Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-08-11
Massachusetts. Tennessee,

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''whereyer mechanical and manufacturing
pursuits are followed to any great extent the
demand for the labor of children becomes SO
pressing that it is found almost i'm possible TO
enforce the laws requiring their attendance
at school during one or two quarters This
shows that the attendance in Massachusetts
is much shorter than in Tennessee. These
statistics were made out when Massachusetts,
had been enriched by the war, and Tennessee
ad been Impoverished by war and carpet
bsgism. Yet Massachusetts, paupers arts
three and half 10 Tennessee's one; her con-
victs nearly four to the latter's one. From
the high value OF her churches we may
safely Judge that she had many more empty
benches than Tennessee had; yet the latter
had six congregations without houses of
worship to the formers one. We therefore
think that Tennessee must have had about
two church members to Massachusetts, one, to
say nothing OF the members of heterodox
churches in the latter Ssate, and the opinion
that there is more infideliiy in her chlrches
than there is in Tennessee both in the
churches and out of them. 1t is TO be re-
grttted that the tables show no distinction
between white and colored from colleges to
churches inclusive, but distinction would
scarcely change the figures until we come
down 10 "priv ate schools and even here the
change would be less than hall sufficient to
equalize the two States IN private schools
aud churches. The table shows that while
Tennessee is little behind in primary edu-
cation, she is far in advance in high school
education.
We must acknowledge that the colleges of
Massachusetts,, on an average, greatly sur
passed those of Tennessee; yet we may with
equal reason state that Tennessee at that
time had as many students attending the
6rst universities of the world outside OF Ten
uessee as Massachusetts, had attending her
own. To-day we will not shrink from a
com parison Of the number and character of
our institutions with those of any other
State in the Union. In fact, we put Tennes-
see down at the head in proportion to white
population. Notwithstanding the great
disparity in crime and pauperism OF Massa-
chusetis and Tennessee, yet General Eaton, in
his reports OF 1882, holds up Tennessee's Hit
eracy and its reiation TO crime as lseshing of
a most appalling nature, while saying nothing
with resp CT to Massachusetts,. will say this.
in reply, can go into some OF the poor hill
districts of Tennessee, the most illiterate parts
OF the United States, and will find more
virtue and less crime than can be found in
The most enlightened portions of Massachu-
set,s. Boston not excepted. The prison is
rot the place to test the relation OF iiliteracy
to crime. A wealthy or intelligent man is a
lion, and has many TO admire and many to
fear him and bis relations, consequently he
is rarely attacked. An illiterate poor man is
mouse, and ia held in contempt by all, and
everyone is anxious 10 have the honor Of
kicking him into the dungeon. Virtue
does not necessarily march pG,i passu
with intelligence. Nearly all the great
cities and empires of the past have fallen
becsuse their intelligence, with its ever at
tending luxury, corrupted the virtue OF the
people. In the world, to-day, the centers of
enljghtment are the centers of crime, the
great cities. But far more the centers OF un-
iold crime than of that that is known. mean
that something incites and epgenders reck.
less and unsteady habits in the young that
upfits them for success in life. Most OF great
cities would go down in both population and
success were It not for the great drain upon the
country and small towns for successful men
in every department of life. Nearly all the
leading high schools and colleges in Ten
uessee are under the control of somechurch;
but few are so in Massachusetts,, hence one
cause OF the difference IL The noEals OF the
two States.
Since the census of 1870 shows Tennessee
to a less advantage than is due her, and is
complicated with the negro question, We VIII
gisa some statistics in our next Of the census
Of 1S50-6o. T. II. RASpLE.
RIPLEY, TENN, August 9, 1881 % l. .