, 1868-12-25

believe, the real state of the case, as put by
both sides and as that which is nearest to the
truth is in such great dispute, may some good
decide the matter. America, the great pioneer
of pushing, declares that she is getting tired
OF boiling her meals Columbia, the nation of
the almighty dollar, has turned iconoclast, and
is about to break her nickel image. This, in
the humble opinion of your correspondent, is the
meaning of this agitation, which is at present
known as the eight-hours' movement, and on
that line will it have to be fought out, even if it
takes up all the summers. The combatants on
both sides are we'll armed for the fray. Never
were capitalists better provided with the means
of resistance, and never were workmen so we'll
equipped with knowledge, and the power to use
it. | would advise you to watch the progress
of the struggle, for the most momentous issues
are at stake.
Touching the education of the workmen, I
may inform you that for the last few days |
have been visiting the public schools of Boston,
and am perfectly astoundal by what | have
seen. Beginning at the little tots of 5 years
old, | have traced young America through his
infant room, grammar school, high-clasS form,
and college. Everywhere l have found equali-
ty; the sons of the wealthiest citizens side by
side with the children of day labourers, street
hawkers brats "taking down. the heirs of
senators and nobody is apparently a bit the
worse fer it. Everywhere | find handsome
buildings springing up, in spite of the b~ricklay-
ers' strike, and when [ ask what they are for, |
am told schools, schools, schools.
A hundred thousand dollars is thought a flea
bite for this one city to expend on a single
schoolhouse they have several in hand now at
about that figure. sWhere do you get your
money from 2" ] ask in amazement, as brick,
granite, and marble tower up before my aston
ished eyes. "Why you see," replies my most
obliging guide, the superintendent of the public
schools, 'although Boston is a wealthy city,
we are not rich enough to afford the luxury of
having very much crime and pauperism among
us, so we are obliged to educate our people,
and although this year the corporation has
voted a million dollars to the good work, there
is not a soul who doubts that it will pay"
Think of this, wealthy Englishmen, who are for
ever wondering where the money is to come
from to clothe the naked minds of the little
ones. One city, with a little more than a quar-
ter of a million population, has devoted this
princely sum in a single year for this grand
purpose, and it is known by experience that it
pays. Nothing is more certain than that
knowledge is power; and if England wishes to
hold her own, she must keep pace with her
mighty rival. A nation of disciplined men,
such as are turned out by the public schools of
America, will be more than a match for an ig-
nUrant mob, whenever and wherever they shall
be opposed to them.
Not only is there free education for every
child here, but the law compels a boy to attend
the school. A little truant can be arrested by
the nearest policemen and taken before a tribu-
nal to give an account of himself. This law is,
however, chiefly for two reasons, very rarely
enforced-frst, because there is so seldom an
occasion for it, the parents being fully alive to
THAR ohi1dron' intoracts and ranaral1v taEinp