The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-12-10
Cor. MCIuRE ON GRAMS MESSAGE.

Commenting on this labored documen',
the Philadelphia Times among other things
says: after our relatious with Spain there
are but two questions of vital interest pres
sented in the message, beyond the usual
routine records aud suggestions. Ihe
ofusky son of the forest who, in deciding
how he would receive his government an
nuitv said, first some whisky, next lit
tie more whisky, and finally the rest of the
account in whisky, well typified the Presi>
dents devotion to the school question.
And like the Yankee fiddler, who always
ended every tune with Yankee Doodle,
he weaves the seetarian or edncationai is
sue in as the blossom that is TO bear the
richest fruit, whether from thistles or fig
trees Education is the first want of n free
people-a platituGe that nobody will dis
pute-and then he wanders into the laby-
rinths of imaginary sectarian conflicts nm
til he invokes the fundamental law to help
him out. Aud from general Commenda-
tio. of education he founders on TO the
churches, and demands that they shall
pay on their billion of properly as do 9TH
er people. Again he bobs the schools
against JEWELS Post Office Depart ment,
and christens them willing hand maids of
progress, and finally he flourishes his eli
max by demanding compulsory education,
and disfranchisement, after 1890, of all
who cannot read and write, excepting those
who we're unable to do so at the time of the
enactment of The new organic law. The
seheol and sectarian issues are evidently
the political bees that buzz in the Presi-
DENTAL Bonnet, and he strikes out wildly
in his i'll considered assaults upon imagi-
nary foes Of free Institutions" That this
is not an unjust estimate of the Presi-
dents views and purposes i'm this regard
will be readily inferred from the language
of the message itself on the subject of ed
ucation, which we quote IN full:
THE IMPORTANCE OF EpCcATIOS.
AS we are now about to enter upop our
second Centennial, commencing our man.
hood as n nation, it is well to look back upon
the past and study what will be best to pre-
serve ard advance our future greatness.
From the fall of Adam for his transgressioa
to the present day, no nation has ever been
free from threatened danger to its prosperity
and happiness. We should look 10 the dan
gers threatening us and remedy them so far
as lies in our power. We are Republic,
whereof one is as good rs another before the
law. Uuder such form of government it is
of the greatest Importance that all should be
possessed of education and intelligence
enough to cast u vote with a right under
Standing of its meaning a large association
of ignorant men cannot, for any considerable
period, oppose successful resistance to ty-
ranny and oppression from the educated few,
but will inevitably sink into acuuiescence to
the will of intelligence, whet her directed by
the demagogue or by prlestcraft. Hence the
education of the masses becomes of the first
necessity for the preservation of our institu-
tions. They are worth preserving, because
they have secured the greatest good to the
greatest proportion of the population of any
form of government yet devised. All other
forms of government approach it Just in pro-
portion to the general diffusion of education
and of tho oug lit and action. AS
the primary step, therefore, to cur advance
ment in all that has marked our progress in
the past century, / suggest for your consid-
Grafton, and most earnestly recommend it,
that a constitutional amendment be submit
ted to the legislatures of the several States
for ratification, makinn il the duty of each OF
the several States TO establish and forever
maintain free public schools adequate to the
education of all the children in the rUtiiment
airy branches within their respective limits
irrespective of sex, color, birth place or re
ligion, forbidding the teaching in said school:
of religious atheistic or pagan tenets, and
prohibiting the granting of any school fund:
! or school taxes, or any part thereof, either 10y
/ Legislative, municipal or other authority, for
/ the benefit or in aid, directly or indirectly
/ of any religious sect or denomination. or il
/ aid or for the benefit of any other object o
| any nature OF kind whatever.