The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1875-12-14
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
! We furnish the imrortan, points OF
the. Presidents Message transmitted to
Congress the 9th inst The portion of
most commandiac interes, relste to ed
ucation, the protection of the common
school system, the taxation VI church
property, the Spanish and Cuban qaes-
tons, and the currency.
IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION,
| As We are now sbout to enter upon
the second centennial, commencing our
| manhood as O na'ion. it is well to look
back upnn The past and study what will
be best to preserve and advance our fu-
ture greatness From the fall of Adam
for his transgressions to the present day,
no nation has ever been free from
threatened dangers to Its prosperity am,
happiness. We should look to the dan
gers that threaten us and remedy them
90 far as lies in our power We are a
Republic whereof one man is as good
a. another before tue law Under such
a form OF Government it is of Tue
erestest Importance that all should be
po isessed of education and intelligence
enough to cast vote with a right un
Outstanding OF its meaning. A large
/ association OF ignorant men canrot 70,
any considerable period oppose n sue
! cessful resistance to tyranny, as oppres
sion from the educated few will inevita
bly, sink to acQH;escence to the will o.
/ intelligence, whether directed bv The
ienagogue or by priestcraft. Hence
The education of the mass becomes o
Ithe first necessity for the preservation
OF our institutions They sre worth
iprcserving because they have secured
1.-The greatest good to the greatest pro
portion Of population Of any form O
government yet devised All olhe
forms Of government approach it jus
in propori ion to the general diffusion o
education and independence Of though
and action
| As the primary step, therefore to oul
advancement in all that has marked ou
progress in the past century / sugges
for your earnest consideration, and mos
earnestly recommend il, that cons,itu
tional amendment be submitted to til,
Legislatures Of the several States to es
Ilsblish and forever maintain free public
schools adequate to the education o
children In the rudimentary branches
within their limits, irrespective of sex
color, birthplace or religion, forbidiins
the teaching in said schools of relig
ions, stheis.ic or pagan. aud prohibiting
the granting Of any part thereof, either
by legislative, municipal or other act
for the benefit Of any other object O.
any nature or kind whatever.
TAXATION OF CHURCH PROPERTY.
In connection with this importan
question l would also call your atten
ton to the importance of correcting ar
evil that, ii permitted to continue, vii
probably lead to great trouble in ou
land before the close Of the nineteenth
century. 1t is the accumulation of vas
amounts of untaxed church property -
In 1850, believe, the church, property
of the United States which paid no tax
municipal or State, amounted TO $4,000
O00 dollars In 1860 the amount hac
doubled. In 1875 1t is about | 600, 900
900 dollars b. 1900, without check, il
is safe to say this property will reach s
sum exceeding 5000 600 900 dollars :
So vast SUN, receiving all the protec
ton and benefits OF the Government
without bearing it's proportion of the
4 burdens and expenses Of the same, viii
not be looked upon acquiescently by
those who have paid taxes In grow
ing country where real estate enhances
so rapidly with times as in the United
Estates, there is scarcely limit to the
wealth that may be acquired by corpo
rations, religious or otherwise If al
lowed to retain real estate without tax
alton Or contemplation of B. vast 8
property IS here alluded to without tax
alton may lead to sequestration without
4 constitutional authority, and through
blood / would suggest the taxation Of
all property equally, whether church Oh
corporation, exempting only the last
resting places of the dead and possibly
with proper restrictions, church edi6ces
| THE CIVIL WAR IN CUBA.
The past year has furnished no evi
dence of an approaching erd of the ru
inous conflicts which have been raging
for seven years in the neighboring is
land of Cuba The same disregard o
the laws of civilized warfare, and of the
just demands of humanity which have
heretofore called forth expressions o.
condemnation from the nations of christ
endom, have continued to blacken the
sad scene Desolstion, ruin and pillagt
are pervailing the rich fields Of one o.
the most fertile and productive regions
of the earth, and the incendiary's torch
firing plantations and valuable factories
and buildings, is the agent marking the
alternate advance or retreat of the con
tenling parties The protracted contin
iuance of strife seriously affects the in
terests OF all commercial nations, bu
those of the United States more thar
others by reason Of close proximity, its
larger trade and Intercourse. with Cuba
and the frequent and intimate persona
and social relations which nave grown
up between its citizens and those OF tht
islands. Moreover, the property of oul
Icitisens in Cuba is large, and is insecure
and deprecated in value and in capacity
Of production, by the continuation o
the strife and the unnatural mode Of itt
conduct. nsea
| That the insurrection in Cuba hal
shown strength and endurance whict
make it at least doubtful whether it b.
in the power Of Spain to subdue it seems
unquestionable, and that no such civi
organization exists which may be rec
ogaized as an Independent Government
capable of performing its obJigation'
and entitled to be treated as one of th,
powers of the earth Recognition. un
der such circumstances, would be incon
sistent with facts, and would compel th'
power giving it soon to support b.
force the Government to which it ha(
really given its only real claim of exis