National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-04-22
EDUCATION IN THE SOUTH.

II IS deemed unfortunate Dy most people
of culture that the politicians Of the South
look upon the education of the masses as
matter of minor or secondary importance.
That such should be the case, when it is
known and admitted that all which that
section requires is the proper application
of intelligent labor to transform it into one
# the most wealthy portions of the globe,
i is clear that the lands of the South will
oily become valuable in proportion to their
Cuivation. 1t is also well known to all
INTELLIGENT men that those crops which are
INDIGENOUS to the soil and climate require
hiher degree Of intelligence to insure
their successful culture and harvest than
do thse common to cooler and more in
hoSpitble regions. Cotton, rice, tobacco,
and STAR are proverbially tender and
susceptible to frosts, blights and para
sitical inuences. To nurture them skill
fully an carefully, to protect them
from all he ravages to which they are
exposed, demands the industry and
watchfulnes of those capable of full ap-
probation the importance of such at
tention to tn success of the crop. Our
weather repolS are now tolerably reliable
in their PREDICTIONS of changes in the
weather from wenty-four to forty. eight
hours in advance But of what advantage
are improved faQities or means of in
formation to peope who will not prepare
themselves ~ the acquisition of the conf
monest -Idlments of education to utilize
ines, %RiaaqlGi66S6 2owncrs desire to enhance
--,eT Value of their plantations. They once
dreamed that the construction of numerous
railways through them would accomplish
this, but they now find that these railways
will neither pay expenses nor increase the
value of adjacent lands unless those lands
are titled to such point of production as
to furnish traffic for the roads. Since the
war they have been praying for foreign
immigration-for white labor-but they
have done so without favorable success for
the reason that the people of Europe are
mostly unacquainted with the cultivation
of their crops, unused to their climate, and
unfamiliar with their language. When to
these drawbacks are added the absence of
public schools at which the children of the
foreign immigrant might acquire the Ian
guage, and the presence of colored labor
ing population, recently emancipated from
serfdom, which is alone deemed ennobled
and honored by engaging in manual labor,
1t should not be considered strange that
emigrants do not respond to the invitations
of the lords of the soil. They do not wish
to come here 10 enrich the lands of those
who declare that no gentleman works.
They will not place themselves in the
power of a set of men whose whole lives
are an assertion that they consider manual
labor degrading to the white mon. They
know that from the moment they consent
TO labor upon the lands of such men they
themselves into their power.
They know that they will not even have
the right TO vote the defense of the ballot
for period of years.
Southern men know these facts. They
cannot help knowing them if they would,
and, knowing them, it appears strange that
they should not endeavor to remove the
difficulties by which they find themselves
They should foster, cherish
md educate their native labor by every
valuable means. Their every effort should |
Je to elevate it and keep it fully employed |
md stimulated by fair remuneration.
They should stimulate its ambition to excel |
BY rewarding superior intelligence and in |
lustry. This is the only way in which |
hey can make their lands productive.
This is the only way in which their rail-
ways can be made to pay and their prop
erty to increase in value.
We regret to see that the legislation of |
he South does not tend in this direction.
There seems to be an antipathy to the ele-
7ation of the laboring classes by providing
or their education. And there also ap-
,ears to be determination on the part of
he authorities to educate all those who are
uttered to learn, to believe in the same
rrors and dogmas of State rights which it
vas agreed ten years ago had been defn
tely settled by the war. In attestation of
his assertion we quote a passage from
new textbook for Southern schools,
rom the press of Lippincott & Co.,
1t is history by Georgia
professor:
''What occurred on the 18th of October,
s59?"
''The celebrated John Brown raid"
"Give an account of this p
"John Brown, a notorious Kansas ruifian,
rged on by abolition agitators and furnished
y them with money, raised arms and men
nd seized the United States arsenal at Har-
er's Ferry, in Virginia"
"What became Of himp
ellis forces were scattered by the United
tates marines, led by Col. Robert Z. Lee, and |
e himself was captured, tried under the laws