Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-03-08
WHAT WE NEED.
An Eloquent Plea for Universal I'd
st ucati0n.
Address Of Or. J. [. N. Curry, Delivered Be-
fore the Legislature, Yesterday After
noon, on the Necessity Of Sustaln-'
ing our School System.
ONE or THE "RoYAL FAMILY" SPEAKS


evening, but owing to the fact that ne was
called away by a telegram requiring his
immediate attention, the address was de-
livered Yesterday afternoon.
The address, of which we present full
extracts below, was worthy the occasion,
and abounded in wholesome truths
we'll and eloquently told, and cannot fail to
be of much service to the cause in which
the Doctor has so long labored. Although
limited as to time and consequently unable
to do himself justice, his address furnished
much food for reflection, and was listened
TO with earnest attention by an audience
which filled the hall of the House to its ut
most capacity. n,
The speaker was introduced by Mr.. Full
kerson, who occupied the chair, in few
welr chosen words, and at once proceeded
with'his address.
DR.. Curry's Address.
The gentlemen said he would show his
appreciation of the honor done him by ad-
dressing their intelligence. He had no
he should not attempt to indulge in flights
of oratory He desired to speak OF mat
ter so closely connected with the interest
of the State aud to its destinies, and IN
doing so would appeal only to reason and
He Could hardly conceive of a higher
honor which could be conferred upon q
citizen of a republican government than TO
be chosen a representative by the free and
unbought suffrages OF an
Enlightened Constituency.
Representatives were, to large extent, the
conscience and intelligence OF those they
represent, the guardians OF the honor, IN
terest and well being Of those who had so
honored them, and he deemed 1t work OF
superarogation to say that they were here
| To promote the welfare of the State, to take
care the Republic suffer no detriment, and
provide, in the most efficient manner, for
| The moral, intellectual and material inter
est of the whole State.
Your young State was rich in everything
which others coyet, in what would, if de-
veloped,
place it high in the roll of States. Mr.. Nc
Cullough, the celebrated English writer
| once said that the foundation OF Eng
lands greatness, and her pros
perity and political influences was
| her coal beds. II this was true, II
needed no prophet to say that the coal beds
| of West Virginia, exceeding those of any
State in the Union, will, if rightly used, be
the means, the factor, OF placing her high
in the road to prosperity and fortune
Close by
The Coal Beds,
thick and rich, were veins of iron and salt
surrounded by timber, which, under the
hands of skilful labor, would contribute t
the States increasing prosperity.
Why was she richer, to-day, than she wa;
twenty years ago? The mines are NJ
richer now than then, but then you received
no benefit from them because they were
undevcloped. 1t was only when the
Ithuriel spur of industry touched then
that the benefits were visible.
But the State contained something richer
than iron or coal, or gold or silver, or pearls
or Jewels Richer than all the commerce
of the world, though it whitened every sea
and that was
Brain Power.
But as the mines were unproductive, 81
also was the brain power, because OF lack o.
cultivation.
His auditors were statesmen. They reaC
history and studied political economy anC
the sources of material wealth, and yet the
vcriest tyro knows that production, con
sumption and exchange were the great di
visions into which the science of wealth
was divided, and the effort wa:
to convert the consumer into tht
producer and then multiply the capacity
of the latter. Then, as production in
crcases, there is a surplus and national and
personal wealth is the result. This beinl
true, he said, that which would give the
highest productive capacity
Was Intelligence.
Ignorance was the parent of slotl, anC
never did any good since the world began
There were now in West Virginia 81 ,0O(
people, 40 per cent OF whom were white
over ten years of age, who could not read
| the bible or the names on the ballots they
cast. Suppose you multiply these until
they constitute a majority. and what
would be the result? Was it not the duty
of the State to make such provision a:
shall reduce this number until there shall
/ not be q citizen in
All Her Fertile Valleys,
who cannot both read and write. He put
it on the lowest basis-that of money max
ing-and he was almost ashamed to addreS:
such all argument to such an audience and
yet he repeated that from the lowest view
that could be taken, it was the duty of the
Legislature to diffuse intelligence, increase
education, and so increase the productive
capacity Of its citizens.
The wisest Measure
of economy was to secure to all at least a
| common education. Ignorance never did
any good in the world. Intelligence en-
tiers into the question of wages. 1t was q
factor of wealth, and the brains of the
worker are ever a consideration. Every
labor saving machine used was the result
of science applied to the mechanic arts.
The glass, the lamp, chair, chandelier, the
houses in which We live every luxury, and
almost every necessity. in the existence OF
man, was the result of science formulated
and knowledge applied by labor.
He was Not an old man and never intend
cd to grow old, for he taught Sunday
School class and that kept him young, but
he could remember very we'll, long before
matches were in use. When he was boy
they used TO make a fire by striking piece
of steel with flint, and the old lady cov-
cred up the fire to keep it from going out.
We didn't realize these things. They were
the result of science in combination with in.
| telligence directing muscle as were all the
comforts We know enjoy.
This was legitimately part OF his sub
| jeCt. When you
Left out Intelligence
in the estimate of your resources, you left
in 80 per cent. Of what constitutes your ma-
terial wealth. We gaze upon the works of
| nature with mingled wonder and amaze
| ment, but there was nothing in cas-
cade or cataract, lake or river.
mountain or valley, in sunset or the
glories which crimson the sky at evening,
which can compare with the capacity en-
folded in the human mind, and which was
nothing but dull, bleak dessert until it
was developed, cultivated and expanded.
The speaker then cited the case of Dr.
Arnold, of Rugby school, and the remark
that it was pity that such a man should
be teaching boys. Yet, he said, while he
honored true politician, the real student
| of government, at the same time he made
the assertion that DR.. Arnold, of Rugby,
had done more in that school room to mould
British though and uplift the British peo-
pie than all the politicians of his day.
The Purpose OF the Legislature
was undoubtedly to promote the welfare OF
the State. In doing so remember that
ignorance was the parent of sloth aud vice,
and that it was true economy TO provide an
education for all. Your coal fields are in
certain places, your iron the same, and you
could take pin and point out the places
on the map; but you could not do anything
of that kind with the mind. 1t belongs to
every family. Mind was not an heredita
p,aDf II could nnt ha cnnyeyed 0r he