The Russellville Democrat., 1876-03-02

GENTLEMEN: The interest of popular instruction in Arkansas is behind the same interest in the majority of her sister states. This interest IS one of vital importance to the wealth of our state. Ar kansas is country of great re- sources. Her soil is fertile; her minerals are abundant; her navi gable streams are numerous; her abundant water power easily ap- piled. But it takes intilligence to develop these resources. 1g- noranee will never do it.
 The unlettered savage walked over our mountains for hundreds of years without ever having un- earthed the bullion they contain ed. He traversed soil fertile as that of Paradise, and did not gath CT from its gamers a support for himself, his squaw and pappoose. He looked up through the branch es of trees as magnificent as were cut down on the sides of Lebanon, and utilized no more of the tim Der than was required for his bow and arrow.
 Shroud the Arkansian of 1876 in ignorance and he will do the same. The difference between you and the Indians that have retired westward with the buffalo is the knowledge you possess. Knowledge! It is the golden key that unlocks the treasure house of nature. It is the devel oping vitalizing, enriching power of the world. The education of the people and the wealth of the people! The Siamcse twins were not more indisolubly united. The ignorance of the people and the impoverishment of the people! Here is a union equally invaria- ble.
 "Wh!le Egypt was the school teacher of the world, Egypt was the granary of the world" But Egypt sunk in ignorance with the same mighty Nile fructifying her soil, the same grand monu ments telling of her former glory, sits clothed in rags and feeds upon the earnings of beggary.
 Every idea you put into little Tomny's head helps to cut down forests, build cities, dam rivers, publish newspapers, cultivate farms, drive s.eamboats, set up manufactures, disembowel mines, lay down railroad iron, decorate homes, and transform Arkansas into an Eden. In proportion as the people are informed they are industrious; in proportion as the people are ignorant they are lazy. The people when uneducated are content to sit down in a hut and sleep in the dirt. The people when educated build tasteful cot tages and recline on snowy linen. The people when uneducated leave their hair uncombed, their dress Tn disorder, their yards un- adorned. The people when edu- cated comb their hair, adjust their apparel and beautlfy their yards.
 Which of the two pictures do you prefer? Can you hesitate to a choice between darkness and light, beauty and deformity, hap piness and misery, wealth and poverty?
 But it will cost effort to effect the education of the masses. There must be no dead men in school offices; there must be no dead teachers in school rooms.
 Every officer must discharge hls duty; every teacher must teach; every student must study. Let's have no time serving, but give us the honest, earnest, conscientious employment of your abilities. Will you do this? THEN SUCCESS IS OURS.
 The undersigned, in assuming the duties of his office, adopted for his motto, "Arkansas can, Ar kansas must, Arkansas shall have q system of public instruction in successful operation" He in- tends to act squarely upon that motto. He throws down the gauntlet er defiance and crusades to the death against all opposi-
 tion to pupular instruction. He