Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1871-07-19

ton, shut out of almost every avenue OF
useful knowledge. Is this the way to treat
the rising generation, to whose care anc
keeping, very soon. the interests of our
country are to be entrusted? Do we not
know that the only hope OF the maintenance
and perpetuation of Republican govern
ment depends on the education of the mass
esq 1t is hardly necessary to call attention
to the unsettled condition of the Govern.
ments of Mexico and Of those in South
America, where state of civil war is their
moral condition, and gross ignorance covers
the land We often congratulate ourselves
ON our superior intelligence and the general
education of the people of our country. but
taking it as a whole, we can easily find dark
corners which are great discredit to us.
In New Mexico there are ninety-two thou
sand PEOPLE, and no public school or school
house in the territory. Arizona is in about
the same condition. In 1856, there was
vote taken in four counties of New Mexico,
since annexed to Colorado, for and against
common schools The result of the vote
was, for common schools, 81; against com
mon schools 5,0l6.
In Texas the new Constitution provides
for system of free public schools, but there
are none in the State. The chairman of
their Senate Committee on education last
gear reported an excellent school bill for the
establishment of public schools but it tailed
to pass, and he writes that he wishes Con
gress would take the whole matter of pop
ular education in hand.
1t costs the State of New York four times
as much to support her criminal coarts as
to educate her children and many other
States are in similar condition.
Looking at this question from the low
standpoint of mere pecuniary interest, we
find that everywhere it costs less to educate
children as they should be educated, than
to leave them in an uneducatcd condition,
ready recruits for the army of criminals.
In the State of New York the average
number of children of school age who are
absent from schools, is COASTS In the
cities of New York and Brooklyn the aver
age number absent from schools is about
$4,000 New York city exhibits condi
ton of moral and political gangrene of
most serious and alarming character, and
instead of signs of Improvement we find
there that things are growing from bad to
worse. Such "a thing as fair election in
that city is nnLne,~..- It Is the iieau cen
tire of all that is vile in American politics,
in religion or political economy. The Leg
islature of New York at the last session APP
propriated about $500, 600 for the instruc-
ton of the pupils in the several corporate
and parochial schools. This appropriation
of the public money was chiefly for the ben
eft of the Roman Catholic schools of New
York city. 1t would be well for the Ameri-
can people to ask, what doe, this mean?
what will it lead to? and where viii it stop?
It will never stop until the proposed consti-
tntional amendment is adopted The evil
is increasing day by day, and year by year.
Catholic priests denounce our system of
common schools as being an invention of
the devil. Their purpose is to obtain con-
troll of the education of the children of this
country, and to destroy the common school
system. Their influence caused the vote re-
ferred TO, against common schoo.s in New
Mexico. They prefer that the large major
ity of the people should remain in ignorance.
They would have us believe that ignorance
is the mother of devotion, but We know that
it is rather the mother of denominations.
The number of those who are opposed to
any system of common schools is increasing
in New York, in New Orleans and even in
New England, and in many other parts of
the country. This opposition is chiefly
stimulated and controlled by a thoroughly
organized body Of men, who call themselves
The Society of Jesus, commonly known
as Jesuits. Their organization is model OF
perfection-al that human ingenuity aided
by ages of experience can deviSe-their per-
severance and devotion to the object of their
labors are unsurpassed by any body of men.
In view of these facts, have we DO duty
to perform? shall we sit down and compla
Gently fold our hands until we are bound
hand and foot, until the whole country is
reduced to the condition of New York and
we are overwhelmed by another civil war? !?
Not if we are wise in our day and genera
ton and remember that eternal vigilance
is the price of liberty.
No one is properly qualified for the great
responsibilities of citizenship until possess
ed of an ordinary common school education
1t is better defense of our liberties, than
standing armies of iron ribbed navies.
An intelligent people cannot be deprived
of their rights and liberties They alone
are capable of determining what their rights
and best interests are, and knowing they
will dare maintain them. Intelligence pro-
notes virtue and together they form the ba
sis of good society and ensure the well be-
ing of the State
In those States where the proportion of
schools is least there is the greatest number
of criminals Children must be educated
either in schools or in the streets The form
er class become useful citizens, the latter
fill our prisons and poor houses. Has the
government no duty to perform when its
greatest welfare, nay, perhaps its very exis-
tence is at stake? Must it only legislate on