The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-09-14
TIME FOR THE STATE UNI
vERSITY.

I
but his expressions are now at g
discount. The Democratic platform
adopted at Galveston pledges the
Democratic party to the Jealous en-
couragement and support of not
only public free schools, but of the
higher institutions of learning in the
state. Thus the barriers have been
broken, and demagogues are now
crowded to the wall. They
have argued that higher edu-
cation is for the rich, lower
education is for the poor,
Just the opposite is true. The
highest education will be accessible
to the rich under all circumstances,
no matter how large Its expense. 1t
is only when made free, by the wise
policy of the state, that it is open to
all, rich and poor alike. There could
be no measure more thoroughly
popular, in the truest and best sense
of the word, than state endowment
for her university ; for it makes the
position ofall the people what other
wise would be the privilege of only
the favored few. 1t is the people,
the whole people and not any class
or rank, that are benefited by such
legislation. A cotemporary asks, what
class of people have been most
blessed by the progress in education
and science during the last half-cen-
tury. Is it not science, above all
things, that has ameliorated human
life and increased all the comforts of
living-that has improved the aver
age of health, happiness, leisure and
enjoyment, far beyond all former
ages of the world? Ofthis wonder
full progress it Is the poorer classes
that are the chief beneficiaries. The
rich could always command comfort
and luxury; but for the first time in
the history of the world science has
brought these blessings to the poor
mans door. To the universities
and colleges of Europe and Amer
lea we owe this marvellous de-
velopment of science. and of
its practical applications to human
life. 1t is in them that science has
been nursed, experiments have been
made, that the scientific spirit
has been fostered; and from them,
directly or indirectly, have come all
the great discoveries and inventions
that have so lifted and lightened hu-
man life in this age. Indeed, with
out the concentrated agency of great
endowed institutions such researches
would have been impossible for in
dividuals. This work of the scien-
tist in behalf of the people is but
just begun. 1t progresses as the
great educational institutions pro-
gress, and the excellencies OF en-
lightened humanity are but begun.
We live in an age of great learning
and discovery and we SEQ all en-
lightened people struggling at this
day through the aid of science to
outstrip in the advance towards
greater achievements. The univer-
sity of Texas, The foster child
of a people great in ability
and ambitious of superiority, is not
to be inaugurated too soon. The
growth and prospective Importance
of Texas makes it exceedingly
proper that the Inauguration of the
great free university should speedily
be brought about. Prof. Huxley has
SAID that the true idea of popular
education is ladder, one end of
which rests in the gutter, the other
against the walls of the university.
By the ladder of education not only
may the worthy and ambitious
mount from the lowest to the high
est round, but the influences of ele-
vation and of aspiration are trans
mitted, unbroken, from the top to
the bottom. 1t must not be
forgotten that in every moral
and intellectual movement the vital
izing force works from above
down ward. The law of demand and
supply does not hold good in educa-
ton. The demand itself must be
created. A people must be edu-
Gated to desire education. Example,
opportunity and encouragement
must be added to the native in
stincts of aspiration. For such in
centives we must look first to the
intellectual and moral influence of
educated men and women, but
chiefly to the influences, direct and
indirect, of the higher institutions of
learning in state. A system of pub
lie education which should stop with
the primary school would be, IN
deed, ladder broken off at the bot
tom. 1t might lead out of the gutter,
but it would lead no higher. 1t
would be inherently weak and un-
satisfactory. To a great degree it |
would end in superficial and imper-
feet knowledge to be soon forgotten.
In higher minds itwould implant |
impossible aspirations, the seeds of
personal unhappiness and OF social |
discomfort and peril. The line be-
tween the rich and the poor
would be more sharply mark
ed than ever, because it would |
be more conscientiously drawn.
We should have system which by |
sound gradation shall open to each
child of the state the full opportuni-
ty of such free education as he or
she is capable of receiving, for the
sake of the state. Thus the graded
school, the academy and the univer-
sIty, are as much part of a sound |
system of state education as the pri-
mary school, and the stste is equally
interested in maintaining them all.
This is the position how held by the
Democracy of Texas and the plan is
going to be carried to brilliant sue
cess. Public economy is to be con-