Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-09-24
The EducationaI Convention.

The sentiment Of the Educational Con-
veuti0n al Louisville was strongly IN
favor Of Federal aid 20 common schools
The speeches which were delivered con
tanned facts and arguments which VIII
have great weight II shaping public senti-
ment In this important matter. Dr- - +.
VI. curry. II Virginia, made several =-''.
points in an address. H favored 7 sus7i a.
aid IL common schools for two reasons
First because tie basis q freedom i IL
raIliyeDee and integrity. and, second De-
c.-za universal education i IN
rC-sfr-e even approximately with
~ --7vlrnment aid He pointed
rr- that the percentage q
-ri-a-s-F 10 the south was very great ana
that although comparatively poor the
white people Of the south were compelled
n t.-sr The whole burden Of educating the
white and negro children While ne ad-
v0cated Federal aid he would not favor
such AID If b. thought the states would
cease ~ help themselves. He wanted
This question VI education kept out Of pol
tics. Mr. Albert Willis, the Representa-
tive in Congress from the Louisville dis
rrict. made some sensible remarks.
svuoDsi- Of what he said was reported in
the Louisville CDlrtsr-JDara9t a. iollo"7;
Mr.. Willis said that if Kentucky gave
In urou0rtiOn the same support 70 her
schools that Massachusetts did she would
have D. raise "a fund Of s. ,yD,VU- rather
than little more than 100000. Though
Kentucky was better OF than most Of the
southern states. about One-iOurth 81 the
voters could not read the ballots they cast.
The speaker then cited several instances
u where Southern cities supported excel
lent school systems by heavy taxation.
The south. the speaker thought, was DONG
her best. but she needed assistance from Inc
government. He was in favor Of proper
ti0ufug the aid extended by the National
Government To the amount Of school luna
raised by each u the various states. lie
did not mean By this that the Federal
Government was To take control oi the
school system. but d. was simply 70 sup
plemeut whatever the states themselves
might DO IN educating their people. ne
Government would have no trouble m lur-
ni.biug the money necessary for this aid,
since the surplus revenue IN the
Treasury is about SlOO,O00,OOO annually.
He estimated that in i've years
%JDU. OuUuH will have accumulated IN the
Treasury No better use could DC made
II this immense sum than 70 devote part
90 IN 20 aiding the spread OF cuucdtiOi
throughout the whole country. Inc gues-
ton III Federal aid was "A national one and
one 10 which tine North and the south were
alike interested Referring o. statistics,
Mr.. Willis said that about one out
al five voters was iiliterate. and that ont
Of the 90 electoral votes that were cast
I'm the Presidential election % could
have been controlled, since they were cast
by ignorant voters. He also SAID that ia
ten Of the Northern States and slN-
teen az the southern states the result
Of the election could have been
CHANGED bv the ignorant vote and
he estimated that siX-sevenths Of tine
I congressman elected could have been
changed Dos this vote. lie did not see
how any one could hold that the question
was NOT national one. There was no
doubt upon the cOn-titutlOnality or the
legality Of the Federal aid % the schools,
since tine government had already spent
millions Of dollars upon the schools de
voted o. the education VI soldiers OIL the
army and sailors OF the navy, for the Cd
ucatiou of the Indians. the blind, etc. Nr.
Willis stated that every President, from
Washington down. had advocated Fed
eral aid aud il was his opinion that such
a bin a. was contemplated by those IA
vOrine such aid would be passed at the
next session of Congress.
THE speaker advised the south TO cast
aside caprice. prejudice and pride. lie
said there was mo- politics in the question,
/ and an the people should join in asking
that the National Government assist IN
/ securin. Federal aid in cooperating with
the states in educating the people Of tbs
( country"