New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-08-01
LET THE PEOPLE aRADuATF.


Are the people of Louisiana willing to
accept the benefits of the education in ad,
verSity which they have already received,
or are they willing to pay for more in
struction at the same rate that they have
settled for what they have learned? They
can graduate now, or they may go on for
another term, just as they select to do,
but they can not go on without expecting
to pay for what they insist upon being
taught. We tell them very plainly that
they have learned enough for all practical
purposes, and that it is time to stop, but
if they will not listen to US, they must
blame themselves for any difficulty that
may come upon them hereafter. The
faculty of professors under whose tuition
they have been instructed in adversely are
anxious to return them at school for an
other term, but it seems to us that the bad
fare and incompetent management which
they have endured for the last four years
should make them very careful how they
engage for another term. Four years ago
the Pjcagpme and its Democratic peda-
gogues advised the classes of that session
to pursue a course of studies which we de-
nounced as impolitic, useless and out Of
date. Our advice was rejected, and now
we beg the public to judge of the result.
Just what we pre- dicted has come to pass,
and just what the Picayune rejected and
reviled it now upholds and recommends.
All the lessons that the Picayule taught
then it now rejects and denounces. All
the lessons that we suggested then the
Picayune now embraces as wise and salu-
tary. In the meantime the course of
necessary education has changed. What
was proper four years ago is not proper
now, and the PicayoGne is as far wrong to-
day as it was then. 1t has never been
able to keep up with the times. And it is
urging the country into a ruinous and des-
perate system now, just as it did in 1868.
1t is useless to contend with such stolid-
ity. The old fashioned schoolmaster can
not be brought out of his specialtes, and |
our only hope is in addressing the pupils.
The people should refuse to be instructed
by men who have always led them into |
error. The country can not stand to be |
pedagogical by a class of malignants who |
hate progress and its disciples as wickedly |
as they detest the truth. AS we laid cor |
rect lessons before the people in 1868, so
we are prepared to do so now. And our
first lesson is that they should quit school
for time and apply the knowledge they
have already received. They have been
now let them learn how to avoid
affection. They can not do this SC, long as
hey adhere to the men who have abused
hem with mischievous suggestions as to
heir own power and intelligence. The
irst great lesson the Democracy should
earn is this, that it can not win a victory
n Louisiana under the leadership of the
Pjcayltne. 1t has failed three times. and
is worst failure is in store for it in Novem-
'er. Neither stupidity nor malice is a
afe conductor in great contest for power,
or they are both blind. And when we
ay that the hopes of 1IcEnery are based
N stupidity, and that the prophecies of the
ojcdyllne are founded in malice, we give
hem over to the inevitable misfortune of
he blind, which is the ditch