The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-10-09
Democracy as an Educational Agent.


The history of Texas Democracy
places it on record as most liberal
agent of public education. If we go
back to the early days of its existence,
we find it lending its moral support to
all kinds of schemes for future educa-
ton. Funds and lands we've set apart
for free education, the proceeds of
which are to-day being used in Great
ing an annual fund for sustaining a
system of free education, unequalled in
any state of this Union or any country |
on the globe. The Texas fathers
mainly Democrats-seemed strongly |
imbued with the doctrine, that intelll-
gence must prevail among the masses
to insure good government. Ignorance
leads to a multitude of evils, while ed
ucation elevates the individual mind,
upon which the public mind depends.
If Individuality is depraved the gov
eminent which is built up upon such
individuality. 1t is not pretended
that education roots out all depravity.
There are some tastes naturally so de-
PRAYED that education, while it may
polish, does not root out depravity. A
notable example of this has been pre-
sented in the case of presidential
candidate, who, though highly edu-
Gated, contracted an illegal connection
with woman in Kentucky, which he
afterwards attempted to make the
world believe was legal. Here was
case where education led a man to
commit lawless act in preference to
legal one; bot natural depravity was
alone responsible for the act. He has
continued to commit lawless and dis
reputable acts through long life of
shining ability. But we were calling
attention to the influence education
exercises over the public mind, and to
the necessity for establishing such
condition in society as will lead to ex-
halted public sentiment, to enlighten-
ed progress and to wise government.
Educate the masses and government
will grow more healthy. Texas from
its birth, except during the period of
reconstruction, has been under demo-
cratic guidance. Democratic senti-
ment provided funds for schools and
for asylums; and democratic legisla-
ton has. in subsequent years, added
to the funds, first set apart
such bounties as were never before
given to free education. The estab-
lishment of tree school system was
taken up at the earliest day possible,
and at period when it was impossible
to maintain a general system of free
schools provision was made for the
education of all children in the state
whose parents were not able to pay
for tuition. They were sent to priv
ate schools, and their tuition was paid
for out of the public funds. This was
the system before the war, when it
was impossible to maintain free
schools all over sparcely settled en-
pire. The republican party was given
the reigns of government after the
war, and it proceeded at once to estab-
lish an impracticable, glittering system
of public education, for which
the state was not prepared. The OBJ.
ject was not so much public education
as it was robbery, as the sequel told
In 1874, when democracy came
into power, it found an immense free
school debt unprovided for; some Of
the teachers had not been paid fol
years, while the money had been used
up by supernumaries, under the nam,
of school officials. 1t was this debt tt
the school teachers, which made VI
the greater part of the enormous bond
ed debt, which it at once becam
necessary to settle, in liquidatint
debts of the state, contracted prior t,
January 15, 1874. These debts wer
settled by democratic ad
ministration, and while the stat
was weighed down with &C
, cumulated obligations, imposed b,
republican administration, it went t.
/. work to maintain general system o
public free education, which ha
grown, as said, in the last ten year
, with proportions that will compar
, favorably with the system of an
country on the globe. The system
: grows while the fund grows, and tn
latter must soon be the most bounte
Gus. of all public bounties. The pei
manent public school fund of Texa
ought not to be a CENT less than on
hundred millions of dollars, and whe1
this sum is reached it will yield be
, tween five and seven millions of dol
, lars annuity as current fund. Tn
democracy of Texas has done all thi
for education; it was democracy whicl
sectionized the public domain for fire
schools; it was the democracy tina
set aside over two millions of acres o
public domain for state university
it has been the democracy that ha
contributed alike to the white and t,
the colored people in maintaining FIRE,
; schools. 1t has established free nor
NAL schools for whites and blacks, ant
it is democracy that will establish
branch of the state university for tn,
, higher education of colored youths
The accumulation of the permanent
, fund, which is certain and constant il
, continually providing the means TO
adding to the free school system. L
is the work of democracy, and tn,
world is asked to produce anything
SURPRISING is.
The Nineteenth Legislature.