The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-10-03
:. HONESTY BaroR & EDucATIoN.n


..HONEsTY BaFOR K EDUCATION"
The Republican platform demands ga thor
ou9h system Of school eti'tcdti0nt and IN
the same paper they denounce the Funding 3ilL
which provided for the payment of interest on
twothirds of the State debt.
How would it do to pay the interest on two
thirds of the debt first and tasn look after educa
ting the colored people? There is an old, but
very good saving, q To be Just before. you are
generous" The Constitution does not require
this system to be put in operation before 1876
We are decided friends of the Free School Sys-
tem--always have Observation-Disclosures far back
as 1850. Bur as there's so much complaint about
paving this interest, we think the best plan would |
be to save the money spent on our schools pro
badly ST, 100000 year. We do not like to see
any of our people, white or black, grow up with
out u common-sehoo education; bat we prefer
ignorance TO dishonesty; and if we are forced to
elect we say, let us pay our debts first, and go to
school Observation-Disclosures Enquirer. 4
The Richmond Enquirer thus states
squarely the terms which its party offers
to the people of Virginia. Months ago we
warned our readers of the coalition between
the representatives of the stock gamblers
and the hereditary enemies Of free schools.
The Richmond Democratic press long
since clearly indicated the approaching
campaign against popular education. In,
the Conservative address the same wicked
purpose creeped out. The little parrots
of the party all over the State are re-
peating what their masters have taught
them, and the Democratic slogan is to be,
''Down with the free schoolsW OF
course, it will not do to make u direct
assault upon the only means by Which
the children of the masses can be edt =
Gated, and so the Enquirer tells US ''that
it prefers ignorance to dishonesty; that it
would pay debts first and go to school
afterwards"
Now let us look at this proposition as il
Illustrated in practical sense. A well to
do farmer, who has large family of young
children, has incurred debt. His chill
dren have grown to an age when they need
education. He has just arranged for a
school in his neighborhood, and agreed to
pay certain portion of his yearly income
to maintain it. Suddenly, lightning strikes
his barn and destroys it; great flood
sweeps away his crops, and his fiocks and
herds. He is left with only his bare lands,
his tools, and the house which shelters his
wife and little ones. Accepting brayely
the fact of his great loss, he still feels that
there is something worth living for. These
children, the best gift of God, may be made
honorable and useful men and women. To
secure this he is willing to toll early and
late to provide subsistence and education
for his loved ones. His children are now
to enjoy the great boon of the schools, by
which they can rise to the best places III
life, and become helps and comforts to his
old age. The children are sent to school,
ana the father,sby severe labor and practi-
cling every economy, is able to feed and
clothe them, and obtain the money to pay
for their books and tuition.
But now comes the creditor, and de-
mands that the money laid aside to pay fol
the next years instruction shall be paid to
him, and the children be sent to the field
to help raise more money to liquidate his
debt. Is the father bound in honor tc
comply? Can he refuse without dshonor
We ask the fathers and mothers of Vir.
ginia who read this, to put themselves il
his place and answer. Look at your owr
little brood. Is there anything SO preciou,
to you as your children You will Civ,
your very lives for them! How mucl
would tempt you to bring them up in igno
rance ? Can you measure the value 0
education to them, in money? The obi
cation to teach them is as sacred as that t,
supply them with food. No man who ha
not been brutalized by the corrupting in
fuence of false system, would tolerate tn
monstrous proposal, to degrade his children
and cut them off from the great opportuni
ties of life, even to pay his debts. M
right-minded man would feel dishonored b.
this refusal, if misfortune had deprived hin
Of the means to pay.
Virginia stands to-day before the worl,
in this position. Misfortune has sweep
away her surplus gains. She is destitute o
all but her great natural resources and he
brave sons and daughters, who are tryin
to restore her waste places and build aney
more than her old time prosperity.
But gilmore value than her fertile soils, he
mountains, yeined with treasure and bette
with mighty forests, her great rivers am
the spoils of her sea shore, are her tw