Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-03-20


taste for cultivation. The State
should throw the most of her edu-
cational resources in that direc-
ton. Let her create the condi-
tions-school, farm and shop-and
the boys and girls will earn their
diplomas, and some of them, for
their lifetimes, will thank the State
that they were rescued from Il
hoodlum's fate - from the hood
lum's college, in which society is
now educating them.
What statesmen and what polit-
Ical parties will vitalize this re-
form? There is not, just now, 1t
would seem, much hope from
either of the old parties. The me-
chanics and Changers have been
"bapging away" at the Goors of
the Regents and The Legislature
for six years, demanding of them
to appropriate to industrial educa-
tion the national endowment made
for that purpose. They have
turned deaf ears, or answered with
sneers. Governor Irwin, whose at
tention had been fully called to the
subject, saw fit 10 make himself
the champion of the educational
aristocracy; and, in advance of any
Legislative necessity for his action,
took grounds, in his last annual
message, against any radical
changes in University administra-
ii on; meaning, in the historical
light illuminating the question,
that the Morrill, bill fund should
not be placed TO tho credit of in
dustrial education, which had been
unblushing'y robbed of it.
No Democratic statesman in the
Legislature has publicly protested
against his views, or moved in an
opposite direction. OF course, the
Republican party has no RESPONSE
bility. II it had any, the past
would be 80 guarantee that this
party would vitalize the reform.
The Grangers and laboring men
seem to have "struck hands, on
this question,
The following is the resolution of
the State Grange:
Resolped, That agricultural and
mechanical education must be
fostered, and can only be successful
under the administration OF those
classes directly interested in its sue.
cess. In the language adopted by
the National Grange, "Agricultural
colleges should be managed by ag-
riculturists." The same is true of
colleges of mechanic arts.
Next comes the Laboringmen's
platform:
Fifth. That it is unjust to tax
the people to maintain schools for
giving an education in the higher
branches of study, useful only to
the few who are preparing for the
learned professions; but that u sys-
tenn of Industrial education should
be established throughout the State
where every child may be enabled
to acquire II knowledge of some use
full trade or employment, and that
the large sum now annually eX-
pended in maintaining costly
State University for the education
of few rich mems sons, should be
used for the support Of industrial
schools.
Should the energetic friends of
this reform, the Changers, mechan-
les and Laboringmen "stand in"
together, possibly they can right
the wrong in the Constitutional
Convention. AT all events, that
appears to he the only hope left.
The subject is fraught with such
importance-present and future
that every effort should be made to
vitalize the cause in that Con-
vention.
The Eastern States are advanc-
ing industrial education with great
rapidity. Why should California,
the fairest of all, be held back? 1t
is the high prerogative and duty Of
the Democratic party to attend to
this matter. Will Democratic lead.
ers resist the demands of the indus
trial classes until they are over
whelmed in an avalanche of public
sentiment crystalized into new po-
litical organizations? We think
not.
Will not the Democratic party,
in the Legislature, speak and act
promptly before adjournment, and
give us a bill that shall place the
Morrill, fund to the credit of agricul.
tural and mechanical education?-
to the credit of system of indus
Trial traln1nS-and let the Govern
or veto it, if he chooses. 1t will
relieve the party, and the rank and
file will not be forced to other or
ganizations as means of realizing
such an important industrial, edu-
cational and social reform. The
Legislature can appropriate thou
sands for the Hastings Law Col
lege-creating facilities for the
multiplication of numbers in a
profession already overlooking,
making surplus in profession al
ready filled with shysters, but has
failed to respond to the demands of
the agriculturists and mechanics,
which have been persistently made
for the last four years, for the bet
ter education of those classes