Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-06-29
WALHALLA, SOUTH CAROLINA,

tion.
1t is not only necessary that the State
should control education, but it is also ex-
pcdient. We must pay either for cduca-
tion or for ignorance. We must be taxed
Tor the one or tho other. Somc contend
that education does not srrcst crimo and
pauperism, while all must know better both
from personal observation and from ststis~
tic'l report. In Europe statistics show
that by process of general education
crime was reduced in seven years so per
cent aud pauperism 25 per cent. In
addition to these benefits the prosperity Of
the country increased p:oportiouatcly. In
Now York umong the ignorant class there
were 200 criminals in one year, entail
ing heavy tax for their trial aud punish
mcnt. If they had been educated they
would have been good citizens oud would
have added to the general prosperity i'm
stead of being an expense and disgrace to
the State. In Pennsylvania an experiment
was made by an association formed to
educate and support tho iudigcnt children
of soldiers during the war. Twelve
thousand were educated by the association,
ninety per cent of whom have grown to
years of maturity. In tho work seven
million dollars were expended. Of these
children who have gone out into the world
ninety per cent have become worthy and
useful citizens, who, otherwise, would, in
all probability, have pccn paupcrs or crimi-
mails, an expense to the State and disgrace
to humanity. Tables show that iu States
where general education prevails, the in-
creased productive power of lator. is fifty
per cent. over uncduca,cd labor, showing
that tho cducaiion of tho masses would
operate to double tic resources and products
of tho State.
Another consideration which will strike
every thinking mind arises from tho fuct
that the general government has, with
strong hand, and apparently without regard
to the true interests of the country given to
the negro, utterly ignorant and untitled as
ho is TO exercise it, all tho rights of citi-
zcnship. Now it cannot be doubted or
dcnicd as fact, that 10 superior race can
stand on terms of perfect equality with an
inferior one. They arc moro likely to in
terming'e and at all events the tendency
is to lower the moral and industrial char
ac:cristics Of both races. We owe it, then,
to our race and to society to extend tic
clevatinl, Influences Of at least an ccmen-
tary education to the whole people. God never
intended that all men should b, equal, nor
thut the different races should be coual, and
the education of the white race would
elevate them more rapidly than the negro
and widen the distinction.
Again 10 thu matter of government
itself education is essential to its purity aud
pcrpe,uity. Jefferson has said truly an
Ignorant people can't be free people.
Washington in the early days of tho rc-
public, said, in proportion as public opinion
controls in the government in the sumo
proportion docs education become necessary.
So all history teaches that education alone
can enable people to maintain wise,
just and free government, and wherever
despotism or corruption or oppression pre-
walls, there the people will be found ig-
norant. Tho mosscs Of France dc!ugcd
the streets Of Paris with blood, until
necessity forced them to seek refuge in the
return of a Bourbon. In Spain aud Mexico
there has never been stable government,
revolutions and booIshod succeeding each
other rapidly. So will it ever bo where
Ignorance Is in the asccndcncy. The gov-
ernmcnt Of tho Chinese is the Oldest aud
her soil supports tho largest popn!ation to
its area OF any country in tho world. This
can only bc accounted for on the ground
that no one holds public Office or has shy
control in tho affairs of the government but
those who are fitted by education and cx-
pericncc to exercise it's duties.
In advocating education os both necessary
and cxpcdcnt he does not mean to say the
advantages of collegiate education should
be extended to all the citizens of the State,
but only that an elementary education
should be given to ali. God mover in
tended all men to DO equal and no system
Of education could work out such result.
as men have different capacities. We can
oply hope to establish thorough and perfect
system of schools open to all classes aud
th,,o .,