The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-12-27

Y. DECEMBER p, 1874
decreasing the crime, should, at the expense Of
the more opulent, subsidise the poor to place
them above the temptations Of want. The evils
that would follow would be immeasurably greater
than those attempted to be removed.
The stimulus to labor and the hope of acquir-
ling property would be destroyed, and in the de-
struction Of property society would be dissolved,
and civilization, with all it's attendant blessings,
would go down in the general ruin. This is Com
|munism, and public education is q gigantic step
lat least in principle) in that direction.
But statistics do not prove that crime and want
|of education are coincident with each other, for
prison statistics, taken on the continent Of Eu-
rope and Great Britain, show that the proper
|ion of criminals to the whole population is
greater in Scotland than in many parts Of France
and Germany, where the people are not SO well
educated.
This fact, taken in connection with others,
sould lead us to infer that We must look to other
causes than education to account for the prev
alence Of crime in any community.
AZ inductive reasoning has failed to establish
that education has any influence in preventing
crime, deductive reasoning clearly shows that it
ls not likely to have that effect. Does the ka2w-
ledge that 12x12-1A, contribute TO make aman|
more observant Of his moral obligations, n the
knowledge that London is on the river ? James
render him less likely to dehaud his neisnbor in|
b horse trade? II badly disposed, educ Zion will
fsr1 in
villainy, but there is nothing in tb-. nature of
things to justify the conclusion that mere secu-
lar knowledge is calculated to make men more1
|virtuous.
Not q word can be said in defense OF public ed|
ucation, as to itsinfluence in making men better
the only ground upon which it can be defended
but applies with infinitely greater force to reli
gious education; or, in other words, in advocacy
Of teaching religion at the public expense, or the]
connection of Church and. State, the impolicy. oil
which is obvious.
Even granting that public education is not
without its influence in REFRESHING vice and crime
lit becomes question whether the evils enumer|
ated, and others not yet referred to, do not over
balance the practical benefits received from it?
A large portion of the people Of this country
and especially of this State, believe that anyI
scholastic education, unless associated with reli7
gious teaching, is an actual sin. It forms mo-
part of this discussion to consider whether these
views are we'll or i'll founded, it is sufficient that
they exist, and are adhered to with pertinacityl
as an essential dogma Of faith. In view Of this
fact is it just expedient to exact taxes from q
large portion Of community, to be expended
for purpose deemed by them to be sinful. and
in the benefits of which they are thus debarred
from participating? Are there not evils, heart
burnings and dissentions in store for us, the ex
tent Of which no man can measure, if we con-
tinue any system Of public education.
Public education is with us in it's incipient
stages, and is yet comparatively untainted, but
the evils inseparabe from this, sin all political
institutions, are rapidly developing themselves.
Public schools must inevitably, under our form OF
government, become mere political organizations,
used to reward the services Of jealous, and too
frequently, corrupt partisans. in which extrava-
gance, fayoritism and corruption will be rampant,
and the primary object of their organization rem
dered entirely subservient to the purposes Of cor
Eruption.
In regard to public schools, the people must
remember that it is now universally recognized
principle of government, that it must let the peo
bile Alone and never to do for them what they can
do for themselves, or in other words, chat gov
ernment is best which governs least"
It is hllacy-xhich space docs not permit me
to elaborate that public education, in pecu-
MARY point Of view, is of advantage to the work
ing classes as the effect of taxation to support
IL more than compensates for the expenditure OF
private education
Public education is either duty, or it is not
the duty Of government; if a duty, it is q logical
sequence that education should be made COM
pulsory. fitis the duty of government to edu.
cate the people that they may become better
citizens, it should compel them to it, just as it ex
ercises force for the repression eff crime for the
benefit of society.
Public education-except as violative Of prin.
ciple-among perfectly homogeneous people
may be attended with few practical evils, but il
our case it is fraught with evils in prospect tina
will entirely destroy it's fancied utility.
These, Mr.. Editor, are some of my objections
to public education, hurriedly thrown togeth er
but which think are worthy Of consideration
Especially at this juncture, when, apparently, tn
greatest blessings are rendered by the corrup
agents Of government the means Of extortiol
and oppression.
/ do not undervalue the advantages Of educa
ton. On the contrary, l esteem them highly
But regard them like every other blessing pro
durable by money they should be paid for b.
those who enjoy them. This would be to the I'D
vantage of society Of the poor as well as tn
rich, % whatever affects the security of propert
affects all classes, and operates with crushing
effect upon the working or poorer class. A. NJ.
The Chicago Tribune, most pronounced Re
publican paper has this to say, in it's issue of tn
oath inst, Of the action Of the Returning Board
The New Orleans Returning Board has jus
& concluded it's labors, some seven weeks after tn
election. The official results were announced
YESTERDAY. They give the Republicans major
itv Of one in the lower House Of the State Legis
laturc 1t is impossible to say now whethe
3 these returns are honest or fraudulent.
m. D.v,, na in Inuiaiono n na{u