Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-08-21

Hayes and William A. Wheeler: and the
head of the state ticket was Governor
chamberlain, q man whose honesty, civic
courage, and Intellectual capacity, have
been more eXtravagantly extolled in South
Carolina than the merits of any one public
man since the days of John G.. Calhoun!
Conversion by starvation was one Of the
most potent agencies of the democratic
policy in the savage campaign in South
Carolina during the summer of the cen
tennial year. af '3 -a
TWO HOSTILE THEORIES
What has the patriot to hope from the
triumph Of the democracy? The two hos
tile theories of citizenship clinched in civ
il war. The south taught the doctrine
that allegiance was primarily due TO the
state, the north believed that allegiance
was due to the nation only. The southern
leaders still preach the old heresy to the
rising generation in their public speech
es, their histories, their colleges, their
school-bOoks. This theory will confront
every honest scheme Of national improve
ment. Temporarily abandoned when the
south only is to be benefited, it will OBJ
struct all the great measures of national
advancement which, as the country
grows, must prove too great and too dan
D,
and therefore must be undertaken by the
nation itself Democracy is the creed of
province; republicanism the religion of
nation. Democracy grovels in fetid
wards; republicanism creates imperial
commonwealth out Of desert wastes.
EDUCATION OR IGNORANCE
What has the philanthropist to hope
from the triumph OF the democracy The
most important duty of national states
manship, although the problem least de-
bated, IS the universal education Of the
people Democracy is as deadly foe to
education as the Romish Church is to
freedom. Democracy has its roots in @
norance. Where democracy rules, the
education OF the people is discouraged.
Yet no maxim is now more universally
accepted than that intelligence and vir-
tue are the foundations of our institu-
tons and the security of our liberties
The popularity of this idea before the
war compelled some recognition of edu-
cation IN the states where slavery existed
There were constitutional endorsements
OF 1t and statutory provisions for it, but
the schools for the people that were es-
tablished under them in the larger cities
were sneeringly described by Gov Ham
mond, of South Carolina, as "pauper
schools" The relicts of this sentiment
are distinctly manifested in the states of
Delaware and Kentucky, unreached by
the reconstruction measures of congress.
To-day these states provide 20 fund for
the education OF colored children, ex-
cepting what is derived from a tax on the
property or polls belonging to this class,
or certain fines or forfeitures set apart
for this purpose; and the prejudice
against them is SO great that administra-
ton Of this trust is not committed to the
officers who administer the schools for
the whites @8 '>i# ~. f...-
In Maryland and Virginia exceptional
circumstances have made these states eX-
ceptional in their attitude to the educa-
ton Of the people Generally, in the old
slave states the reconstruction constitu
tons had strong clauses enforcing uni
versal education, and corresponding laws
were passed under their early legisla-
lures. The change of the political con-
troll of these states was uniformly mark
ed by some blow at the efficiency of the
systems Of public Instruction,
either abollshing them altogether Or re-
! ducing the taxation for educational pur-
| poses, Or striking at some form of the
supervision or other element Of efficiency
in the system. In Texas, for instance,
the constitutional convention weakened
the constitutional provisions for public
| instruction, and the Legislature which fol-
| lowed passed such an act that schools
were practically abolished for two years
in the state. 1t was enacted that munic-
| qualities could assume control Of their
schools only by a "maj orityvote Of the
property taxpayers :" Of the town or city.
1t is notorious that there is wide
| spread belief in the south that education
is fatal to the usefulness Of the2negro,
and hardly less dangerous to the poor
white aI4i@ou- ~ 'I" s."
Of the 100000 illiterate voters in the
| United States, seventeen-tWentieths are
in the southern states These states elect
80 of the IA senators and 100 Of the 293
representatives in congress. Hon. Henry
w. Blair, in speaking on this topic, says:
." In Alabama 50 per cent, Of the voters are Hit
crate. Ignorance controls the election Of the leg
islature members of congress. the executive, the
Judiciary, and cOmpOseS more than half OF every
jury; but who controls ignorance? 'rhe old Slave
caste OF the south The same is true in MISSISSIPPI
| pi Georgia and Florida. In Kentucky % per
cent. is lliterate; in Maryland 22 in Delaware "a
Or one-fourth of all power is in these ignorant
masses, and they in the hands Of the political
JeSuits OF the south. 1t is deadly fact that the
! ignorance Of the southern masses welded by an
educated CASTE if they once get possession of the
| country" ~tiit.tEt sfN' .' ''" "
The safety Of the nation will one day,
and ere long, demand that universal edu,
cation shall be made compulsory. Does
any friend Of education believe that this
reform will be championed by the demo
cratic party? .'~"a[ '' ''
! Il The space allotted to this article will
not permit me to enumerate other and
equally important issues, still pending or
quickly coming, in the decision of each.
and all of which a democratic triumph
would be a national disaster.
There is the question, for example,, of
protecting freedom of speech and Of the
press, and the sanctity Of our national
shekinah-the ballot box. Free speech
is not tolerated in the southern states ex-
cepting where it is impotent to Influence
the result Of the elections. "Boss" Tweed
in his worst estate was an honest defend.
Ell Of fairness in elections as compared
with the democratic leaders Of South Car