Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-01-31

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wards, repeated the recommendation
and though we have heard republican,
a. well as democrats criticise the nor
NAL schools as at present conducted, We
have never heard a democratic speaker
or seen in = democratic journal, one wore
in opposition to. or in depreciation o
ment of these normals constituted thu
public school system of Missouri. it wa!
not completed In It's fullness until thu
democratic legislature, in 1873. estab'
lished the Cape Girardeau school. 3
The money subscribed by the localities
was paid by democratic taxpayers.
The Globe Democrat says:-"What i!
democracy doing to prove its loyalty te
the system which it praisesp"
1t would strike an unsophistlcated
country editor like US that if they
"pralse" this system they cannot be hos
tile to it. as the 6 ID. claims that they
are. People do not. as a rule,
praise things which they do not like.
As u republican contemporary seem.
to be seeking light. however. we will
give it little. though we have very
scant hope OF aver enabling it to see
very clearly.
In 1854 democratic legislature passed
the law which first SGT apart o%ne-tourth
OF the state revenue fund for the use OF
public schools. This was a very great
stop forward in the cause of education.
and to tho credit OF the democracy it can
be said that this fund and the proceeds
of the original school fund have always
been sacredly applied to the purpose for
which they were intended. The school
fund proper began to yield revenue in
1872. when the proceeds were 81. 1899 60.
In 1854, it had gradually increased to
$98, 1856 Is. In Gov. Stewards admin
%istration, the two funds yielded, in 1859,
S254, 951 IL; in 1860. 1852 ,234 so.
Every year up to that time the proceeds
of the permanent school fund we're prop
srly applied. The republicans, during
their tenure, failed to pay one cent to
the schools from this fund in 1861, 1862,
1868 and 1865. They failed, also. to
pay one cont to the schools from the
revenue fund, as the democratic law re-
CURED them to do, in 1861, 1862, 1868,
1864. 1865. 1866 and 1867. The demo-
gratis resumed the reins of government
in 1871. There was paid to schools in
1871. $780, 67 81 In 1872, 1885. 6s1 81;
In 1873, 1851 .s76 Al; in 1874, $40. 269-
20; in 1878. 1886 sos SO; in 1876, S47O.-
l2o 81 in 1877. $685. 6 %; in 1873.
1857 800 At; in 1879, s5o2.79 10.
Leaving out Of consideration the years
OF the war, the republicans, in the six
years from 1865 to 1870, inclu-
sivs. appropriated Tor the support of the
common schools OF the state, 1891 1854
II. For a sinilar period, from 1874 to
1879, inclusive. the democrats appropri-
ated for that purpose o., 1926. 665 20.
The CD in its article says:-:The
school fund during the republican re-
gime) grew from nothing to about ST.
500, 900. and has not been since increas-
ed except by small accretions arising
from unimportant surplusages in other
funds, which find their way into it by
virtue of republican laws.' If this
statement IS correct; if it is true that the
school fund has not increased since the
republican party was in power, what be-
came of the W o million dollars which
they should have paid over to the
schools during the last six years ot their
tenure?. The truth is. that the school
fund was robbed by the republican par
ty in the counties as we'll as in the state,
aud has been honestly administered by
the democratic party. 1t now amounts
to So. 909, 457 IL. We shall be glad, on
occasion, to demonstrate to the CD.
that its party dad rob the school fund,
and to tell it the amount. which was
very considerable.
1t should. be borne in mind that the
large sums which we have mentioned
above as appropriated to public educa-
ton by democratic administrations,
were In addition to the seminary fund.
the annual appropriations to the normal
schools and the university. and the u
ty funds.
What more has democracy done for
public educationr Much. In 1865 the
republicans held . convention to frame
= state constitution. They found time to
incorporate in it this: Nor, shall any
person be competent as a bishop. priest.
deacon. minister, elder, OIL other clergy
man OF any religious persuasion, sect or
denomination, to teach, or preach, or
solsmnizs marriages, unless such per.
son shall have first taken, subscribed
and filed said OATH" They found time
to letter the conscience. and keep men
out OF the school room, but they never
thought OF saying. In plain words, that
n e-fourth OF the state revenues should
be applied to educational purposes. No;
they left this to be accomplished by a
statutory law which they had violated
seven years in succession, and which
might be set aside at the within of every
succeeding legislature. In 1875 a dem
ocratie convention met to frame a fun
damental law for the state. They did not
hamper with unbecoming restraints the
preacher or the teacher; but they did
say. in the constitution, where no legis-
lature could alter or amend 1t, that at
least twenty-f five per cent. of the state
revenue shall be set apart annually tor
the support of public schools.
The educational system of Missouri y
says the Globe Democrat. ''was adop.
ted in spite of democratic opposition"
We have proven this statement to be s
ialsehood.
The statement that 'the immigrant.
do not come to Missouri" is no les.
a talsehood. 1t is 3 wicked, maliciou.
falsehood, unworthy of a paper claim
ing responsibility in brains, ii not il
morals. 1t is the cheap lie OF the dem
agogue. made Tor political purposes. 81
lar as Lafayette county Is concerned. vi
can dopnnnco II 80 u,o,,l;So1I- C,),,