Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-08-14

u the universal education Of the peeple.
democracy 10 - deadly foe to education
- the homish Church 10 to I, . .dem. Den.
ooracy has Its roots in ignorance. Whore
democracy rules, The education Of the PEG.
PIE 10 discouraged. Yet no maxim 10 now
more universally accepted than that intelli.
Ssnce ana virtue are the foundations Of
cur institutions and the security or our
liberties. The popularity Of this idea be-
lose the war compelled some recognition Of
EDUCATION IN the States whore slavery ex-
lsted. There we're constitutional enforce.
menis OF Il and statutory provisions for IL:
oot the schools for the people that were @.
eaelished under them In the larger citiee
we're sneeringly described By Govsrner
Hammond, Of South Carolina, . ..psuper
schools" Tho reliots Of this sentiment are
distinctly unaffected in The States Of Dels-
ware and Kentucky. unresched BY the r..
construction measures Of Congress, To-day
these States provide no fund for the eds.
catisn Of oolored children, excepting What
10 derived from . tax on the property Or
polls belonging to this class, or certain
nnes OF forfeitures set apart for The purs
pose; and the prejudice agsinst them 10 %
great that administration Of this trust d
not committed to the officers Who adminie.
ter the schools for the whites.
In Maryland and Virginia exoeplional
cireom stances have made those States sx-
ceptional IN their attitude 10 the edueatiea
Of the people. Generally, in the old slave
states the reconstruction oonstitutiens had
strong clauses enforcing universal eduoe.
tion, ana corresponding laws were Posed
under their early Legislatures. The change
OF tas political control Of thsss States voe
uniformly marked By some blow O. Tho Of.
nciency OF the eystems Of public in6true-
ton, either abolishing them altogether or
reducing the taxation for educational pur.
poses, or striking ct some form Of The -
ptrvision or other element Of efficiency n
the system. In Texas, for instance. The
Constitutional Convention weakened Ne
constitutional provisions for public h.
etruceion, and the Legislature which I'll.
lowed passed such IN cot that schools we're
practically abolished for two years n the
State. II Vas enacted that munioipalitioo
could assume control Of their schools ealy
BY majority vote Of the property tax
payers" Of the town or city.
II 10 notorious that there 10 = vide.
spread belief in tho South that eduostioU .
fatal to the usefulness Of the Negro. and
hardly less dangerous to the Door white.
or the 1000. 600 illiterate tvoters II The
United States, seventeen twentieths are IN
tho Southern States. These States elect 50
OF the "A Senators and 100 Of the 202 Rep.
resentatives in Congress. Hon. Henry ".
Blair. In speaking on this topic, says:
In Aiabama SO per cent. OF the voters are init
crate Ignorance controls the election OF the Leg
islsture, members OF Congress. the executive, the
judiciary, and composes more than hall of every
jury; but who controls ignorance The old slays
caste OF the South. The same Is true in Nissioip-
Pi, Georgia and Florida; In Kentucky q per cent
IS illterate; In Maryland p; In Delaware ~: or
One-fnurth of all power Is In these ignorant maae
es, and they are in the hands of the poiitical
!esuls OF the south. II e deadly fact that the
educated caste, If they once get possession OF the
Government, can govern and enslsve the whole
country"
The safety Of the nation will one dav.
and ere long. demand that universal sduee.
ton shall be made compulsory. Dee any
friend OF edacation believe that this 70.
form will be championed By the Democrats
10 party?
The space allotted 10 this article viii
not permit me to enum crate other and
equally important issues, still pending Or
quickly coming. in the decision Of each
and ell Of which . Democratic triunph
would DO = national disaster.
There 10 the question, for example. Of
protesting freedom Of speech and Of The
press. and the ssnotity Of our national che.
kinah-ths ballot box. Free speech 10 not
tolerated in the Southern States excepting
where 1t 10 impotsnt to inaaenos the reeu6
Of the elections. '.Boss' Tweed In hie
worst estate WAS IN honest dsfsadsr ef
fairness in elections - compared with he
Democratic leaders Of South Carolina and
Inc Gulf States. There 10 NO liberty Of
Dpeeoh or Of the press in ell that region.
outside OF few Of the larger cities; Ihefe
IRE no honest returns ever made Of he -.
nal results Of congressional elections:
everywhere, men are ostIaoiasd, or sxilsd.
y starved into silence, on aocount Of their
POLITICAL opinions, il they are msnbsrs Of
hat great party through whose elsnsaey
no Democratic leaders escaped a ienes
niniqps desth on the scaffold.
The Republican party must and shall BE-
Maintained, TO the end that the great "A.
ion may continue to prosper; thSt ies hen-
= may BE- kept above rsproach, or even
usPicion Of reprosch; that its laws nay
uard the rights Of labor and foster uai-
ersal enlightenment; that frsud may b
unished and conspiracy suppressed, aad
liberty for ell perpetuated and extended.