Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-02-12
WILMINGTON. DKL.
Monday Afternoon, Feb. ~. +
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF DELAwARE-cAN
THEY AFFORD TO REJEcT ASSISTANCE

The educational bin passed by the House OF
Representatives, last week, donates the whole |
nett proceeds from the sale of public lands, to |
the encouragement and aid Of public schools, in
the various States The explicit language Of
this grand and noble measure is
" That he net proceeds Of 9.e public lands are
hereby Joreuer consecrGted and set apart for ne
' education Of 1'e people"
Could anything be filter, wiser, or more desira-
BILE than this ? One half the proceeds is to be
invested by the Secretary OF the Treasury, and
the income therefrom is to be annually distri-
buted to the several States. The other half is
10 be distributed directly, each year. The latter
will give immediate aid to States whose schools
now need help, and the former will go on accu-
mulating, Hntil, when the National Domain is at
last all sold, there will be grand fund set apart
to secure, in every portion Of the Republic East,
West North, and South, in Canada, Mexico, the
West Indies, and wherever our flag may float the
free education OF the children OF the American
People
No State needs this more than our own. Our
public schools, in three-fourths Of the area Of
the State, are languishing. Scores Of them are
closed. In Sussex county, especially, owing to
the repeated failures Of crops, the unfortunate
financial condition Of the people, the oppression
Of the poor by cruel laws for the collection Of
debts, and other causes, there are more public
schools shut up, to-day, than at any time for
many years. Those who are in comfortable
circumstances send their children to private
academies, but the public school-that great
institution Of our American System-is neglected
and closed, and thousands of children, in Della
ware, are, this winter, remaining in ignorance,
without the opportunity Of education.
At such time, this benefcent law Of Congress
comes most opportunely. It is designed to help
Just such conditions as our own, where the peo-
pie are poor, and unable, as yet to sustain a
thoroug gh system of public schools. The unset
tied lands Of the West belong to the whole
country in common, and no object is so precious
to the whole country as free, liberal instruction
for all. 1t is right therefore, that Delaware
should have her share of the monies arising
from the sale OF the public lands, and, we
have said, it comes to her most opportunely.
H,r need for it is great, and the good which may
be done by 4 can hardly be overestimated.
Taking this view, as we know the people Of
Delaware must and will, the course Of our Rep
resentative in Congress, Mr.. Biggs and of the
whole Democratic minority in the House, (six
only excepted in voting against the measure,
is utterly astonishing, and apparently without
excuse. To vote that Delaware should not re-
csive her share of the public lands; to vote that
she should not be helped to educate her children;
to strike away the hand of the Government when
it was outstretched to aid us what strange
extraordinary infatuation could have caused
such action?
True Mr.. Biggs followed his party lead Will
a few exceptions, as already mentioned, til,
whole body OF Democratic members opposed th'
BILL step by step, spoke against it, voted agains
the several sections strove to embarrass it by va
rious amendments, tried to kill it by parliament
ary sharp practice, and finally voted against it
Mr.. Bggs, therefore, can say that he did as the
other Democrats did. He can hide behind hi;
party cover, and insist that the blame shall bt
distributed.
But will this justify him What defence car
be made for his colleagues Does not our mem
Der share their wrong-doing and not they Iii
responsibility Let the people Of Delaware
examine the question, and see whether there
has ever heen more fragrant act OF injustice tC
our suffering people attempted on partisan, Of
any other grounds. 1t was fortunately unsuc
cessful, but that does not improve the character
of the effort