The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1875-10-16
THE SAFETY or THE NEW ooNs7T
TUITION

There are a few leading consider
stions, which are likely to very |
greatly influence the people when
they come to make up their verdict
rs to the fate of the new Constitu-
ton.
The masses of people in Texas to-
gether with the leaders of public
opinion, have caught the new spirit
of progress, and can no longer be
held down to old exploded theories
such as a restricted suffrage, oppo-
sition to free schools, poll tax, and
the like. The Convention wisely
we think, when we look to the final
adoption of the Constitution, de-
feated the poll tax move. In coun-
try such as ours, and where the prin-
ciples of Repnblicanism are as deep
ly planted as the foundations of our
social structure themselves, the
mere idea of excluding from the
ballot box, the humblest citizen for
any cause, which he can not con-
troll, is an abhorent one, and jars
and CRATES upon the American mind
without any pleasurable sensations.
The average intelligence of the
State demands, and will have n per-
feet system of public and free edu-
cation; and any Constitution which
fails to provide for this great want,
will be in great danger of defeat at
the hands of the people.
A power greater than that of the
State of Texas, made all men equal
before the law. We could not, if
we would reverse the matter. This
same power made citizens, of an alb
ject and ignorant race. Now, we
cannot hope, nor do we desire to
clutch from his hand the ballot, the
dearly priced badge of his new
born manhood. Then,the only log
ical solution of the difficulty raised
by the question of his ignorance lies
surely in the problem of public and
free education; the means for this,
must be supplied by the State in
pure self defense. The difference
between ignorance aud intelligence,
vice and virtue, rs governing forces,
warrants the expenditure of the
public money, in an effort to raise
the standard of virtue and intelli-
gence in the active voting citizen.
As an economic move it cannot be
! successfully assailed.
!. Any Constitution which propos
es to place money valuation upoi
!, the voting privilege,is wrong in the
: ory and will fail most fearfully il
. practice, because it is a step in thu
!, direction of that almost universal
!, corruption, which has well-nigl
= rung the death chime, of Republi
}, canism in this fair land of ours. TIL
II people are alarmed at the advance
q made by centralism and none
J. power, towards depriying the poo
l. not of the negro race alone, but {
II the white, of their privileges an
N manhood, and look with an evil ey
N upon every move in the direction 9
a distinction in favor of him VIII
/, has a dollar, and against him VIII
=, has il not.
n With these three great fund;
o mental questions settled in the me-
n. Constitution, the safety of that il
- stru ment need not be doubte
10 There are other great interests to |
m settled, but they are purely matte
to of expectancy and policy, and Z
=. not like these, touch the very Sc
70 of republican life.
. We still have confidence that ol
70 delegates will not only give us
II Constitution that we will ado
IA merely, but one we will he pror
"A of.