The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-05-08
Education Increases the Productiyeness Of
Labor,

When the State votes money to educate her
youth many look upon the measure as purely
eleemosynary in its nature. Even under the
old poor school system, when the sums appro-
priated were expended in educating the chill
dren of the INDECENT alone, the motive which
induced the legislation was not, desire to
confer benefits upon individuals. There has
always been far deeper philosophy in all such
legislation. The benefit bestowed upon the
individual is purely incidental. The advance
ment of the people in moral tone, and the
greater security to life and property thence
arising, the development of brain power which
adds SO wonderfully to the producing capacity
of laborers in every pursuit, calling and pro
fession, and the consequent progression OF the
State in all the elements OF true greatness
these are the ends to which the wise legislator
looks. In all these results every citizen Is in
terested, and interested, too, as we think a
careful analysis will disclose, about in proper
tion to the amount of property which he pos
sesses. It is on this ground that the taxation
of the property of all citizens-of those who
have no children as we'll as those who have
for the purpose of making the schools free to
all, finds its chief justification.
But it was our purpose in writing this article,
rs indicated in the heading, to speak OF only
one of the results we have mentioned. That
education does increase the productiveness OF
labor is not a new thought. Its truth was
recognized by leading public men in our own
country as far back as the time of the adoption
of the articles of confederation. These arti-
cles did not give Congress the right to tax the
property of individuals, but each State was to
raise the prescribed quota of revenue for gen.
eral purposes through its own Legislature. In
fixing the basis of taxation there was differ
ence of opinion. Some wished to make popu-
lation the basis, while others preferred as that
basis the relative value of real estate, which
latter idea prevailed in consequence of differ
ences of opinion among those who favored the
former. It was the difference of opinion
among those who favored the basis of popula-
ton which brought out clearly the thought in
reference to the effect of education upon the
productiveness of labor. Mr.. Stephens, in his
admirable History of the United States recent
ly published, gives the whole matter in O form
so clear and Ineligible that We cannot forego
the pleasure of quoting the passage entire.
He SAYS: sIn the meantime it was discovered
that the basis fixed upon in their articles OF
union for the quotas of the States respectively
was not Just one. That basis was the relative
value of real estate in the several States. This
value was by no means uniform. The proper
basis, it was thought, was the relative popula-
tion of the States"
In April, 1888, therefore, Congress proposed
to the States to amend the Constitution, in this
particular, by making population the basis of
the States quota This was the original idea
in 1776 when the articles of union were first
brought forward. But difficulty arose in the
discussion, which caused its abandonment at
that time. The difficulty sprang from the fact
that there were more negro slave laborers In
some of the States than in others, and it was
insisted that negro laborers was not as efficient
in the production of wealth, the proper subject
of taxation, as free, intelligent white men.
Some insisted that one white man was as
efficient as four negroes some put the ratio at
three and some ut two AS this difficult ques-
tion could not be satisfactorily adjusted at first
the basis then adopted was then stated but
after wears of discussion it was agreed that FIVE
negro slaves should be rated as three white
persons irY establishing proper basis FOR taxa
ton, taking relative population as the best
standard of relative production. This was
known as the ratio of federal population. Ac-
cordingly, in April, 1888, as stated, the Con-
gress passed resolution recommending to the
States change of the Constitution in this
particular This change, as it finally went into
the Constitution of 1857, was in the following
words: Representatives and direct taxes
shall be apportioned among the several States
which may be included within this Union,
according to their respective numbers, which
shall be determined by adding to the whole
number of free persons, including those bound
to service for term of years, and excluding
Indians, not taxed, three Jyths of all other
persons" Thus it appears that the old idea
that taxation and representation ought to go
together was permanently established; and
further, that the basis fixed for both, and acted
upon during our entire history under the Con-
stitution, has rested upon the thought which
we are endeavoring to present-that education
does confer upon the laborer increased capacity
for production.
We turn next to evidence of different kind
recently furnished the testimony of practical
men of large experience and with ample op-
portunities of observation. In 1870 the Com
missioner of Education at Washington pre-
pared circular, three thousand copies of
which were addressed to those classes OF men
whom he designates as observers, working-men
and employers, for the purpose of ascertaining
their views upon the relation of education to
labor. The circular was addressed to men in
all parts of the United States and, in one in
stance, to gentleman in England, member
of Parliament, who was engaged IN manuIac'
turing with a large number of iaborers under
his control. In the queries propounded, the
influence of education upon the productiveness
of labor was made prominent. From those
employing white laborers, from the laborers
themsei belonging to that class and from
the different observers, the response was al
most unanimous that education does increase
the productiyencss of labor, the increase being
estimated at various rates ranging from 10 to
100 per cent. The higher rates in the estimate
apply, of course, to those laboring in the diff
ferent branches of manufacture, in building
and such other pursuits as require, in order to
the highest degree of success, the application
to a greater or less extent of the principles of
science. Even in reference to those engaged
in the simplest forms of manual labor there
was wonderful unanimity in respect to white
laborers. Some of the circulars were addressed
to planters in the South employing only colored
laborers. Among these there was difference