New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-03-28

will not flock to States that do not provide
for the education Of children. They prefe
the treeless plains and bleak winters o
Nebraska with her free common schools t,
the tropical abundance Of Louisiana Will
ner " ioo ragged, idle, and illiterate youth
Inc !aborer in this country, as mer.
producing machine, is found by actual ex
ANIMATION IN the great centres Of industry
OF al KINDS. to be worth fifty per cent more
with common school education than i
| illiterate.
The common school. then, established
throughout the cotton States as mere in
dustriai producing machine, would BE-
equivalent to an addition of l.000.000 to her
| population; and, besides would bring in its
train other millions Of intelligent. industri
GUS and hardy immigrants. In 1850 one OF
the largest landholders in the South, after
having tried in vain for years to induce i'm
migration from Germany and Switzerland,
| otfered half his land 10 tie State if they
would abolish slavery and establish tree
schools. He gave as & reason that then he
| could people the Other half with intelligent
settlers. and it would bring him more money
than otherwise he could get for the whole.
The land in STATE filed with cultivated
citizeos 10 IN demand az high price; while
IN an Ihterate community it can hardly be
sold for the amount OF taxes.
PaCperlsm and crime are two chief causes
OF taxation. The illiterate persons through
out the United States commit, or the ave-
rage, ten times their numerical proportion
OF crime; and in New England ffty.three
times their proportion.
In the State of New York single Hitter
ate pauper girl has, in seveuty-dve years,
been proved TO have become the ancestor
OF two hundred criminals and paupers In
the three States OF Pennsylvania, Ohio and
Illinois, the illiterates furnish thirty times
their proportionate share OF the paupers,
ana ten times their proportionate share of
criminals. 1t is possible, by education. to
reduce crime IN this country ninety pc,
cent, and pauperism ninety-six per cent.
What load OF taxation this would take OFT
from property, and how popular, when
rightly understood, will i be with property
owners.
In the Grand Duchy Of Baden, with
population OF ,o0O, 00O 10y universal educa-
ton they reduced the number of crimes
ftty-one per cent, and lie humber of pau.
pers twenty-five per cent IL a period of only
seven years.
At this day. in Christian country. it is a
CRIME against the citizens for the State 30
fail to provide for them The means Of eie-
mentary education; and Providence pun.
lshes the State for this crime.
When the State in this respect has per.
formed its duty, then ignorance in the
citizen becomes crime against society and
the State, and should he punished as such.
This doctrine is recognized and acted
upon IN the most enlightened countries of
the world, under al forms Of government;
but it is especially true and sound in dem
ocratic republic like ours.
A well educated commonwealth, however
narrow its borders or poor lis soil, becomes
industrious, rich and powerful;
While an ignorant one, under the happiest |
circumstances of land ard sky, falls a prey
to anarchy. idleness, poverty and des-
potism.
These facts, and volumes OF Others of like |
character. if brought to the knowledge of |
the intelligent voters and Of the property |
owners OF the cotton States, will in the end |
make them earnest advocates of laws to |
secure to every child within their borders |
the benefits OF an elementary education.
In addition, then, to the patriotic and |
humane missionary work of creating pub
&c sentiment in the cotton States for a |
system OF free common schools, we should |
push forward an amendment to the national
constitution already proposed by Senator
Stewart, of Nevada.
1t is as follows: III any State shall fail to
naiutain common school SYSTEM, under
y hlch all persons between the ages Of five
md eighteen years, not incapacitated for
he same, shall receive tree of charge such
education AS Congress NAV
prescribe, the Congress shall have power to
establish therein such a system. and cause
he same to De maintained at the expense
# such State
The great work before Us, then, az Amer.
can citizens, and one that was carefully
'ointed oG. and well begun by the founders
4 our tree government, may be stated in
ew words:
First-To create and develop an enlight- |
ned and patriotic public sentiment in the !
outhern States, thai Will cause them TO
staSllsh and support by law the free COM
ION school within reach OF the children OF
very family, and 10 require by law. every
hiic OF sound mind coming to adult age TO |
btaln an elementary education sufficient to |
t him for the duties o! citizenship in a a!
'emocratic republic.
Second-to amend the national constitu-
On SO as to empower the federal govern.
ent, IL case State fails 10 perform this |
uty, to see that it is done in each State.
This can easily be accomplished in g. few
ears, and every true son Of the fathers OF :
will gladly lend hand to SO beneticent
work. 1t this is brought about our gov .
nnent. founded upon human rights and 6
% equality OF all men before the law, will !
en- endure longer than has the Chinese | r
aplre; and the North American continent !
III, II the course OF centuries, sustain hun | r
eds OF millions OF people, peaceable, pros
rous, happy, coutented. free; ard all Y
ing unde, one Tag, ard speaking one O
1guage." :
Well do remelno Der. NJ. Editor, the bit s
: hostility Of tie Democratic press when b
6 compulsory education dill was before
3 Senate OF tits State, and that tie RE. !
BLIcAS was the Only paper here that de-
lded il. 1t viii be rememb ered that it "
ssed in the Senate by vote of IS to 10, o
did not reach the II ouse. d
Ire we to expect continued hostility from -
Democrats regarding public schools il
erything looks mat way, both N this a
l other Southern States. The old hos. t;
ty to the education OF the negro still "
1gs to tie average Southerner. But il | Il
be useless in the end. They may cause, ii
lporary delay. but never can they stop u
resistless tide Of progress. The United d
ties takes mp the cry Of the distinguished O,
eral.in the last Parliament, "You demand &c
7ersal suffrage; / demand universal ~
lcation to go with L. ?. al
lew Orleans, March &c. 1879. to
ce
4 Ens;s,, TrcCa6v VI