, 1877-02-09

citc amy additional opposition to tho public
schools among those who now send thoir
children to rrarnlo schools, for they may
continue to do no without my interference
on tho pnrt of tho Stato authoriticH. Thero
n only one class loft, which consists Of those
who now refuse to acnd their children to
either public or privato schools. or course,
they will 10 opposed to tic Law. becauao 1t
will compel them 10 do what they neglect to
do Of their own FREQ will. This is truo Of oil
persons who aro inclined to evAt1e any law.
Tho real question, then, In whether inv
compelling parents to send children 10
school and provide tlom With reasonable
amount Of preliminary instruction in unjust.
In this regard, thero nre two points worthy
Of especial consideration:
l. We hive now laws which punish par
enss and guardians for squnnttering or mis-
appropriating M inheritance Of property
their children may have. II n minor child
has 900 left to It In trust Of guardian,
which 1t IN to receive at majority, md Tint
guardian appropriates the sum for his own
use, NO call It species OF robbery. No ono
complains that itia unjust TO forbid by Inv
such misapproprintion or to punish the per-
son guilty thereof. Now. in civilized couu-
Try and m enlightened age, a child has q
natural right to tic inheritance Of TINT COM
mon information which the State Inns matlo
FREQ to oil, md without which the child
grown to maturity cannot fairly combat in
the struggles Of life or protect himself and
bis own family on equal ground. Deprived
In youth, whom lie is helpless, Of this es-
scntia1 implement ininlustry and indispensa.
bio weapon Of protection, ho becomes rs
man inferior to his fellows, and occupies
much tho sa1ne pitiful situation ~ 4
person whose limbs havo boon distorted
in order to III him for professional
nentlicaucy or show. 11o Is nt bost a COM
mon 1aborer, mn ,1nski1lcd workman, a hewer
Of wood and carrior Of water, and can
barely earn Subsistence, without comfort
to himself, without tho means OF contribut-
ing to tic happiness Of others, without the
preparation for tho most simple dutios OF
citizenship. Suc1 man Inns tie right to
call to fearful reckoning tho unnatural
parent or guardian who deprived him Of the
advantages tho State offered him, but Of
which ho was rowerless to avnil hin,sof
under the opposition Of those upon whom
io was dependent. Ills eatningg, perhaps,
amount to $3.50 year, whom le might havo
| earned double rs much with tho basis of
Knowledge that should hove been impaired
to him in his carly years. II 10 las life Of
10 years, then 10 can Justly charge upon
tho parent who kept him out Of hts fnhorit-
anco robbery Of at lcast $4,000. for
| Ills power Of production would have beon
| increased by that amount at foast. Perhaps,
had he started with tho preliminary informa-
tion tint few 1nonths' schooling would
| hnvc givon him, Ills own tastae would havo
inclined him to increase, develop, and hoard
his knowledge in such u way that 1t would
liavo cnnbled him to earn ST. 900 year in-
stoad Of 52do Then ho bus boon robbed Of
C. capital Of 500, 900 while llo was In help
loss condition and unable to protect himself.
Shall wo say TINT It is unjust to provide by
law for protecting holplcss persons against
snoh robbery o. this? Shall wo say that tho
law shall not bo passed because 1t will excite
tho opposition Of those inclined to abuse
mud opprcss tho helpless? Shall We say 1t
Ii unfair TO compel parents and guardians to
provide their Children with what the State
oilers FREQ to ali, whom it Ia necessary to
their future comfort, happiness, aelf-respoct,
| mud usefulness to tho Stato2
| 2. This phase Of tho question only needs
| one other suggestion. Ii II any moro unfair
to compel parents to givo their children tho
benefit Of tho instruction tho Slate provides
than 1t is to compel all citizonB, whether
they aro parents or not, to pay taxes for the
support OF tho schools provided? We do
not think, at this Into day, that any intelli-
gent person can be found to advocate the
abolition OF tho frce-school system aud It's
support by general taxation. Yet 1t would
bo more reasonable In ohildlesa taxpayers to
complain Of burlon which docs not benefit
them directly thnu for parents TO complain OF
Injustice in exaoting by law that their chill.
ron shall enjoy tho benefits thus provided
for thou. Theso childless Taxpayers aro On.
titlod to such rocomponso ~ should accrue
to them from tho support Of free schools,
Ilnving no children Of their own tc
share tho instruction, they must looh
for their roturn to tho general improvement
Of society, to tho moro intelligent exercise o'
citizenship, to tho increased productive
power Of the country, 10 tho abatement oi
crime and vice, aud to such other genera
benefits "a onsuo from tho spread Of infor
1uatiou. Iayo not these people right t.
demand that the money thoy pay out To-
schooling other peoples children shall be re
qaircd by tho State 10 perform tho scrvic
/ for which, this money Is e1actod from them
i Have t1iey uot tho right to complain II th
ignorant and doprayel classes Of our larg
cittes arc permitted to iucrease In spite o