, 1876-10-07


tion ot leNming-such u school--irce
from sccturiun control under wise man.
agcmcnt, without any charges for tu-
itiOn or room rent could afford to give
sufficient employment upon the farm or
in its work shops, to enable students
who were in INDECENT circumstances to
earn enough to'pOy their board and
incidental expenses.
Who, has not felt that in the old sys-
ten of American education, the practi-
cal part has been too much neglected
The wants Of the farmer and mechanics
sons have been almost entirely disre-
garded With how much more has this
disregard been manifest in the case of
their daughters. But here, in these Az
ricultural Schools IN opportunity is nj
tordcd for every son and daughter, re-
gardless of pecunary circumstances to
obtain thorough practical education.
Permit me to say, gentlemen, that it
IS our imperative duty, when the sub
!jcct is before us this fall, to vote for
Convention TO form State Constitution.
Why shall We not in this new Centcn.
nal year, bring Washington Territory
into the Union rs State, and immedi-
ately inauguratc that system of thorough
practical education, that will render the
agricultural and mechanical pursuits so
attractive, that men will enter these
callings, not as heretofore, to use them
ms mere stepping stones to something
higher, but becouse d, these, with the aid
of science, man can attain his highest
physical, mental and moral Development
With all the natural advantages of
Washington Territory, so ably, and
truthfully set forth by my predecessors,
and with such system of education as
here represented, aided by our common
schools, who cannot see that in the near
future, this will be one of the most i'm
portant agricultural and commercial
States in the Union!
In conclusion allow me to present
other reasons why we should seek to be
admitted as State. well understand
that the principal objection to tins meas
ure is founded on supposed increase OF
taxes.
There are thousands of acres of School
lands, which If we were u STATE could be
disposed OF, and the money placed at
interest which would not only yield us
fund sufficiently large to relieve us en-.
tircly OF the general school tax, but the
money thus invested would become tax
able property in our industrial enter
prises us well as the lands purchased.
The same is true of the many thousand
acres of swamp and overflow lands with.
in the limits Of this Territory, as soon as
we are admitted into the Union of States
and the proper Steps taken, these lands
would become the property of the new
State and their sale would leave the pur
chase money to be invested in other en-
terprises here, while at present these
lands are being disposed of by the Gen.
Government aid the purchase money
| srnt Out Of the pnuntrv
BY an estimate which I In We made,
gathered from such sources as are at
hand, find tha: we receive biennially
from the Gen. Government, for the pur-
pose of defrayiug the expenses of our
Territorial Government the sum of $27,-
240. This is in excess of what we would
receive if we were State
Our two Senators, would, in two years
receive from the Gen. Government
$4,000. five had q representation in
Congress entitled to votes, we could
secure appropriations for internal i'm
provments, open up our rivers to COM
merce, and our lands to cultivation,
which under the present management is
utterly impossible.
Then gentlemen il you are relieved
from the payment of four mills on the
dollar general school tax, with our
rivers cleared from distractions, and
the large amount of property that would
become taxable which is now unproduc-
tive, it is clear that the item of taxes
would be reduced within two years in
stead of increased. In this far off land
where the sun sets let us at the Polls,
this fall, lay the foundation of new
State, in such principles of wisdom, that
even in the morning of her existence the
light of her educational institutions
will intuse new life and new interest, in
Hn- l. II.