Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-12-06

and literature, or what we have
learned of both from other nations
and other days; but the body of the
people is still uneducated. We
have our intelligence and enter
prise; we have our free thought and
Independent study; we have our
learned men and learned women;-
we have, perhaps, among the COM
mon people, more knowledge and
less ignorance than anywhere else, lin
any other country; but we are still,
as people uneducated.
1t is necessary that our nation
should be the best trained of all
others. Our government is so con-
structed that not the wisdom of the
few or the ambition and strength OF
the few is needed to maintain it,
but the energy and intelligence and
moral power and religious enlight-
enmenl of every man in it. Mon.
arches, oligarches and even Thco-
cratic governments, ,may be managed
by few, while the many are ruled
over Il will not say governed); but
the Republic of modern days and
that of the future must be governed
by those who are also brought up
to the standard of true selt-govern-
ment.
Every man should be governing
force in himself. Every man should
be himself-his noblest self. In a
true Republic we cannot afford to
have great masses Of ignorant, SUI
perstitious and therefore really
wicked men. If you give to all
men, however qualified or unquali-
fed, the virtual control of govern
ment, you must employ some force
to control them. And what is the
force that has ever really controlled
such elements? Not that which is
not in itself a permanent power. l
know of but one Being capable of
such government. We cannot af-
ford to have our opinions and
knowledge, and even facts, manu-
factured for us. We cannot afford
to be at the mercy of a corrupt ad-
ministration of government, cor
rupt press, and every other source
of popular corruption. We cannot
afford to be a nation of mere poll
ticians.
The issues and interests of the
times must be apprehended by the
common intelligence of the people,
and appreciated by the great heart of
the nation, in order that the true
welfare Of the public may be enjoy
ed. The most refined sense and in
telligence should exist in both rulers
and people. Yea, all men should
be ruled together by the advancing
thought and character of an age
that is approaching the glory of
that future, which, believe, is even
now dawning upon our race.
Viewing the character of a true
Republic thus, do you not agree
with me, that this, and more en-
phatically every other nation, is still
uneducated.
Bat what is national education?
What is education? The best def
milton we have Of the latter cmbra-
ces two things: the imparting of
knowledge and the proper reception
of it. 1t is not merely from the out
ward to the inward, but also from
the inward to the outward. 1t is
both teaching and learning. We
cannot teach unless he who is
taught learns. The truly educated
mind receives impressions, per-
ceivcs facts and principles, reflects,
judges and acts. He only is educa-
ted to the highest degree, who can
himself advance to other knowledge
and other conclusions besides those
taught him by others; or at least,
can arrive, by his own investigation,
at similar conclusions and teach
similar knowledge. He must be in
dependent, true individual, learn
ing, knowing, acting. He must
know himself and use himself.
Let every man be thus educated,
or educated in this direction (all
cannot reach the same excellence) J,
and he is, In the best sense, free
man. He is citizen, and with all
noble men a fellow citizen. He is
a true member of society and true
to every obligation required of him
and to every station to which he
may be called
A national education is not merely
e mastery of the principles of JUS
tice and its administration, Of all
that is due the State in its several
departments, and what should be
the rule for the action of the private
citizen but the securing and posses
sion and manifestation of national
honesty, economy, frugality, and the
motive WHICH seeks the highest
good of every man.
The great word which denotes
the theme of discussion in these
times, is reform. In it's application
to single department, we call it
cirH ser0ice reform. TIL" reform
thus demanded, as l understand, is
that which relates to intellectual
preparation and capacity for the
work required.
AS every military man above the
ranks is fitted by special military
training for any station to which he
may be promoted, so far as such
training can fit him, SO every civil
officer, from the lowest to the high
est, should be prepared for his
work, and his PROGRESS from one
position to another should be regu-
lated and promoted by the princi-
pies of just competition. I would
say, also, let every town and county
and State officer, every legislator in
our State or national halls, and the
chief officers of the several depart
ments Of our government, judicial
and executive, be fitted for each re-
quircd station by previous training,
and by personal advancement in
that training.
But we need something more,
even, than all this. We must have