The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1873-01-22

NO. 80.
the former law, and the three adition.
al members apportioDed to the State
chosen as members at large by the
vote Of the people. Hence the duty
of enacting another apportionment
bill deyolyes upou the present Leg
lature, and ! request for it that care
full and patriotic consideration re.
quired by the magnitude Of the in
terests involved.
STATE TREASURER.
The sixth section of the sixth article
of the Constitution declares that
"A State Treasurer shall be elected
annually by joint vote of both
branches of the Legislature.
| But the Legislature by joint res
olution, passed at two consecutive
/, sessions, and approved by popular
vote at the last October election, has
amended this part of the Constitution,
by striking out the section above
quoted, and inserting in place there
| of the following: @
"a State Treasurer shall be chosen
by the qualified electors Of the State,
at such times and for such term of
service as shall be prescribed BY law. "
The adoption of this amendment
win be officially proclaimed on the
second Tuesday Of January, 1873,
and will supersede existing laws for
the election of State Treasurer by
the Legislaturel. Inasmuch as no
provision seems to have been made
by law for filing this Office, from the
first Monday of May next until an
election con be had by the people
under the amended Constitution /
invite the attention of the Legislature
to this condition of the subject, and
recommend such action as will carry
out the amendment, and in the mean
time secure so important an interest
of the Commonwealth.
r. EDUCATION.
Width great propriety the Superin-
tendent in the opening Of his able re-
port, congratulates the people upon
the continued growth and prosperity
of our public schools.
Their progress is clearly indicated
by comparing the expenditures of the
last six years, with those of the six
years prior to 1867, viz:
Total cost for tuition from 1857 to
1sI2. ........:-....... sl,s7s,25s 81
Total cost for tuition from 1861 to
, 1872. .!....................-... l2,545,sol II
Increase ase.........-........ ss,sss, ,los 90
Total expenditures Of the system
from 1851 toIs7s ........... sR,o52.i52 IL
Total expenditures of the system
from 1851 TO 1906. 6...-.-.---... 19. 500. .149 81
Increase se................ sz3,ssl ,sos 90
PENNSYLVANIA, less fortunate than
many of her sister States, has no
school fund. The legislative appro-
priations amount only to about six
hundred thousand dollars annually;
but the people in the several districts,
voluntarily vote all other moneys
necessary to support the schools.
The foregoing statements briefly ex-
hibit the deep and increasing interest
entertained in behalf of popular edu-
cation.
Intelligence and virtue are conced-
ed to be indispensable conditions of
the permanent existence and prosper
ity of any form of government The
necessity Of these supports increases
in proportion as the area>of freedom
and privilege is enlarged. 1t follows
from these unquestioned maxims. that
the demand for general education is
more imperative in the United States
than in any other country. Our Con-
stitution recognizes the people as the
inherent source of all power. All
participate in the great act of Great
ing the country's rulers. The ballot
decides all questions Of choice, and
fills all official positions, from that of
the chief magistrate of the nation to
that of the lowest town officer. This
supreme and resistless power of uni
versal suffrage, at once suggests the
absolute necessity of universal edu-
cation. The truth of these premises
admitted, no argument is required to
establish the conclusion.
The common school system doubt
less owes its origin to common con-
vietion that 10 people can be properly
and permanently self-governing,
whose intelligence is unequal to the
comprehension of their rights, privi-
leges and responsibilities, or whose
virtues are too feeble and imperfect
to retain them from violation of
those duties which they owe to their
Creator and to each other.
When the system was introduced,
thirty eight years ago, it was gener-
ally viewed in the light of an expert
ment. The act creating it made its
adoption dependent upon the vote of
the people in their respective districts.
Their reluctant and tardy acceptance
of the priceless boon is neither matter
of surprise to us nor reproach to
them, when all the circumstances are
duly considered. Its present popu-
larity is indicated by the entire alb
sence of complaint, and still more
significant readiness, by the people, to
assume the expenses requisite for its
constant Improvement aud efficient
application. Doubtless many years
must elapse before the full fruition of
its influences can be received, but,
meanwhile, it will be gradually
moulding the popular mind into more
perfect conformity with the require
ments of our free institutions.
Fortunately the old prejudice,
against the system no longer. exists !;
but indifference, to lamentable ex-
tent occupies its place. From the
report of the Superintendent it APP
pears that the number of children in
the State, who do not attend school
exceeds seventy-fve thousand. This
criminal neglect is most prevalent in
the cities. In Philadelphia twelve
per cent. Of the children between the