Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-09-03
DEMOCRACY AND FREE SCHOOLS
IN WEST VIRGINIA,

The Republicans are in the habit oil
arraigningthe Democratic party in West
Virginia for hostility to the free
schools.
SruRerss crys out from the hastings
that the Democracy have crippled the
free schools; denied appropriations 10
the Normal Schools, and intimates that
they have concealed but determined
purpose to overthrow the whole school
system.
Weinvite the attention OF the Repub-
lican candidate for Governor 70 lew
more statistics, in which he takes so
much pleasure, and in which ne VIII
discover how gross The misrepresenla-
tons he Is making to tine people OF the
State.
We submit that the figures We are
about to produce will show, that il the
Democracy are Justly chargeable with
any wrong in connection with our pub
lie schools, it is in being too liberal ana
lavish in the appropriations made iof
such purposes.
The figures We are about to produce
from the records will show that instead
of being hostile to the schools ana en-
deavoring to cripple them, the Demo-
cratic party has appropriated for their
support nearly double as much money
as the Republicans did in the same pc
Rod OF time.
In fine, these figures will show that
STURGIss' Misrepresentation on inns
head are the most inexcusable and ut
terlv false OF any OF the remarkable state
ments Inc has made regarding State al
firs.
Let us take six years OF each party $
administration to see which made the
most liberal appropriations Tor school
purposes: From 1865 TO ISL the Re-
publican party, being in power, distrib-
uted Tor educational purposes the gross
sum vi S72S,04S.
During q like period, viz: from 1871
to 1876, the Democratic party being IN
power, distributed Tor school purposes
the gross sum OF 81 ,366,9S7.
In other words, the hostility which
the Democrats bear to Tree schools was
shown by their appropriating Tor their
support in six years, an excess OF S63s,-
G3S 81 over what the Republicans ~
proprated in the same length Ot III :.
We repeat that ii the Democracy haS"
done any wrong in connection with the
free schools it has been in giving them
more money than the people could al
lord to pay.
From 1865 to 1871 the Republicans
spent Tor school buildings, teachers and
all school purposes, in round numbers
S2,lOO,OOO. From 1871 to 1879, the
Democrats spent for like purposes, in
round numbers, Si,O00,00O, showing an
excess Of liberalty on the part OF the
Democracy over the Republicans,
amounting to about :2,O00,0Go in the
same period OF time.
These figures come from the public
records. and they are as accessible to
Mr.. SrURGIsS as to MS. lie can verify
them ii he desires, and show them to be
false ii he can.
In view OF snch showing, such Il
complete Justification OF his brazen
statements about the hostility OF the
,mocratic party to educational inter
ests. he owes it to himself, il not TO the
people he has deceived, to examine
these figures, inform himself OF the facts
and 90 before the people on his knees
and ask pardon for his uuhlushing and
assiduous efforts to make them believe
lie.
The only act the Democracy has done
that could be construed into hostility to
the schools OF the State, was in denying
appropriations to the Normal Schools at
the last session of the Legislature. This
was done in response to the earnest de-
mand from the people to curtail our
school expenses, and the feeling was
that the Normal Schools could better
b ar.the cutting down process than any
other part OF our system. About this
there was and is a difference OF opinion,
but there is nothing in it that shows the
Democratic party to be in any sense il
liberal or hostile to any OF the education
al interests al the State.