, 1875-01-16

to their List of reasons for leairing "vou- |
An IGNORANT BOURBON.
The IImfs, which is printed in the inter- |
ests of iliitoracy, and finds it's constituents in
the lower and moro igltcrant classes Of So |
ciety, il naturally opposed to compulsory
education and its e1cyating influences. md
discusses the question in style compounded
about equally Of dog'nntic assertion md
| sophiatical a,sarl. Tho former il epsily en-
swcrcG. Tho Inter il not worthy OF attcn-
| ton. With regard to education in general,
The TRIBUNE assumes that tile child is not
the personal property Of tho parent. It is
not chattel that can DO bought anti cold.
Thero aro certain well .detincd relations exist
| ing between it and tho parent which cannot
! ho disrcgaslcd without violation Of moral
| law. The parent is tic natural guardian Of
tho child, an4 like leGal guardian, il bound
to care for tho child, to Eecliro it in MI ita
| rights, md to 80 administer his trust ns to
l,ron.otn its velfaro and secure for it tho
| greatest possible amount of good Educa-
ton is ono Of tho rights Of Tho child, md
ons of its mpst valuable rights, because
its future position in the community,
md its Yal1o md effectiveness for good
M n citizen, aro in proportion to its educaton
Tho child who Inns been denied tliA right, aud
grows up in ignorance, becomes n helpless
aud perhaps useless member Of tho commune
ty, and without tho means Of m adequate
sclf-support. It takes the lowest position in
tho social scale, engages in tile lowest and
hardest forms OF labor, and is n1wnys tho VIC
tim Of its bettcr-cducated ucigllbors who may
happen to bo Rharpers or ambitious people
without conscience. Tho parent, therefore,
who dopriycs his child Of education practices
wrong upon Ills ward, md commits a cri,no
not only against tho c.lill, hut ngainst tho
State, Which has furnished tho means Of edit
cation Ho las no mornl and certainly should
have no legal, right to deprive the child Of it.
The plea that lie cannot afford the expense is
bascless, because tho Stato furnishes it free.
It il tho chills inheritance, and the withhold
: ing Of it is moral and legal wrong, the CON-
J mission of which should expose Tho parent or
guardian to punishment.
J But, snys Snarleyow the Scold:
This rrepoatcrous sophtsm OF ancient days implies
That tho stato" 10 etty possessing moral faculty
nnd moral responsibility instead. tie modern ie1
to he saye body to bo damned" As n.ers po!lL
ical corporation, tho state Of coursn has Fright Of
self.rreservatfon," uy other right NasRoeyer II
Is \ mcre form, which Tho reopaa who have made it
havo right to al.er unmake, and which no power
n imaginable hns any right to preserve maintain
Y | agaiust their will.
a Tho Statc is not porishable thing. It il
v not corporation established to-day and
O dissolved tomorrow. Tile estate" has al
- F~,~ otsor
. of man, and it will endure to the end of time
= Tho absence Of the State involves the absence
II Of law, aud that implies anarchy and savag
= cry, each man defending himself agains
ss every other lnan by brute force. In thi
1t country every one is born into a govern
TO ment Of law, md remains in it until ho die
C. ont Of 1t, Ho can no moro live out OF it's at
NJ mos,hcro tl,an he can live out Of the nj
n which cuvelops lin. Every man in SOM
ut degree is compelled to take part in the re
G. sponHibilty OF making aud administering th
j. law, preserving the peace, and conserving I'll
es Impartial award of justice. Tho more ignc
pt rlnt the citizen, tho less capable he is G
r. doing this. The better educated, the NOR
III capable ho ia. The weakest Governments j
Y, tic history Of tho world havo always bee
20 those where tile most ignorance prevailed
Mt the strongest where the people were bel
ID educated. The only weakness which cha
ss actcrizes our republican system Of govern
es ment grows out Of tho enormous number
n ignorant people in this country. Tbs Tim
lis says: "As regards the wcll.being Of II
nj people WHO compose the Stato, It Is undoub
Of edly good dcal safer from being ruined
10 by the most illitegate persons IN the COUNT
n, than it is from being ruined by tho educate
ul scoundrcls who have SO long enjoyed Il
he fayor Of ths ruling political party" But no
,st could the "educated scounlrels" succet
no were 1t not that dense masses OF ignoran'
we furnishes the raw material for them to use
nr- carrying out their schemes of demagoger
III thicycry, End villainyX How could th'
ng place themselves in positions where th'
a have tho opportunity to steal aud plumb
Id but for tho fact that they hive constituen
OF ignorant tools whom they can use? Tic
es- would the Peoples Party demasogues Of Ct
by cngo, for instance, ever have obtained tht
ae, corrupt grasp upon the City and Coun
lis Governments but Tor the densely-ignora
on masses It controlled? How would the carp.
ICY basgers Of tho south have psrpetrated tn
Is schemes OF naisrule and pluuder but for t
ro- ignorant masses Of the negroes whom til
tho could use2
So How would the shareholders have mn
mt willing tools and policemen Of the " n
The gorlesa whites but for the fact Of the grt
ITO, ignorance OF tho mass Of whites who own
, Of no al&yesS And how wauld half q mi ulun