Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-03-27


the only sure method Of perpetuating
our free government tits well known
that in our form Of government oil
are alike armed with the ballot; the
vicious and the ignorant have the same
rights and privileges ~ the learned
and refined.
The ballot, il welded by an intelli-
gent and skillful hand, is the most
powerful weapon to use against ty-
rants and monopolies; but if used by
the ignorant and unlearned, it serves
as did the plebiscite of France, to the
more thoroughly bind on the people
the yoke of tyranny.
Nations have prospered according
to the education, intelligence, industry
and morality Of their rulers. In re-
publics the people rule; hence arises
the necessity for the education Of all
the people, composing any flee gov
eminent.
Greece, in the days of her prosperi-
ty, was famous for the general educa.
ton of her masses. In Rome 1t was
considered disgrace to not be able to
read or swim. When those republics
neglected the common education Of
their people, their liberty began to
decline, and monarchy soon dourished
on the ruins Of their institutions. Mod.
ern republics prosper according to the
ratio of their education and morality.
The prosperity Of the nation is en-
HANGED by the individual energy and
prosperity of each of her citizens;
and in the same degree is her prosper
ity injured by their Incidence and in.
digence. Then every citizen should
be industrious and frugal. Industry
is more remunerative and frugality
easier practiced, whom the mind 10 well
stored with valuable knowledge, and
the reasoning faculties are highly Gull
tivated; also, the morals should be
thoroughly developed. The above
qualifications are necessary to thor
oughly prepare persons to assume the
business relations Of citizens.
knowledge is power; and an in.
crease Of knowledge is an increase Of
power. Power, when properly dis
tributed is advantageous TO free gov
ernments, but when centralized is the
germ of monarchy. The wealthy ,cill
educate their children to . high stan
dard thus giving one power to In
fuence thousands of others to do his
bidding, either for free advancement
or Capitalization. Rome was in no
danger from imperialism until the
Cssars had more intelligence than the
whole Senate combined. So It IL with
our government; as long as the COM
monalty are capable Of discerning the
acts OF the officers and determining
whether they are right or not, no dan
ger exists; but when the misses fail
to keep up with the advancement OF
the times, and allow the wealthy and
fortunate to outstrip them in educa-
tional advancement, 60 as to WELD an
Intellectual power SO far beyond the
level of the common citizen, ~ did
Cicero and others; then will be tho
day Of our national peril.
, Credit Mobilier rings, and election
.swindles are but the legitimate result
of the inequality of education now
existing in this government.
The western producer now reaps the
harvest sOwn by uis uuu-sttu,rtfuu tor
governmental affairs, and the Patrons
Of HusbAndry cry for some intellectu-
a Moses to arise from among their
number to lead them ont of the will
derness of monopolized extortion.
From the present gloom arises .
star that win give light Of political
equality and justice throughout our
national horizon and not : cloud Of
moneyed or educational monopolies
shall again obscureits rays. It's tho
star Of universal education, and Of
this education every youth must par
take; if voluntarily, we'll and good,
but compulsory If necessary. An
equilibrium Of power must be distrib-1
uted among the people of our nation,
and knowledge Is that power to be
distributed by compulsory education.
w. s. COEN.