Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-24
SENATOR LOGAN;S PAN4CEA FOR
ILLITER4CY,

Senator John A. Logan contributes to
The April number of the North american
ReUieO an able article entitled National
Aid to Public Schools" We say able, as
matter of senatorial courtesy, and not
because the subject is treated in SO logical
and comprehensive a manner as to make
an end of all argument. The writer pro-
fesses profound concern regarding the con-
dition of illiteracy which the statistics
show, and doubtless, truly, exists through
out the country, condition, which, as the
learned senator states, is calculated to have
an effect on the general welfare.
Nobody disputes the proposition that
the common schools are the
best possession of the people, and it is
equally we'll understood that each state is
in no wise hindered or under restraint in
promoting and regulating education with
in its territory. More than this. So uni
versal is the interest in education, that in
the oldest and newer states, and in the ter
ritories, the school system is the first care
of the people, and it is proud fact that
no community, whatever may be lacking
in other directions, is so neglectful or de-
void of public spirit as to omit to foster
the common school.
But Mr.. Logan says: eve have reached
that stage in our progress,when it becomes
necessary, if we would meet the de-
mands of the age, to provide
means for extending this system of COM
mon schools in its most advanced and
complete form over the whole country.
That this can be done only by the general
government must be admitted by every
one who will give the subject a moments
thoughtful consideration" Having thus laid
his foundation, Mr.. Logan gives it as his
opinion that the general gov
eminent at Washington should,
for the present, appropriate
not less than forty, nor more than sixty
millions of dollars per year in aid of the
common schools. The generous senator does
not propose to place this money where it
will do the most good, or in other words,
to distri butte it upon the ratio of illiteracy,
but to divide it among all the states and
territories, share and share alike, no state,
of its own means it devotes an equal sum
to the maintenance of the common schools.
Logan's scheme is utopian and nonsen-
steal on the one hand, and in opposition to
the spirit and letter of the constitution on
the other. The general government can
not interfere with education or with the
school systems of the states, and the
preacher on illiteracy ought to have had
intelligence enough not to balk his theory
so foolishly. Men of the caliber of Logan
are never in congress very long with
out being saturated with the idea
that the general government can and
must and should do everything. They do
uot appear to know enough to know that
we have already too much of paternal
government, and especially so, when what
ever the government undertakes to do is
SO infected with red tape, is always made
SO costly and extravaganza, is so full of the
and impracticable, that
methods which the inflated, not to say illit-
crate, senator or representative misunder
stands for craftsmanship.
Mr.. Logan may be philanthropist, but
he is not a wise one. Suppose congress
should be foolish enough to appropriate
fifty or sixty millions, as he suggests, there
would come demand for half as much
more, to pay the new crowd of Office
holders that would be required, and for vari-
Gus other leaks that are always turning up
when Uncle Sam can be bled. Illiteracy
is bad enough, but the Logan panacea is
worse still, and instead of making an i'm
posing stride in craftsmanship, he has
only advertised his own illiteracy, and
gotten no nearer the presidency than he
was before.