New-York tribune., 1880-01-11
MR.. GOODIES LITTLE BILL.

Although Mr.. GoOde, of Virginia, is one OF
those statesmen who live In mortal terror OF
centlalization he would cheerfully submit to
any enlargement of the powers OF the Cen
eral Government, provided only some fund y
conld be tapped in the process and the leakage
diverted mainly toward the South. HIS bill
TO "consecrate and set apart. the net pro-
"ceeds Of The public lands for the education
of the people," which, in one shape or an
other, has been before every session OF Con-
press for the last ten years, has once more
been reported, and Mr.. Goode will, perhaps
have chance to explain what there is to
prevent Congress, if the bill passes from CIV
ing, in accordance with this precedent, any
other "fundr or property Of the Nation to
the various States for purposes of alleged
education, or for any other purpose whatever.
And since Federal officers must supervise the
distribution of this money, and see that ii Is
administered efficiently and in accordance
with the terms established by the General
Government, Mr.. Goode will proba ly avail
himself of the opportunity to show why, on
the same principle, the General Government
cannot assume to provide for and take entire
charge of education in the States
The tendency of legislation Of this sort has
often been discussed in TIE TRIBUNE. But
even if there was nothing in the scheme which
eonhicted with the generally accepted theory
OF the relations existing between the Nation
and the States, AIr. GOode and his associates
would do we'll to consider the moral effect OF
such a grant upon its beneiiciaries. The
North needs no such gift. Does the
South really need it7 Money alone will
not establish an efficient common school sys-
TEN. The essential condition precedent is a
vigorous public sentiment in favor Of eduea-
tou. The way will follow the will. Without
this sentiment no fund will be administered
efficiently. and indeed donations from without
may have positively pernicious effect, by
deadeniDg the sense Of responsibility,
chilling all effort and substituting a
spirit of dependence and laziness for
one of self-reliance and enterprise. A
poor community may not be able TO raise
a large amount of money, but if it is suf-
| iciently in earnest to make sacrifices. it edu-
Gates itself by the very act of sef-denial, and
a single dollar contributed under such cir
cumstances and with zeal and watchfu-
ness behind it, will accomplish more i'll the
way of educating the people" than any
amount DtZBCu iut dtttptSu 10 d
The real intent of this bill, however. can
best be understood when it is considered what
limited amount of education for the people
can be bought with the net proceeds Of the
public lands. The General Land Office did an
unusually brisk business last year, and the net
proceeds of each acre disposed Of amounted
| to about cents. There are some
| thing like twelve millions of children OF
school age in the country, and the Government
would be obliged TO sell eleven acres for each
| child 10 order to furnish it with dollars
worth Of education, which is not an extraya-
| CANT annual allowance. little arithmetic will
show that the net proceeds of 1872, ,000, 600
| acres-or very considerable fraction of the
| public domain--would be required to spread
| education over the country ut the thin rate of
dollar head. Looking at tic mat
| ter in another light, the net proceeds
in question Amounted last year to
| $S2s, ,376, or about 7l2 cents for each scholar
| Two years ago the proceeds were less than
| $500. 900. which would about furnish three-
cent postage stamp TO every boy and two-ecnt
| stamp TO every gil between the ages OF six and
| sixteen years-provided that no penny Of the
| fund adhered to the fingers of the agents who