The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-12-10
A Suggestion 10 Senator Davis, Of West
Virginia.

Virginia.
SENATOR DAVIS, Of West Virginia, is get
ting ahead Of General In Fevre, OF Ohio.
II has long been the pet project OF the lat
ter to make the Agricul tural Bureau de-
partment represented directly in the
Cabinet, Mr.. Davis yesterday made q
proposition TO that effect In the Senate
Clsreidnd Herald, K,
This Is all well enough, We arc glad
that our senior Senator is giving SO much
attention to agriculture. There Is another
matter, in which he took hand on the
right side at the last session, and that Is
the turning over oil the proceeds otthe pub
lie lands and Of the Patent Office to the
cause Of education in the respective States,
to be distributed in proportion to illlteracy.
The bill did not pass the Senate in the
right shape, and We hope heRill exert him.
self to have II corrected and repassed
this session (supposipg 1t to have died
in It's former shape) in the why in which
be advocated it-vz; the devotion Of the
whole Of the proceeds Of the public lands,
and not the yearly interest on the fund, to
the cause Of education. This Is the gener-
alton par excellence that needs educational
aid in the South. The statistics Of lliteracy
are appalling, and all the aid the Govern.
ment can righttully give to the promotion
Of intelligence should be promptly extend.
cd.
Senator Davis ought TO find very strong
support in both Houses Of Congress on be-
half OF the position he assumed last session.
The President in his late message delivered
himseltstrongly on behalf OF nationalaid to
the cause Of education. For instance, he
said;
although our system OF government
does not contemplate that the Nation
should provide or support system for the
education OF our people, no measures calcu.
lated to promote that general intelligence
and virtue upon which the perpetuity Of
our institutions so greatly depend have
never been regarded with Indifference by
Congress or the Executive. A large por.
ton Of the public domain has been from
time TO time devoted TO the promotion OF
the cause Of education. There is now d
special reason why, by setting apart the
proceeds Of the sales OF public lands, or by
some other course, the Government should
aid the work OF education. Many who
now exercise the right Of suiT.
rage are unable to read the
ballots which they cast. Upon many
who had Just emerged from condition Of
slavery were devolved the responsibilities
Of citizenship In that portion Of the coun.
try most impoverished by war. ! have
been pleased to learn from the report Of
the Commissioner Of Education that there
has been lately q cOnmendable increase Of
interest and effort for their instruction, but
all that can DO done by local legislation
and private generosity should be supple.
mehted by such aid as can be constitution.
ally afforded by the National Government.
would suggest that II any fund be dedlCa.
ted to this purpose II may be wisely dis.
tributed In the different States according
to the ratio Of illiteraCy, as by this means
those locations which are most In need Of
such assistance will reap the especial
benefit.
No President has spoken more wisely
than this on behalf Of the pressing need for
aid 70 education in the United States. The
census shows how urgent is this great need
in the south among the Colored race. The
Southern States are poor and cannot main.
tain really good schools for any considera.
bic portion oithe year, There ought to be
at least six months oil school in every
school district in the South, and II possible
eight months We must see to Il that The
large mass Of ignorance there does not swal.
low up the yalue OF the elective franchise,
and make II tie Jest Of the civilized world.
We can only avoid this through educa.
ton, and now Is the TIME Of all Others In
which toad education 10 that section.
The Republican party put itself on
record In its last national platform in favor
Of aid to education. II declared that "the
work Of popular education Is one left 10
the cure Of the several States, but II is the
duty Of the national government to aid
that work 10 the extent Of lis constitution.
al ability"
This declaration should be made good at
an early day. With the aid Of such Demo.
cratic Senators as the senior member from
West Virginia a bill devoting all the pro.
ceeds Of the public lands and all the net
profits Of the Patent Office to education
can early be passed, and the country will
expect the Republican party to re.
deem lie pledge 10 this end at the flst
opportunity II need be, a portion Oft
lax derived from distilled and malt Liquors,
and from tobacco, which some people are
% anxious 10 abolish on the ground Of
surplus revenue, should be devoted 10 this
gftat work. We can mover afford TO abol.
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