The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-10-01

AuPSbuo AZ VIZ Wey " fsSo'
prise, that in the face Of all the hiudrance'
TO which we have been subject for the pasl
ten years, we have continued 70 progress
in many things. There Is still enough
Republication left In our little mountain
State 70 leayen the entire lump, though
some parts Of II may not be seasoned very
well.
We AK that astute editor what have we
to-day that is good and is tending to our
progress that was not given US by the Re-
publican party. 1t gave US our free schools
and dotted the entire face OF our land with
school houses. It gave US good school
law-so good that all the foolish
tinkering that has been INDUCED
in for the past ten years has
not been able TO. entirely destroy It. The
first thing the Democratic party did alter
coming into power in the State was TO try
to undo everything the Republican party
bad done, and we are willing 10 leave 1t to
any honest Democrat whether the old con-
stitution, with all its faults, was not better
than nur present one. But, says Mr.. Baker,
the amount spent for carryingo on our free
schools Is much greater now than the
amount expended under Republican rule.
But Is this owing TO the great love borne
to the system by the Democratic party2
Nay, verify; It Is because 1t Is forced TO
place itself In friendly relation to q system
OF popular education.
The point we wish to make Is this, that
the great majority yea nearly all the lead:
ers OF the Democratic party, were opposed
to our free schools until they were fotced
by the tide Of popular opinion TO favor
them. speak what l know when l say
this, and not longer than four years ago /
heard several prominent Democratic poll.
tiCians in certain county in our state,
declare that they had never favored the
present system OF free schools, but that 1t
was not the part Of wisdom TO oppose them,
for It was one OF the inevitable things that
we must have. 1. Q. they favored them not
for the love they bore the cause but be-
cause, iorsootb, they were popular with
the voters and these voters would not
cast their votes for man who would
place himself In open opposition to
popular education. Now, this is the kind
OF friends our system has ia the Demo.
cratic party. It ia that friendship that
gives large appropriation to our State
University, which is all right, but with.
holds all appropriations from our Normal
schools, in which men and wo-
men are to be prepared TO make
our system OF free schools what 1t should
be. The masses oil our people irrespective
OF party, favor free school education, and
confidently believe that could they all
be made TO fully see and realize the atti.
tude held by the leaders Of the Democracy
they would hurl them from power. But
this is impossible while 80 many OF them
read nothing in the political line but what
as Ia found in the Register aud like sheets.
1t is the business Of the true politician OF
to-day to enlighten the people aud when
properly enlightened.the masses generally
vote right.
Another thing would call attention TO,
and that Is that 10 those counties OF our
State in which the masses are educated
the Republican party either has majority
OF the votes cast or has been gaining 80
rapidly in the past few years that it soon
will have msjority. Take our own four
Panhandle counties, and Monongalia,
Preston, Taylor, Harrison, Upshur, Tyler,
Wood, Mason, &C., as examples, while on
the contrary in those counties where
knowledge In any form save such as Is
gained from the ReyiSter and those minor
Sheets that copy from the Democracy, is
mesgre, and they are almost solid
for the Democracy. Will any one
say to the contrary? The Repub-
publican party would do well to foster
our free schools In every way possible, for
Just as sure as the sun shines, other things
not working to counterfeit their influences,
where the masses become enough en-
Iightened to read aud think for themselves
they vote the Republican ticket.