The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-10

District of Columbia and tho Terri
tories there are about sixty-fou
thousand more, not including th
children of the Indians, in 0 lik
ignorant and uncared for condition
More than FIVE million children, one
eighth of our population shut out 0
almost every avenue of useful knowl
edge. Is this the way to treat tn
rising generation, to whose care ant
keeping, very soon, the interests o
our country are to be entrusted ? d.
we not know that the only hope o
the maintenance and perpetuation o
Republican government depends
on the education of tho masses L
is hardly necessary to call attention
to the unsettled condition of the Gov
erDments Of Mexico aud of those il
South America, where state of civi
war is their normal condition, anG
gross ignorance covers the land.
We often congratulate ourselves
on our superior intelligence and the
general education of the people ot
our country, but taking it as whole
We can easily find dark corners which
are great discredit to us.
STATE OF EDUCATION IN NEW MEXICO
In New Mexico there are ninety.
two thousand people, and not a pub.
lie school or school house in the terri.
tory. Arizona is in about the same
condition. In 1856, there was a vote
taken in four counties of New Mexico
since annexed to Colorado, for and
against common schools, 81, against
5.O16.
FAILURE TO ORGANIZE THE COMMON
SCHOOL SYSTEM IN TEXAS.
In Texas the new Constitution
provides for system Of free schools,
but there are none in the State. The
chairman Of their Senate Committee
on education dast year reported an
excellent school bill for the establish
lnent Of public schools but it failed
to pass, and he writes that be wishes
Congress would take the whole mat
ter of popular education in hand.
1t costs the State of New York
four times Us much to support her
criminal courts as to educate her
and many other States are
in a similar condition.
SCHOOL HOUSES COST LESS THAN JAILs
IN THE END.
Looking at this question from the
low-stand-point Of mere pecuniary
interest, we find that everywhere it
costs less to educate children as they
should be educated, than to leave
in neglected condition, ready re-
cruits for the army of criminals.
OF NEW YORK STATE AND
In the State of New York the av-
ersge number of children of school
age who are absent from school, is
e94 ,878. In the cities of New York
and Brooklyn the average number
absent from schools is about 3t3,9 500.
New York city exhibits q condition
of moral and political gsngrene of .
most serious and alarming character,
and Instead Of signs of Improvement
we find there that affairs are growing
from bad to worse. Such a thing as
a fair election in that city is un-
known. 1t is the Head Center of
all that is vile in American politics,
in religion or political economy. The
Of New York at the last
session appropriated about 100000
dollars tor the instruction of the pu-
pills in the several corporate and par
ochial schools. This appropriation
Of the public money was chiefly for
the benefit of the Roman Catholic
schools Of that city.
It would be well for the American
people to ask what does this mean
what will it lead to and where will
it stop 1t will never stop until the
proposed Constitutional amendment
is adopted. The evil is increasing
day by day, and year by year.
THE COMMON SCHOOL SYSTEM DE-
NouNcED.
Catholic priests depounce our sys-
tenn of common schools as being an
of the devil. Their pur-
pose is to obtain control Of the educa-
tion of the children of this country,
and to destroy the common school
system. Their influence caused the
vote referred to, against common
schools in New Mexico. They pre-
fer that the large majority of the
people should remain III ignorance
They would have US believe that ig.
norance is the mother of devotion,
but we know that is rather ths
mother Of denominations.
The number OF those who are op
posed to any system of common
schools is increasing in New York in
New Orleans and even in New Eng
land and in many other parts of til,
country. This opposition is chiefly
stimulated and controlled by :
thoroughly organized body Of men
who cali themselves, 1.-THE Society o
Jesus" commonly known as Jesuits
Their organization is model of per
fection--all that human ingenuity
aided by ages of experience can de
vise-their perseverance and devo
tion to the objects Of their labors ar
unsurpassed by any body of men.
CAN WE CANDIDLY SAY ALL Is WELL.
In view of these facts, have we n
duty to perform ? shall we sit dow
and compIacently fold our hands un
til we are bound hand and foot, un
til the whole country is reduced L
the condition of New York and "
are overwhelmed by another civ
war ? Not if we are wise in our da
and generation and remember tha
eternal vigilance is the price of lii
erty."
No one is properly qualified tor tn
great responsibilities of citizenshi
until possessed of an ordinary con
mon school education. 1t is a bette
defense of our liberties than stant
ing armies or iron ribbed navies.
| An intelligent people cannot
deprived Of their rights and libertie
They alone are capable Of determil
ing what their rights and best il
terests are, and knowing they wi
dare maintain them. lntelligent
promotes virtue and together the
form tho basis Of good society al
ensure the well being of tho State.
III In fhnsn SfaIas uharr, tho nro,,o