Smyrna times., 1870-03-02

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we can look From its school fund, raised by |
taxation, it ought to provide for the education
of all. The grumbling tax payer may put in
! his claims that having no children, he ought |
not to be compelled to pay for the education of
others But is it no injury to have our polls |
crammed with meaningless votes? Is it not to
such an ones interest to assist in removing, or
rather improving, that class in our State from
which flows the stream of vice and base degra-
dation? :" An ounce Of preventive is better
than pound of cure" When a street is to be
opened must not the town pay the expenses,
even though some of the individuals may not
be personally benefited by the change. 10
use an American phrase very applicable to the
case, ut 5 cheaper to build school. houses than
jails"
Daniel Webster says, the power of educa-
ton is one of the powers of public policy, be-
longing, essentially, to the government. 1t
rests on the same foundation as that which is
employed in defining, and taking cognizance of
crime, in erecting courts, in establishing jails
and pcnltentlarles, and in compelling the per
fOrmance OF contracts, and the reparation of
injuries.
Whilst it is necessary to provide for the pun
lshment of offences against society, and the
redress OF personal grievances it is justly pre-
terable, if such thing were possible, that
there were no grievances to be redresSed-nO
education to go behind all crime-to elevate
the moral standard of the individual to en-
tighten his understanding and to touch his
heart, and by demonstrating that it is to the
interest and happiness of each to be just and
generous towards all either to take from them
the disposition to give offence, or to give them
strength to resist the temptation to do so
We have adopted the representative system,
and we start from the position that the whole
| nOlifiool in tho hand, OF fbo poOVlo
70 secure the harmonious working of the sys-
TEN it is absolutely necessary that the people
should be educated. AS | have before said,
: knowledge is power and power in the hands
OF political demagOgues, exerted through the
medium of the non-intelligent masses, becomes
), too formidable an antagonist to be triflpd with.
: If q man does not know enough to think for
himself, somebody E:ust think for him. Poti-
Cal thinkers too often become masters, aud
need hardly add that people with master Of
any sort, as the basis of free representative
7 system, is a contradiction of termsl 1t is,
therefore, duty of seIt-preservatiOn, accord
, ing to its actual mode of existence for the sake
Il of the common good, that education be made
I general. On the grounds of economy alone
: two powerful reasons why the State should
1 educate, exist. Education is intended to effect
, the prevention of pauperism andtcrime. Let
E it not be supposed that we consider education
y the complete extinguishment Of all sin and vice
le will follow education. We rely on general
D. instruction to check the grOsser inclinatiOns OF
a. society, TO refine its manners to foster its self
1I respect, and to multiply its restraints. Educa
~ ton is intended to bring about higher eco
70 nOmcal condition. Intelligence is primary
IL ingredient in the wealth OF nations.
le Mans power over brute creation consists il
e his mental superiority; and it is by enlarginI
" and developing his intellectual faculties tha
at one man becomes the superior of another
70 Now if, by the benefits of general education
e. our lowest class of manual labOrers, mere hu
IT, man machines in themselves, are raised dis
" tinct grade in industrial character, we sha
10 have a better class of citizens, and highe
order OF civilization betOkens a wealthier one
n The education itself does not directly make til
ne man weathier, in a pecunary sense, but it
ur from the force of character which was impress
m ed by early education, and those accomplish
ne ments which it beStOws, that the improvement
JUS comes An intelligent, educated man, stand
uT a much better chance tor worldly success tina
;, his ignorant neighbOr. Scotland and Ne
'd' England, among modern communities, wei
I,p the first to connect education with the agenci
he ! OF the government. In each, the advance
le- local industry, and consequently wealth ar
ht' social power, has exhibited most strikngy Il
o" economical advantages of such a system. III
ing claims of the moraliot, in behalf Of gener
H. education, are even Of more vital impOrtan
lca than those of the economist 1t is absolute
icy necessary for the well being of any governme
ace that morality be cultivated-that it be a col
teu mon virtue. If such principles are applicat
iAE At to governments, in general, they become
'e.I mOmentuOus importance in the representa-
es system. Without it, liberty becomes lawes
OF ness, freedom danger, and government a cha
ear of confusion. We should not hesitate to che
'oS- ish the tender plant with the most assiduo
on care, that, instead of weak and puny sapli
All it may become the giant oak, under who
In IL, friendly shade we may rest in peace and sec
Will rIty. Society is only trustee, managing
IT. estate for the benefit of a part owner or o
"A who has reverslOnarY interest in it. Fro
the generation to generation, property chang
nan hands. The present generation is indebted
cad preceding generations for nine-tenths of all
the owns Much of all that is capable of bel
Ties earned by man has been earned by our preC
who cessOrs, and has come down to us in solid a
'ote enduring form. From the same source cal
ons all the arts and sciences. the discoveries, a
t to the inventions, without which, and withor
'ing common right to which the valuation of
)lel- property of a whole nation would scare
equal the inventory of single man. Sin
ton the exhaustless stores Of nature were not or
vate ted for one man, nor for one generatson of IN
ber- the natural law of reciprocity alone would e
e of every child "a right to such degree of edu
be- ton as would en- ,ble him, as far as possible,
been would dispose him, to perform all domcs
lish- civil, social and moral duties That VIII
atty proves the absolute right to education, pro
vide the correlatve duty Of every government
man see that the means of education are provi,
Two for all. The relation of one generation to
oor preceding one is illustrated in the case q
ner. stream flowing through lands held by vari
one owners. Each man owns 1t, to certain eXt(
r ye as it passes through his land, and posses
W of the right to use 1t for agricultural purpO
hood for manufacturing, &c. /; but in all these l
lace, he must pay regard to his neighbor s clai
lcate below him. He cannot divert it from its col
ible. SO as to leave his neighbors channel dry,
ltion can he poison, or make it unfit for use by N
nong ing it receptacle for refuse matter. We
g to here that man, then, has certain claims in
nine stream before 1t reaches his land, at wi
mis- noint he can more emDhaticallv term IL