Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-02-28

Very interesting and very useful
reading is that furnished by Mr.. Hoar's
bill to establish system Of national
education, and to apply the proceeds
Of the sales Of the public lands to the
education Of the people" The propo-
sition forever eonsecrates the proceeds
of the public lands as fellows One-
half the receipts to be distributed
among the States, Territories and Dis
trict of Columbia; the other half to
be invested for the creation of fund,
whose interest shall be distributed in
the same way. For. the first ten
years illiteraey is to be the basis of d.
vision. The homestead law, in all its
operations, is not any way to be dis
turbed; neither the laws granting
bounties to soldiers of the late war.
With these provisions, it is estimated
that the proceeds of the sales of lands
will amount to $2,000,000 annually.
On the basis of the last census Della
ware would get $1,000; Maryland, SEA
600; District of Columbia, 5000;
Virginia, $4,000 West Virginia, sl4,-
coo; Kentucky, SO, 600; North Caro-
lima, $4,000; Tennessee, $4,000;
South Carolina, So. 600; Georgia, SS3,-
coo; Alabama, $4,000; Florida, S13,-
600; Mississippi, $4,000; Missouri,
5000; Arkansas, 81, 600; Louisiana,
$4,000; Texas, $4,000; Illinois, $23,-
coo; Idaho, 1898; Massachusetts,, s17,-
900; Maine, 5000; Ohio, $31, 600;
Rhode Island, $1,000; New Mexico,
5000. We have given the round
numbers. 1t is urged, o. That the
basis of free government is intelll-
gence, and, therefore, the public wealth
should go to educate the people. (2)
The public lands will thus be removed
from the spoliation of rings and monop-
olies, and from being in every way
squandered. (3) The burden of the
appropriations will go to the South, to
enable that portion of the country to
recover from ignorance and ut the
same time stagnation, and take its
place beside the West and the North.
Unquestionably If system Of State
education is wise, a system of national
education is not unwise. There is no
reason why our State systems should
not culminate in National University.
There is need of an education higher
than anything yet furnished by even
Harvard, Yale, or Michigan. As these
stand to the lower grade colleges, so
should National University stand to
these--a place where those who desire
to pursue a course in the higher
sciences and higher mathematics can
do so after graduating at the ordinary
institutions. 1t should be the cap
stone of grand system that has for
its widespread basis the district
schools of every hamlet in the land;.
on these the Grammar Schools on
these the High Schools; on these the
Colleges; on these the State Universi-
ties, and, last of all, National Uni
versity. Washington has now several
institutions that could wisely be trans
formed into departments Of such
school. For instance, the Smithsonian
Institute might be made the School OF
Science. We can even imagine that
old seed store, called the Agricultural
Bureau, transformed into what De lie
COnte suggests, great school of en-
tomological and botanical study. We
have not forgotten the powerful address
of President Elliot of Harvard against
any such scheme; but it nevertheless
is just in the line of our present edu-
cational movements. President White
of Cornell is shortly to reply to DIR.
Elliott, and we doubt not with the best
of the argument. Give us broad and
thorough basis of common schools,
where every child in America at least
may, if not shall, acquire the lessons
of wise citizenship, and then let US
have the Normal University, where the
very ablest men shall enable the most
ambitious to become the masters of the
best wisdom that the country can af-
ford. We are thoroughly in favor OF
such use of our public lands as shall
enable us to educate every child in
America, and to give to each one just
as much as he is capable Of receiving.
There are already over 100000 over
ten years of age in these United States
who cannot even read. The record is
a shameful one. 1t ought to be prompt
ly remedied.-,&. LOUIS Democrat.