The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-06
POPULAR EDUCATION.

Mr.. Swinton in his evidence before the
Senate subcommittee on labor and educa-
ton, some time since, presented an entire
system of political economy, and undertook
to impress the grave Senators that if adopted,
the ills of the country would be cured and
the lame places in economic affairs healed.
Without stopping to sift the truth from the
errors in Mr.. Swinton's theories, he made
meet the hearty approval of everyb body:
''That the lower classes should be educated
and lifted up" While this is already being
done, and very commendable progress has OF
late years been made in that direction,
there seems to be demand
for special effort in this
behalf. A great mass of the poor people in
this country are poor because they are over
reached by those in better circumstances, be-
cause of superior judgment. When the poor
man has been so educated as to have the
benefit of an enlightened judgment in the
business affairs of life. he will be enabled to
hold his own in transactions with his more
prosperous neighbor. True, there are, and
always have been, keen traders who, in the
popular sense, were not educated; but this
class is exceptional. The rule is that men
become adopts in everything by train
ing and individual prosperity in
money affairs in this country
depends almost wholly upon the exercise of
an enlightened understanding upon a few
simple, fundamental questions When and
what to buy, when to sell, when to accept or
refuse offers for service, are queries upon the
answer to which hinges the financial and the
consequent social welfare of the people.
Each of these propositions calls for the exer-
else of judgment based upon liberal knowl-
edge 1t requires more than this it must
include perception of the cur
rent affairs of the world that affect
the subject-matter under consideration.
The intelligent farmer would smile at an
offer of 81 bushel for his granary OF wheat,
when this crop is total failure in the cereal
countries of the old world. The fortunate
dealer often goes step beyond the situation,
as shown by existing facts, and bases his
judgment upon the probabilities of the
future, and sells or holds his products ac-
cordingly. That the masses of poor people
may be educated and raised up to this stand
ard of excellence in judgment, is desirable
from every consideration, the individ-
ual, public welfare, and most
laudable pride that the population as mass
shall be thrifty, self-sustaiDing men. The
groundwork of this great end must be done
in the primary schools, and where whatever
is lacking to bring every child of the coun-
try within the discipline and culture of the
school room, ought to be supplied If com
pulsory education will suffice, let us have it,
First, let the education offered be fully
take it. There have been periods in the
development of the educational system
of the country when it would have been
great hardship to have compelled any one to
have taken it. But there is better order of
things now and the improvement is still 60
ing on so that the youth of the land can
frame no just reason why he should not be
obliged to submit himself to the jurisdiction
of the common schools till he is able for a
step higher into the active business affairs of
the world, where his education continues to
~.
after years.