Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1882-10-05
EDUCATION.
BY GOVERNOR I. 4. CRITTESDEN. l..

EDUCATION. Il
BY GOVERNOR T. T. CRITTENDEN.
In every political campaign the Re-
publican party undertakes to arraign
the Democratic party as being indiff-
erent to the cause of public education.
1t vaunts itself as the party of prog
rcss and education, and undertakes
to deceive thespeople into the belief
that it has always fostered and en-
couraged public schools, while the
Democratic party has contributed very
little to the advancement of public
education. Such is the meaning of a
plank in the platform of the Republic
can convention recently held at Jeff
erscn City.
The stalwart impudence of the party
leaders, whose unblushing effrontry
enables them to style themselves "The
party of great moral IDEAS" ''The
party of education and progress,
WAS never more manifest than in any
comparison which they pretend to
make between the Republican party
and the Democratic party of Missouri
on the educational record of the state.
The democratic party is the au-
thor of the public school system. All
that Is good in it is the product Of
democratic legislation. Let us ap-
peal to the record. The first State
system of education with state su-
perintendent was adopted in 1889 by
a democratic legislature, and in 1S45
4 democratic governor, Edwards,
urged the establishment of a normal
school. The normal schools came
into existence after the war-betwecn
1871 and lS73-only a few years be-
fore the democratic party was re-
turned to power-in 1874. Since
then they have been sustained liber-
ally and in the. democratic platform
of 1880 the party pledged itself to
maintain them and the university.
Lincoln institute has been made a
State normal school, The university
has had larger appropriations than
ever under republican rule.
The democratic party has mani
tested the most intense interest in the
university, the school of mines, the
three white, and one colored normal
and sustained them with appropria-
tons. The 25th part of the reven-
ues was set apart for the public
schools by democratic legislature
in 1858, long before the republican
party had an existence, or was
dreamed Of. In 1875 the democratic
party made this animal appropriation
certain by placing it in the constitu-
ton.
The messages of democratic gov
ernors from 1927 to the war, and af-
ter the war till now, have been ear
nest in their commendation and ad-
vocacy of the most approved and i'm
proved system of universal, free edu-
cation.
What has the republican party of
Missouri de he for the cause? 1t is
easy to make loud protestations and
to denounce the democracy. but what
has it done? What is the good in the
system of which they are outlaws ?
Net single thing except the estab-
lishment Of the three white normal
schools, and this in pursuance of the
policy long mapped out by the demo-
cratic party. Thesethey had scarcely
established when the democratic par
ty came into possession and demon
strated their endorsement of by con-
tinuing their support. The republi-
cans let the opportunity to secure the
25 per cent. for public schools pass
by when they held their convention
in 1865, and left the democratic par
ty-1o years afterward-with its
''heastly majority to demonstrate in
acts what they have only professed
in sounding resolutions and clap-trap
stump speeches-a love for popular
education.
The sixth resolution of the republi-
can platform charges the democracy
with being "derelict i'll its duty in
providing suitable legislation for the
public schools of the State. Let us
investigate this charge and ascertain
how much truth there is in it. If the
charge is true, then the democratic
party is responsible :, if untrue, then
the authors of the resolution are SIAN
derers and should be posted as such
by every lover of the truth.
They were also the authors of that
loosely-drawn school law so marked
with defects, which they make the oc-
casion of the recent attack on the
democratic party. %
These are the facts ;4iet him who
dares, gainsay them, and then de-
mand of him to point to single act
of the republican party which has
shown their fidelity to the cause
wherein the democratic party is not
their superior.
The State funds for educational
purposes amounts to 81, ,532,225, and
are constantly increasing annually
under democratic management.
+ Theschool system Is faithfully KEEP,
to high standard, and from $3.50