The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-09-26
WHAT LOUISIANA NEEDS MOST.

WHAT LOUISIANA NEEDS MOST
| Louisiana wilt soon have million
inhabitants. She now has 26,0O0,.
600 acres of soil, and she has mil.
lions of acres of the best timber
lands in the South. Louisiana needs
skilled labor of all sorts to turn her
natural wealth to valuable account.
She needs wise law makers, and wise
rulers who understand the true wants
Of the State and Of its people. Here
are multitudes Of children who are
growing up in ignorance, many of
them in vice, who ought to be under
industrial teachers in.industrial pri
mary schools planted in all parts of
the State. Colleges and Universities
are necessary, but they are establish.
ed chiefly to prepare young men for
the practice Of law and other profess
sions-the farmer and mechanic get
get but little benefit from them. The
great question for our law makers
and people to settle is how to edu-
cate and train up children in the way
they should go. To teach a part of
the rising generation how to sread,
write and CIPHER" and a favored few
how to practice law and medicine.
leaving multitudes without any edu.
cation at all will not secure the ma.
terials for making prosperous and
wealthy States. Ignorant voters are
the tools of political burglars with
which they rob treasures and run
States. Well Informed and prosper
Gus farmers make the best VOTERS
A State can better afford to spend
millions in securing for the young
people a practical education that
may enable them to make an honest
living by honest toll, than to rely
upon the present system of educa.
ton at no cost whatever. Where and
how do boys now learn how to man.
age farm, manage stock, plant gar
dens, orchards and vineyards, and
cultivate them, and save and utilize
fruits2 Who are their teachers?-
How do mechanics learn their va
rious trades? The industrial train
ing OF young people is miserahly
neglected, and the industries of the
country are the very heart and soul
of the nation. Without these the
nation would be breadless and house
less, and without the most common
necessaries Of life. To have the best
OF industrial schools our people and
law makers must first take an inter
est in these things. They should be
we'll informed about the best prima
ry industrial schools and colleges in
Europe and America. They should
not oppose such schools until they
know what they are. Massach usetts
sent special agent to Germany.
France, England and ireland, to oh
tain correct Information about all
kinds of industrial schools in En-.
rope. The newspapers should every
where gather up such information
and educate the people and the law
makers in these matters, and insist
that better system of education be
established and more money be rails
ed by taxation for school purposes.
Intelligent lahorers and intelligent
voters may make State rich and
prosperous, and make good Legisla.
lures and good State governments.-
How can the taxes of a State be more
wisely appropriated than in building
up it's industries and purifying the
ballot boxes7 What dangers threat
en- our States more at the present
time than ignorant, unskilled labor
ers and ballot boxes controlled by
ignorant voters and cunning politi
ticians2 There is no way to correc,
these evils besides that suggested in
this article, by properly educating
young people, and training them to
habits of industry. Aud whatever
this may cost the State it will be
cheap at the price. If Legislatures
ever have a sound reason for estab
fishing debts to be paid by posteri
ty, 1t is for raising funds for the ed.
ucation Of rising generations. To
teach young men trades and indus.
tries of vnrious kinds, is to increase
their facilities for paying taxes, after
hey, settle down in life. Such a
system OF educating and training
young people in time pays its own
expenses. Tie young people in time
pay for their early education when
they pay the State debt that nav
nave been made when they were
children to build up industrial