Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1882-09-21

MeesrH. Editors .-A z time is|
already 81 hand for the eess and
public achools Of the Il ry ID be-
gin their Fall session. ula ike.
through the kind ofies your D.
per. to say few worI slis con-
nection to the psople ~ coun-
~
The time has fully "a when the |
people Of our country especially
of our State. must ~ feel The
need Of higher esl was )
time when ras.oi. = sAe ss|I.Islitv
ii |ssids ........
bic cause and nosss perss ion ii prin-
ciplea and integrity d seeking remu-
neratiye positions to plunder thspeO-
pie Of their hard earnings. Then =
moderate amount Of learning met the
requirements Of the people and pa
&nts were content to send their chill
deen to.log huts, which were the best
school 1Duses provided. while honest
men made and executed their laws
without making pubic fauOr an object
for spoils. But times have changed,
and the people must do likewise. and
there is no possible means of eleva-
ting our POlitioal except by raising our
educational standard. The people
must be equal to their position; their
intelligence must lift them 20 an
eninen ,e' frcm which they can think
al d act prudently for themselves. for
it is a lamentable fact that our people
as class do too little thinking for
themselves II has been said, and
there is no reason to doubt the asser-
ton. that some Of the best speeches
delivered on the floor Of the House ofl
Representatives are productions COM
piled by prsrate secretaries. If this
be so, then tlIe secretary is entitled to |
the honor of the office, for whatever
is said under such circumstances, are
bis opinions and his views going be-
fore the peoplea and thecoantry through |
the lips of a mere automaton, and |
whatever impression they may make,
whatever good they may produce.
whatever recognition they may claim |
in the House in which tey are utter
ed are due to the good sense aud sound
judgment of the secretary and what
ever praise or commendation they |
merit should be accorded to him.
But pardon me for this little wan |
dering from the more direct connec-
ton which | wish to make. Our
government is yet an experiment and |
the chemists should have full knowl-
edge of the substances they put in the |
crstci6le ere their misguided hands
cause an explosion The peor should
have thorough knowledge of the quail
ifcations Of every ofice-holder elected
by their votes; tbs this alone that can
maintain republican, forms of govern
ment and save them from ignoble
failures. The nomination of candi-
dates by party bosses" has already |
become stencil in the nostrils Of our |
State and deservesftLe condemnation
OF a honest men,: 1t has been an
obstacle in the way Of free expression |
OF opinions, free voting and free gov
ernment; it has. been an impossible
bIrrier to the unpretending laborer
as well as many intelligent citizens
by giving them neither expression of
sentiment in selecting nor choice af- |
ter the selection is made. The we'll |
informed people ofthe State have long
been wide awake to the fact, but they |
are powerless as long as they figure
such minority; as long as thousands |
go TO the polls with their ballots in |
their hands, making themselves slaves
to their own ignoranee. who vote, as a |
matter of course, but cannot give a |
word Of reason for il. Ignorance is
the greatest evil that republics and |
free institutions Of any kind have to |
deal with, and it is against this we |
are to fortify ourselves to avoid future
grievances and abuse in our ciril ser
rice. The people must learn and ap-
preciate the fact that knowledge is
power. that without education they
are mere drones in the hands Of petty
..tyrants. . who use them at their will
and make their ignorance fortifca-
tiOn behind which they heap their
harvests and revel at their 6ancuets.
And this isnot only 50 in our ..ciyiEser-
vice" but il equally applicable to ev-
cry occupation and profession in life.
The people lose more through ignor-
ance than they profit By their good
sense and Judgment. But it win be
asked, what preventions have we
against il +? The answer i, none 9TH
er than educate the people to think
| aud act wisely for themselves and In
struct them 70 look upon their ballot
I a. :. .sn.r.7 nd ;r.ss,,f. ~. So = m gl