Arizona citizen., 1872-08-17
EDUCATION IN THE TERRI-
 TORIES.

mick, of Arizona, in the House of
 Representatives February 6, 1872.
 MT. Mccormick, of Arizona. Mir.
 Speaker, while many gentlemen have
 discussed the importance of the pro-
 visions of bill of this nature, as ap-
 piled to the States, no one has yet es-
 pecially referred to their value to the
 Territories, and I claim a moment for
 that purpose.
 In the debates upon 8 measure somewhat similar to this, had ill the House two years since, much was said
 as there has now been, concerning the right of the General Government to in any way provide for or regulate educational matters in the States, and 1t was, as it Is now. made a plea for opposition to the bill. But no one will question the right of the Govern ment to act Ill the matter ill the Ter ritories over which it has supreme control.
 The necessity of some congressional legislation to foster and stimulate education ill the Territories has so long been apparent to me that 1 pro- posed, after the failure of the educa- tional bill of last winter, chiefly upon the score of its alleged intrusion upon State rights, to prepare 8 bill exclu- sively for the Territories, and ill order to do so the more intelligently address : ed letters to each Territory asking in formation regarding the precise con- dition of educational interests in res ponse to which l received various facts, which, owing to the state of my health, have not been arranged in proper shape for presentation at this time, and in view of the introduction by the Committee on Education and Labor of the bill now before the House, l abandoned the idea of dis tinct measure for the Territories.
 The bill now under consideration forever consecrates and sets apart the proceeds of the public lands to the education of the people" " as follows:
 One half the receipts for lands, af- ter deducting expenditures, is to be distributed among the States, Terri tories, and District of Columbia the other half Is to be invested and create a fund whose income is in like man ner to be distributed.
 The distribution for ten years is to be on the basis of illiteracy, that Is of need afterwards according to the Ia hot one. Each State and Territory will be entitled to its share of the first dis tribution that, before January l, 1873, or within two months of the first meeting of its Legislature thereafter, shall have engaged that it will provide by law for the free education of all its children between the ages of six and sixteen, and will apply all mon- eys which 1t shall receive under this act in accordance with it's conditions. After the first distribution each State will receive its share which has com piled with the following conditions:
 First. It shall have made the pro- vision for the education of its children as above.
 Second. It shall have applied all by it previously received, under this act, in accordance there with.
 Third. It shall, through the proper officer thereof, for the year ending the 3Oth day of June last preceding such apportionment, make full report of the number of schools free to all the children thereof, the numbe of teach CTS employed, the number of school houses owned, and the number of school-houses hired; the total number of children taught during the year, the daily attendance, and the number of months of the year schools shall nave been maintained in each of the several school districts, or divisions of said State, Territory, or District, and he amounts appropriated by the Legislature for the purpose of main ;aininga system of free public schools.
 These sums are to be distributed by he State or Territory among its 'chool-districts in either of the three ways, as it shall think fit, md to be applied only to the payment 'f teachers of common schools, except hat sum not exceeding fifty per 'ent. the first year, and ten after wards. may, in the discretion of the , State, be applied to the payment of teachers of schools for the education l of teachers.
 Mr. "