Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-06-30

of success tho almost ccntenuariar
Bill Allen may die and hc become an
accidental Governor. Sam Carey is
the best sample that can be found ol
impudcnce and unholy ambition.
THE GREAT WANT IN THE WORK
OF NATIONAL SECURITY.
There is in our present unhappy.
condition, as q nation and people, one
prime great need for our future well
being. That need is the education Of
the masses, especially in tho unfortun-
ate region which went into rebellion
and which for centuries had been
cursed with the barbarism of slavery.
Restraint of the uncultured, tho vici-
QUE, by reason of bad associations OF
course is necessary to prevent present
threatened calamities, but in order to
reach time when force need not be
80 much employed, the vicious must
be educated and cured of their tend-
ency to the wrong.
According to the Federal census Of
1870, the total voting population of the
Eastern and Middle States numbered
2,747,694; Of these 226,592 could not
read. In the Western States tho vo-
ters numbered 2.G44,875, the non read.
crs were 2l7,403. In the Southern
States the voters were 2,9l4,736, while
those unable to read were l,l37, ,3O3.
The percentage Of non-readers In the
Eastern, Middle and Western States
by the above showing, is eight in
every hundred-in the South, 80 in
every hundred. True, it was to be
expected that 10 the South would be
the larger percentage of those unable
to read, because of the recent slavery
Of the blacks, constituting about ono
fourth Of the population, but still, this
by no means accounts for all the diff
ference between the percentage North
and South. Among tho poor whites
Of the South, ignorance ia almost as
prevalent as among the blacks. 1t is
safe to say that comparison between
the whites of the North and the South
would show three voters in the South
unable to read, to one in the North.
This is easily accounted for, by reason
of the very patcnt fact that the South.
ern States have always been very far
behind their Northern sisters in sus-
tanning common schools.
From the report of the. Commissioner
of Education, in 1873, we find that in
the Eastern and Middle States, with q
population of Il, ,534, there was OK
pended for educational purposes $780,
45l, COL. In the Western States, with
. population of l2,O23,6 ,629, for like
purpose, there was expended $3i,s2S,-
628. In the Southern States, with
population of $685. ,435, the expendi.
ture was Sill ,l76,344. The comparison
is more marked by taking States of.
about equal population. For instance,
New Jersey, with population of $685.
O9G, expended ia education $2,47I, ,343,
while in tho same time, Alabama, with
q population of 996,9S2, expended
$49O,6N. Iowa expended A,229,452,
while in the came time, Georgia, of
about the same population, expended
$223.66.
In the State of Texas, under Demo.
cratic rule, free schools have been lit
orally broken up, and the authorities
are committed to q policy opposed to
the people at the expense Of
the State. 1t is plain therefore TO any
sensible man, that we may never ex-
pect good government where the men.
tai aud moral culture is not attended
to, and moro especially where the rul-
ing party oppose such culture. The
prevention of discosd, revelation,
murder and rapine which go prevails
In many portions of our country, can
only DO assured by means of the moral
and mental culture of the whole peo.
pie. To this end we believe the gen.
eral Government should exert every
lawful endeavor possible, Ii the le-
gally reconstructed States are ever to
become such, in fact and deed, it will
only be reached through the maintain
ing and nurturing in all their hills and
valleys, cities and towns the common
school, SO that not one shall be obliged
to 60 hungry and needy for education.
Much has already been done by indi-
yidusls and by the nation, but there is
. wonderfully large field open which
must be occupied or tho great
danger ahead will ripen into terrible
reality.