Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-07-01
Democracy and Free schools.

Tue increase of popular education
is followed by q. decrease in Demo.
cratic strength. The free school sys-
tom has many friends among Demo-
Gratis, but it has been forced to face
strong anti-free school faction in the
Democratic party for years past.
This faction has grown in strength
and influence, and to-day exerts
controlling power in the councils of
the party. This is becoming painful
" evident in New York, Ohio, and
Missouri. in the State Constitution
al Convention of Missouri, the follow
ing petition was read
WHEREAS, After ten years trial of the
present Public School system, we believe that
it is failure in its original purpose ''to edu>
cate the Masses" that it is the great source Of
unjust and oppressive taxation; that it is con.
ducive to discord, sdissention and ill-feeling
| among neighbors; that it induces idleness and
vagrancy amongst parents; that it robs parents
OF the privilege of educating their own child
rem that it embodies the worst features of
Capitalization; that it is founded on extortion,
| absolute wrong, and the positive violation OF
private rights; that majority of the citizens,
| and a large majority of the tax-paying citizens,
were dsfranchised at the time of the adoption
of the Constitution which foisted the system
upon US.
Therefore, we, the undersigned taxpayers of
Miami township, in the county Of Saline, and
state of Missouri, do hereby most earnestly
request and respectfully urge upon you that in
framing the new Constitution you use every
honorable means so reduce our present exor
bitant and burdensome taxes, and especially
| for the support of public schools; and further
| that you. provide school fund which shall be
| ample to educate in the elementary branches
every actually poor child in the state guarding
| said fund strictly against the abuses of ALL and
the use of any save the actual poor.
The petition was signed by lat
citizens of Saline county. This ooun-
ty is strongly Democratic, tho cleo
ton retCrne showing it to contain
nearly three times as many Demo-
Gratis as Republicans. We have no
means of knowing the political status
OF the petitioners, but we are safe in
assuming that no Republicans are
| found among the number. The Re-
publican party is pledged to the sup
port of free schools, and wherever it
has the control its influence is ex.
tended TO increase and sustain Thorn.
We are not willing to believe that a
majority of Democrats in Missouri
are anxious to have the school sys-
tenn of that State abolished by a
Constitutional amendment, but we
| cannot blind ourselves to the fact
that q powerful element is at work
within the Democratic party to &C
complish that end. 1t behooves true
citizens everywhere to be on the
guard against these enemies of our
free school system.
The future welfare and prosperity
of the Republic depend upon the in
telligence of its citizens. TO enlarge
the facilities for popular education is
to add TO our security as nation.
| Ignorance is the only formidable
enemy we have to guard against. II
it can be kept in subsection by free
schools, the support OF these schools,
becomes an imperative duty. We
may be safe without standing armk;
our forts may be dismantled. and our
navy allowed to rust in idleness,
without bringing disaster to the ma
tion, but the destruction of our free
school system would be calamity
beyond the power of language to
portray.