubt
And between tile educated man and the uneduca-
ted there is as much difference generally as
between the cultivated field and the uncutivated.
The poorer field, when well cultivated, yields the
best of fruits in great abundance, but the richest
soil that nature ever formed, yields but sorry
fruit, and that but scantily, when left uncuivated
| II often happens in the richest soil, when left
| uncultvated, that the rankest weeds usnrp the
place of any fruit.
In our State, the importance Of this subject has
been overlooked. 1t shonld be in advance of all
other subjects Of legislation, and entitled to first
notice from every legislative body. An increased
diffusion of knowledge is felt in every ramifica-
ton of society 1t is felt in the workshop, in the
cornfeld on our roads, canals and nav; gable riv-
ers, in our social intercourse, in legislation, in
morals, politics and religion. It's influence in
facilitating labor, in aleviating the 6istresses of
the condition of the world is ,ncalculabe.
One reason why the Importance of this subjec.
has been so much overlooked may be this. The
educated have never suffered for the want of cul.
tivation and therefore, do not properly appreciate
the disadvantages resulting from it. The unedu-
Gated have never felt the benefits resulting from
cultivation, and, therefore, do not properly ap-
preciate the advantages of it. The educated man
believes in the disadvantages to certain extent,
| and the uneducated man believes in the advanta-
ges to a certain extent, but each falls unmeasura-
| bly, short in his appreciation of the advantages
and disadvantages In proof of this, we have
only to look at what has been done. to visit the
differen, portions of the State, and to examine the
condition Of the rising generation.
Another reason for not acting more speedily and
more efficiently on so important a subject, is
perhaps to be found in the length of time that
must eapse before any beneficial results can flow
from legislative efforts to increase the extension
of knowledge. But man should look ahead, and
provide not only for his happiness but for that
of his children also. The views of the liberal
and enlightened statesman, should not be limited
to his own tenure of life, but should extend to
| future times and later ages.
The evil is, the want Of general diffusion Of
knowledge. II is true, that we have not been
wholly idle. Recent as is on. origin, we have
our academies, colleges and universities; and
some of them are endowed But these do not
furnish full remedy for the evil. All, or nearly
all of those educated at these institutions the
children of the rich or of the comparatively rich,
and who would be educated about well by pr-
vate exertons, if the public rendered no aid what
ever. These institutions do not even furnish US
teachers for our common schools. 1t is probably
not unfair to presume, that nineteen out Of twenty
of the young men educated at our higher schools.
are intended for the profession of law, or OF
medicine or engineering, and that the twentieth
does not become teacher for our common schools.