Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1872-12-20

mote It's greatest prosperity and happiness.
Schools must and will ere long have place
and equal fame in oil parts Of common
country.
The domination Of the aristocracies of
Europe for so long period in feudal ages
may be ascribed to their martial and physc.
al training, and, in later times, the domina-
ton Of legislative bodies representing no
constituents may be ascribed to the excep-
tional and superior educational advantages Of
the governing class, not less than to the
dense ignorance of the masses governed
The ascendency of the statesmen Of Virginia
--"the mother of States and of Presidents"
for SO many years in our own land may in
some degree be honorably credited to the love
Of learning of their leading men, and to the
spirit which founded the University Of Vir-
ginia, Of which Jefferson was so proud to be
known as the father.
Even the civil service, with all of our solic-
itude, can only be permanently elevated by
universal and thorough education--as univer.
sal as eligibility to office and as thorough as
the seeking after it. Men so educated are
too well trained to be awkward with affairs
they have too much pride to sacrifice honor
to interest, and respect Christianity too sin
cerely to seek reputation on any other basis
than doing right Education guides men by
principle, by justice, by facts add logic, not
by solemn cant, jolly fctions, and baseless
prejudiccs. 1t has no fellowship with trick.
cry or fraud, and never resorts to "breech-
loading ballot-boxes," nor to british violence.
1t is only truism to assert that education
is essential to our form of government The
best government must have tho best men as
citizens. A republic could not stand u cy-
Gle of the moon among Hottentots, and often
reels, totters and falls even among races
claiming to be enlightened. Democracy
must fail when only upheld by ignorance and
vice, and can only succeed by general diff
fusion Of both knowledge and virtue. In
other lands and under other forms Of gov
eminent education may he optional with us
it is indispensable. Untaug ht and unprin-
cipled men may be governed, but they cannot
govern they cannot be trusted. The intel
lectual and moral progress of men is the great
force which crippes and binds absolute and
illegitmate power. This force is needed as
check in popular governments quite as
much as in those more arbitrary. Here ma
jorities rule, and majorities have a fixed
standard of intelligence and integrity, which
may be on the high plane of Washington,
or low down on that of Boss Tweed. There
is possibility for us to be better than the
average of mankind, but there is also plenty
Of freedom to be worse.
Dense Population TO he Provided For.
The United States is destined to become
one of the most populous nations Of the world
One hundred million people are expected to
be represented in the national capital in less
than fifty years, and hundred and fifty
million in less than fifty years. A dense
population is, however, almost inseparablt
from some debasement. Scarcely can VIZ
hope TO increase in virtues as we increase il
numbers. Therefore we would take wise
precautions, a bond of fate, for the future
conduct of our pOsterity. They are to be
taught double duty first in their charac
ter as men, and second their responsibility
as citizens Of the great Republic. As W.
make the mold so will be the shape OF oul
destiny.
At present the habits of our rural popula
ton are pure and simple. A dense popula
ton, increasing wealth, voluptuous living, anC
a materialistic philosophy, toward which thu
world is said to be tending may change al
this. Let the American Congress, then, no
hold back any measure that tends to relieve
future peril, or that will lift up the intellect
ual and moral standard of the young and in
dustrial classes of our country, aud these em
brace the most part of that unknown thronl
which only awaits our exit to crowd forward
on to the stage where they are to be the pi
lots of State and WELD the political and civil
as well as the moral and religious forces o
the New World.
Our popular form Of government, howeve
, peacefully disposed, does not challenge tn,
t hearty sympathy of other less popular govern
ments. Peace may not forever be possible
, and we must remember that in war victor,
/ follows neither the greatest nor the most gun;
I but follows the party which can make an
l knows how to use the best-does not follow
absolutely the largest army, but the bes
!, handled and the most sagacious.
' All of these national colleges are to Civ
some military instruction, and this, so wide
+. diffused and multiplied, in any great futur
Y war, will be of vastly more service than eve
Q our present Naval and Military Academic,
5 however admirably they may be conducted
Q In time Of peace, and without annual apprc
q priations, we shall have made our best PREF
- aration for war.
r Broader system Required.
i But We want system Of broader educatio
= for the American people in the arts Of peec,
y 1t is perhaps unnecessary at present to multi
: ply institutions for the training Of profe
=. sional men, as those we have are equal TO III
i task of furnishing all that are needed, an
n some professional supernumeraries not {
n much needed. The great want is a system b
y which each one among the masses may becom
n more valuable to himself and to society, an
more honored and esteemed Agricultul
and the mechanic arts always lack recruit
and most lack recruits that have been drill
:. ed Willing hands can here always fin
u room for boundess enterprise. Our ow
y y artisans, however, like too many otht
y Americans, most esteem the dignity Of pee,
- mary profits and are generally supposed
i be more proud of swift work than of ii
> skllful and dexterous. They wear out ar
y leave too few honored names to gild the
y memories and stamp their workmanship. Ia,
a a them be taught better Agriculture all
q should have such base Of scientific instru
q ton as will enable every farmer to obtai
l. more valuable crops without an annual ar
% permanent depletion CT the SOIL
u A diminishing stock, from which must
!; fed an increasing population, is calamity
:, be avoided by any nation, for the shrinkal
~ in stock will be followed by an equal shrin
u u age of crops. This is point that should
e. looked after, and before we have squandert
= all the natural fertility Of our soil
!, Other Nations Moving.
~ Italy within ten years past has establish,
- eighty-nine civil and military institutions +
" technical instruction OF these, eleven a
j. intended exclusively for officers and no
commissioned officers of the army aud nav
" and the whole number are rapidly rising in