The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-07-13

done by,' tie ST schools IN their peculiar
line only increases the hatred Of the
enemy, and, incased in an armor Of big
otry and prejudice, be is proof against
appeal and impervious to reasoning.
One argument against public .educa-
ton is that the State has no light to do
what the parent should do; and: that,
if the State educates, it should, to be
logical and consistent, feed, clothe, cat
echise and create the child. This
style Of argument, so fond of the garb
logic, is apt to be exceedingly nonsense
cal in it's final Deductions. Because
the State does one thing it does not fol-
low THAT, to be consistent, it must do
everything. Because man swallows a
mouthful of salt water he is not bound
to drink up the sea. Because man
bores into the earth for ore, is he by
consistency compelled to work through
to China? Truly consistency is the
bug bear Of little minds.
The State is an artificial person, and,
like all such, it has it's powers, obliga-
tions, privileges and ]imitations-lines
well defined in all clear, honest minds.
Surely in view of the close relationship
Of ignorance and crime; in view Of the
utter un6tness Of many parents to pro-
vide for the education of their children;
in view Of the fact that the central prin
ciple Of government is association for
protection, improvement and preserva-
ton; in view of the multitudes Of chill
dren on our streets for whose education
no parental or religious provision is
made; in view of the fact that with all
male adults citizenship means suffrage
and suffrage means rule? in view Of the
fact that nothing is so conclusive TO in
telGgence as education, and nothing so
conducive to honesty and morality as
inteligence-in view Of all this might it
not seem to be the province and priv
lege Of the State to educate the children
within its borders
If our enemies cannot see the force
Of this argument let them 60 west, and
on the vast prairie notice how commu-
nifty of "buffalo bulls :" will form cir
Gle outside their huddled herd of young,
when a formidable enemy appears.
Let our theorists take a lesson from
these brute beasts which nature herself
inspires to protect offspring with de-
fant "front to the foe,' even though
they be but children Of the common
herd"
The parties fondest of abusing the
public schools are in the habit of saying
that they should not be taxed to sup
port schools to which they cannot con-
scientiously send their children. 1t
should be borne in mind, however, that
these very men are bound by VOW to
keep out of that state in which children
are legitimately possible, and that they
are among the few favored parties who
can hold untaxed property When
they assume the prerogative Of making
it matter Of conscience on the part of
bona tide fathers to keep their children
away from the public schools, compel :
ling them to choose between smatter-
ing Of doctrine-seasoned information
and illiteracy-then they set up claim
that no considerable part Of any reli-
gious denomination is yet prepared to
allow, in this country, at least.
When laymen speak Of their con-
scientious scruples against sending chill
dren to a school supported by the
State, they may be set down as theor-
lists or their motives are so intensely
personal that argument with them
would be futile. Why do such people
conscientiously drink the water which
association and corporate authority
send through the water-pipes of their
cities Why walk without scruple on
the streets which public policy lays out
and taxes them for, conscience or NO
conscience? Why use the results OF
the surveys which government only
could make in a satisfactory and author
itative manner? A system of public
education is as reasonable and necessa.
~ as a system Of sewerage in large
| cities, and it must be watched as vigil.