The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-12-06
NUMBER 40
EDUCATIONAL.
CONDUCTED BIZ PROF. 9. q. HApcocK.
The Science Of Government Is an Rls-
msnt Of Education. 81

We should like to have headed
!, this article "1'he Science of Cor
' ernn,ent Uersus the Art Of Politics, ;
e but upon consideration did not, be
!, cause We, as q teacher, have nc
! disposition to pronounce upon any
subject which lies outside of oui
3 profession. The Science of Gov.
E eminent is now becoming a por-
ton of the recognized work of the
school room, having already found
a place in the cuyTicul,tna Of many
J Of the best schools. OF course,
; by the study of the sciene of
Government is not meant hasty
glance ut the constitution or laws
!; of any one government, but care
full examination Of the origin of
civil society; of the originsofa diff
ferent forms of government conse-
euent upon circumstances attend
ing the various stages of advance
ment in social life at different per-
iods; also an examination Of the
principles establishing the relation
of the state to the executive and
Legislative powers; and, finally,
comparing our own form. Of Gov
ernment with that of other nations.
Studied thus, the science Of gov
eminent becomes not only one Of
the most fasc,nating, but also one
of the most useful studies which
citizen can pursue. It necessarily
leads the student through the
most enhancing fields Of histori-
cal literature, and brings him face
to face with the grandest problems
of social and moral ethics.
If anything has been demon
strated beyond possibility Of
doubt, it is that no nation has ever
been destroyed without first hav-
ing given cause for, or having
been the occasion of its own do
struction, and furthermore, it has
been shown by equally positive
proof that, with rare il any excep-
ton, monarchical governments
have thus far been longer lived
than democraticai governments;
and so far as our own government
is concerned we bid fair to add an-
other to the already large list of
democratical failures. H"@
Three things tend directly to
our disintegration. The first and
greatest of these is ignorance con-
corning what is the object and
duties of government; indeed, it
may be said that the other two
are but outg rowths Of this. This
ignorance is much more profound
and more widely spread than can
be deemed possible by those whose
attention has not been directly |
called to it. As student and teach |
er Of the sciene government We
have for several years been gath |
ering statistics upon this point,
aud we are justified in saying that
not one half of the average intel. |
ligent men and women in any
neighborhood have ever read a |
word Of the constitution of the
United States, or are able to tell |
the difference between our present
form of government, and that of
the confederation which was first |
tried. Not one-third are able TO |
tell the difference between statute |
and common law, or what are the
powers and duties OF tho differ
ent departments Of government.
In our estimate We have excluded
all who are not possessed of an
average common school education,
and who are not citizens Of the
United States. 1t will be seen |
that when we add to these esti-
mates the great number OF the
ignorant of our own race, Of for
eign migrants, and of freedmen,
the total of those in our midst |
who do not know what We have
set out as nation to do, and who
are not acquainted with the ma
schinery by which that object is to |
be accomplished, is appalling. |
1t, must be remembered, how
ever. that every one Of these has
as direct an influence upon the
character Of the Legislative and
executive departments OF our gov
eminent as does the most intelii- |
gent. And this has already
brought to pass its, legitimate re-
sults-the second cause which
threatens disintegration-corrnp-
ton. Upon this we need say but
little, as the odor Of vileaess which
accompanied the recent election is
not yet all removed from the NOR.
al atmosphere. We wish we might
know what being of some other
plant would think Of us, could he
have read the political papers dur
ing the campaign. Imagine, III
possible. any condition of society
capable OF producing anything
viler than the fact that writer's and
speakers could think it possible
that readers and hearers could be
found for such sentiments IS they
expressed; yet they did find 3
ready market for all their vilcness,
and, shame upon shame, there was
cry for moro, more. The third
cause of danger 70 our national
life is the disposition to still add
TO this already unu1anagcablc mass
Of political units. The plea that
this is done to coanter-balancet the
ignorance and wee already repre-.
sented 10 a specious one, and is
without force. It is perfectly safe
to say that for every ignorant, or
politically vile man, there is q
counterpart in the opposite. sex,
and instead of eliminating, We
should but add more factors to
both elements, and thus incrcass