Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-01-21

great contest with hostile power, though
such contest may now seem afar off, the
colOred race will he expected to bravely
contribute to the defense Of their country.
There is hardly man Of them that would
| not say:
| Ny part Of danger with an equal share.
We can afford to be generous even chival-
rous US well as Just, and give them a chance
and home that will win their hearts and
open their way TO increased usefulness and
respectability. They have never had the
means, and have not now, to educate them
selves. On our part their education is not
charity, but a debt overdue.
The great masses of mankind are employed
in agriculture and mechanic arts, and the
most enlightened nations are beginning to
furnish higher instruction for these long ne
elected masses. Much progress has been made
within few years by Great Britain in COM
mon school education. In England and
Wales since 1870 the education of children
between the ages of five and thirteen has
been made compulsory, and the number of
school children who can be accommodated
with elementary instruction has been in
creased from ., ,2l5, 235 in 1870, to 4, ,505,SlS
in 1873 The annual parliamentary grants
to primary schools, which in 1913 amounted
to only $4,000 hardly tithe of the ex-
penditure of one of our smallest States, rose
in 1879 to f2, 733, 404 sterling.
Our people have to meet worldwide
competition and our most energetic and
persistent rivals, bone of our bone and flesh
of our flesh, are the people of Great
Britain. There, the most aristocratic govern
ment in the world is promptly educating
their people in order not only 10 obtain the
best results from even limited suffrage, but
to increase their productive power. At the
same time many of her indl gent and illterate
population, with stomachs even more ne
elected than their brains, come or are sent
here to better their means of subsistence, a
process as will be seen which is calculated
to elevate the winnowed condition Of their
people who remain al home as much rs il is
to depress the average of our own.
In most OF the countries of Europe educa-
tion has become general. The educated cit
izen is found to be more valuable in Church
and State and in all fields of human cndcav-
or than the unlettered barbarian. Even in
Turkey some regard is paid to primary
schools and only perhaps in Russia and
Spain can it be said that the major part OF
the population is without education. In
France the schools are now under the CON
troll of the government, anil are slowly al-
vancing.
Education in Prussia, now the power most
to be dreaded by her enemies, IS general and
compulsory. The higher education afforded
by universities is also liberally maintained
and administered by the government.
1t is, perhaps, marvel that the German
people, once described by Tacitus and Caesar
rs without cities, to whom the gods had de-
MED silver and gold; who staked their liber-
ties and persons upon the throw of dice
who were mentioned as rude barbarians
clothed in the furs OF wild beasts, and the
same people who, even so lately as in 1905,
were crushed by a single battle with Napo-
leon, should now be able to take the lead
among foremost nations in educational in
stitutons. Prussia provides schools, SEM
inaries, colleges and universities, from which
none Of our people are excluded. BY its
fruits must the system be judged. 1t was
not Bismarck alone-the statesman with the
big dog by his side-that welded Germany
together and pushed it SO prominent
ly before the world in literature
and the sciences, in industrial arts
and in war, but it was the educated
people, of whom he has been the cdncated
leader, that furnished the forces which made
their and his triumphs possible. The en-
peror rules because the people have had Ma
tional confidence in his minister and i'll them
selves. There has been no enormous waste
and loss OF force through illiteracy. Each
man has been trained 10 do his best, and
Germany now steps forth leader among
European nations.
4 striking contrast is presented by Spain.
holding the position of II tirstcass power
two centuries ago. fruitful in heroes and
poets, and now of even less Importance and
less distinction than some of her former col
ones. The prestige of her wealth in the
precious metals ami of her silleons and
aramadas on the sea has departed the dar-
ing spirit of Columbus and Cortez is dead
no new Cervantes appears; but her illiteracy
is rank and robust, and the glory of her bull
fights is perennial and unapproachable. At
the last general census, in a population of
l6. .301 ISL. only 1l5, 900 women and 2.4l4,-
015 men were able to read and write. Is it
wonderful that they have small share in
modern literature and science. little trade or
commerce, few railroads, meagre industrial
pursuits, and abundant debts, wars, and
revolutions The proud people of beautiful
Spain will some day do much better, and
then the harsh critic will not say, Europe
ends at the Pyrenees, and there Africa be-
gins"
The liberal spirit OF our institutions and
the inherent difficulties of our position, with
all the problems Of our bustling population,
white and black. led and yellow, unsolved,
will not permit us to disregard the subject OF
general education, which is now receiving
foremost attention among leading nations,
and of all subjects most concerns the life OF
our people, their self-rcspect, and their in
tluence upon coming generations of man
kind.
1t may be said that each State should bear
its own proper burdens; and while that may
be true, II does not relieve any State from
the Just obligations arising from the common
welfare. All persons born or naturalized in the
United States are now Ctizens of the United
States, aud of any State wherein they reside.
They may change their residence at Will
their privileges and immuni!ies cannot be
abridged, nor their right to vote denied, %
where they will they are as much u part of
the controlling power Of the genera! govern
! ment US that OF the States.
The citizens of all the States furnish
judges and other officers of the United States
for Ohio does not furnish them all and
elect Senators and Representatives in Con
gress to conduct the affairs of the Nation
and the Nation therefore becomes directly
interested in the intelligence and virtue Of
the masses who are called upuI periodically
to determine who shall he iu:Iustei - their
Senators and Representatives 10 guide and
support the desiinies of our popular i"rn Of
government.
The celebrated ordinance ot 1854, pro-
claimed that schools and the incans pf edu-
cation shall forever be encouraged This
was an ordinance of the whole cuuhiry, re-
affirmed in 1889 by Congress, after the adop
ton of the Constitution, and it, Obligations
must be redeemed by the authority ui the
whole country, with the proceeds ot the ter
ritory and property originally dedicated 10
this high purpose Schools and the means
| of education can thus and onl; thus he for
ever encouraged
by whii other inslfuincntallti"a can the
public welfare be 81 surely and largely pro-
NOTED: What better s,Liar.tce can be Civ
en- 10 he several States OF Republican form
of Government Where will be found
stronger custodian of public liberty
Shall the great, peerless experiment OF
mans self government be tested by a Ma
tionul policy of indilfercntism as to whether
the voting population shall have the means
of Improvement and intellectual advance
ment, or take the chances of remediless ilit-
eracy: Shall we have no institutions 10
which farmers and mechanics may resort for
such scientitic and technical knowledge Us
may be related TO their pursuits, and such as
gives the silver lining To the clouds OF toll
The measure before us stands on "A nnblcr
principle, wholly impregnahle, If human
self government rests upon popular lntelll-
gcncc-a principle which neither the Rcpub-
licau nor the Democratic party will be will
ling TO repudate So long as each claims TO be
the champion of self government and OF the
common people and, ii the measure is
worthy of adoption, il is worthy Ia be adopt
ed with the least possible delay.