Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-01-04

is source of deep regret that neither of the
several lines leading to Tampa and further
south have yet reached that desirable section
'ihe trustees OF the internal improvement
tnnd; appreciating the great advantages of
tnat highly favored section, and with an earn
est desire to secure to it railroad facilities re-
served lands for five different lines running to
Iampa and some further south, through the
counties of Hernando, Polk Hillsborough and
Manatee. From information received. how
ever: can but believe that the time is near at
hand when these facilities, so long needed
Will be secured.
EDUCATION
There is no subject of more importance than
popular education, which is being fully re-
cognlzed by all enlightened countries. In our
republican form of government. where public
q9tssLons que are settled by the popular will, that
VIII must be educated or the government will
sooner or later prove failure. Free govern
ment and ignorant suffrage are not in har-
mony. Universal suffrage demands universal
euucatlOn as It's protector, for While the ballot
| Is most potent weapon, when welded by
| ignorance there is none more dangerous tOi
free government. The government which we
ENJOY to-day can be transmitted only to the
rising generation, which must be educated to
| perpetuate 1t, or ignorance with her hand
transcription and vice-will cause it to
| lapse into despotism.
Education eommends itself to us also in an
economical sense. Actual experience demon
strates that intelligent labor is worth at least
| llllterates furnish fifty times their proportion
OF pauperS and many times more than their
proper proportion of criminals. Ignorance is
the fruitful mother of public burthens, but
contributes little TO the public wealth or veal.
Hence every commonwealth should encourage
tue education of her youth as the best safe
| guard Tor the future. Florida is particularly
interested IN this question, as the census re-
veals the fact that there were in 1890 % 3l9 il
hterate voters in the State. The large in
crease in our school facilities and in the at
tendance of pupils, are therefore subjects of
eongratulation. The number of schools in
1877 was 656, with an attendance of 29,67S pu-
pills. In 1880 there were l, ,l31 schools with 3d.
3l5 pupils, and for the scholastic year begin
nlng october l, 1882, we have 1926 schools,
with 81 l,945 pOpils.
The principal of our common school funt
has also increased IN most satisfactory man
ner. indeed, the increase in the last two
| years has been unprecedented in the history
OF the fund. From fund of $246, 900 in Janu-
| airy, 1881, we have now $685., ,535 ~. showing an
| increase of $76,635 42 in the principal of the
| fund in the last two years This fund is
chiefly derived from the sale of lands known
| as the sixteenth sections" granted the State
| by Congress for educational purposes
Ihe Board of Education, learning that there
| was still due the State of Florida for school
| lands under the provisions of the acts of Con-
| gress approved May 26, 1926, June Is, 1874 and
| FEBRUARY 70, 1883, nearly $4,000 acres, employ
| ed the Hon. Walter Gwynn to make selections
| from the United States lands within the State
to supply the deficiency. Mr.. Gwynn did his
| lections. The lists were forwarded to the
| United States Interior Department for ap-
| proyal and selections amounting to 1915
| 99-100 acres have already been approved The
| remainder, it is hoped, will be in a short time
| We have SCI, ,728 acres Of land belonging to the
school fund yet unsold, and 33 82O acres belong
! ing to the seminary fund.
In this connection. | may add that while
| popular education is a duty belonging to the
respective States, and matter of local policy
| which should be under the management of
nj rarNsr
| condition of the South, our resources are in
sufficient to furnish all the assistance required
| for the education of our large illiterate pOpu-
| latlon. The right of Congress to contribute to
| general education in the several States has
not been questioned and the public domain.
| amounting to over one billion of acres fur
| nlshes ample means to secure so desirable a
| result 1t is to be hoped, therefore, that the
| General Government appreciating the great
| necessity for such course, will still further
| add to the educational resources of the coun-
| try, to be applied through the agency of the
| various State organizations.
DEAF MUTEs.
cannot forbear in this connection calling
| your attention to the entire absence of anY
| legislation for the education of that unfOr-
tunate class of our population known as deaf
mutes. There are in the State, as shown bv
the last census, 1l9; of these IS are white and
81 cOlored. There are under the age of 25 and
now urgently requiring educational facilities
7S. Of this number 30 are white and 46 colored.
can imagine of no class of our citizens who are
so entirely dependent upon education, and
sincerely trust that the subject may receive
your careful and favorable consideration
Some portion of the common school fund
should be set apart, under the direction of the
worthy object.
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE FUND.
Under the act of Congress of July 2, 1852
there was granted to each State thirty thou
sand acres Of land for each Senator and Rep
resentatlye of said state under the census of
1850. The conditions of the grant were that
1.-THE interest shall be ipviolably appropriated
to the endowment, support and maintenance
OF at least one college where the leading OBJ
Ject shall be, without excluding other scien-
tific and classical studies, and including mill
tary tactics, to teach such branches of learn
ing as are related to agriculture and the me-
chanic arts, in such manner as the Leoisla-
lures of the States may respectively pre-
scribe" The act also provided that mo por-
ton OF said fund, nor the interest thereon
shall be applied directly or Indirectly nnder
any pretense whatever, to the purchase, cree
ton, preservation, or repair of any building
or buildings
Under this grant Florida received ninety
thousand acres, which were sold for $Sl 600
The proceeds of the sale were invested in SiOO.
0OO OF FlOrlda bonds. The interest has since
been invested, and the fund now has an in
come of about $1,000 per annum AS no pOr-
tiOn of the fund, nor the interest can be an
pled TO building purposes, no institution has
In view of the fact that the trustees of this
fund will meet in Tallahassee on the 9th of
January, to take into consideration the best
means of utilizing the income of this fund for
educational purposes, deem it proper to with
hold my recommendations until their renort
is received, will then take pleasure in lay
ing it before the Iegislat ture. with such suSy
gestiong AZ may be deemed advisable.
IMMIGRATION.
The Bureau of immigration, upon accent.
ing the resignation of Hon. Seth French as
Commissioner, appointed Hon. a. A. Robin
son to the position, with headauaTsteIss at Tho
A hrHnll Iichn
sonville under the direction of Mr.. Samuel
Fairbanks Upon the death of this effieient
oihcer ana hon0red citizen, the Hon. Column
bus Drew was appointed by the CoinmTssioner
with the sanction OF the members of the hl
reau, to I'LL the vacancy, The Commissioner.
in addition to his efficient work in other re,
spects, has prepared and had published % O00
copies of an immigration pamphlet. tras-.:,,,,
upon the resources, advantages 80. a'..Ins
dition, ETC., of the STE For fuiI j., ,forIoa
uon res Eng the details of the work con-
nected with the position / respectfully refer
Public lands and climate are useless With
out population. People constitute the state.
and as the tide of immigration is being turned
to Florida, from her varied RESOURCES heinC
published 10 the world, 1t would he a misfor
tune to slacken any of our efforts in that direc-
tion. Rather let them be invigorated The
Commissioner of Agriculture calls a conven
tion of the agriculturists of the United States
and Florida is not represented; Congresses of
Forestry are held, and we have no represen-
and when Florida is called there is no re-
spOnse. Why is this2 Because the means At
the disposal OF the bureau are so scant that we
have no surplus with which to send delegates
We have citizens fully capacitated for the
various positions, but individuals cannot he
expected to give their time and talents, and.
at the same time, pay their own expenses.
Another cotton exposition, upon gigantic
scale, will be held during the present year
Shall Florida be represented at these yarious
associations2 It is for the Legislature to an
swer,
ATLANTA EXPOSITION.
During the fall and winter of 1881 the Cot
ton Exposition of Atlanta was opened for vis-
itOrs. 1t was not only an exhibitian of all the
improved machinery for the cultivation, hand
ling and manufacturing of cotton, but EN-
braeed a wide field in everything tending to
the development and wealth of the counIrv
1t was in the full sense of the term a sIWorld's
Fair''-the first ever held in the South Feel
ing the Importance of Florida's being repre |
sented, and at the same time fettered by hay-
ing no appropriation for such purpose, / ap-
pealed to the Immigration Convention that |
met in Jacksonville in the suInmer Of 1881
10 take the matter in charge and have
our state properly represented, A oom- |
mIttee was appointed who did most |
efficient work. Contributions were ask
ed for, and literally responded to, by some |
Of our generous citizens. Florida had a seDa- |
rate building and her display of agricultural 4
productions and tropical and emi-tropical 1
fruits, attracted the attention Of tAe vast /
throng of visitors who daily visited the exno- |
sition grcunds. Her success was fully demon /
strated IN the fact of her securing the first /
premiums for sisal hemp, sugar cane, rice. sea |
island cotton, oranges and lemons. For the I
best collection of agricultural pToduetfons In 4
competition with the Fast number OF States I
there repressneed, but one State surpassed /
her, andshe was awarded the second premium. /
naylng nothing but voluntary contributions /
to rely upon the managers were involved in 1
pecuniary endorsements, and at one time the /