The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-02-06

To he Editor Of the lntRigencer.
slR:-A thoughtful article in the Febru.
airy number Of Hurper's Magazine adds
much Of interest 10 the discussion Of the
subject OF National aid to common schools,
and is timely comment upon the bill or
b lis nov before Congress under the pro.
visions oil which, If adopted, the surplus re-
venues of the country will DO donated the
States for educational purposss. Com.
mencing with 'the first act OF national i'm.
poItance, respecting the bestowment Of the
public land for the support OF education'-
viz: "An ordinance passed in the Con-
gress oil the Confederation 20th May, 1885,"
tho author shows that by Successive laws
and ordinances" the general Government
has donated for the benefit Of educational
interests il the several SAFES, an aggregate
OF one hundred and seventy five thousand
square miles OF territory. or abou. one
thirtieih par. Of the entire national domain
in round numbers, thirty millions o.
dollara.
In 1871 Congress granted FIVE hundred
thousand acres each to tho States OF Ala
bama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Louisi.
ara, Michigan, Mississippi md Missouri
Tor purposes Of internal improvement and
an equal grant has been made 10 each
State since admitted to the Union With the
exception Of two-Texas and West Viz
ginia-aDd OF the number, six Of the
slatep, viz: California, Iowa, Kansas, Orc.
gon, Nevada and Wisconsin have BY con.
stitntional provision set apart the proceeds
OF tho Gales Of lands due them-abou. three
millions OF acres-ior the support Of free
schools. In 1862 came the moas important
donation Of land ever offered by the gen.
eral Government, and was accomplished
by the act donating y . ITO States
which may provide colleges for the benefit
of agriculture and the mechanic arts"
Twenty-two Statee, through their Lesisla-
lures, established colleges under this act
within FIVE years from tho late o; It's pass-
age, and in 1878 Each State, exce1 tiug
Florida and Colorado, had oreanizol
u college and accepted the grant. Under
this act tho West Virsinil University was
established. OF he 100000 acres thus
donated New York received Slightly more
than onetenth, endowipg Cornell Uni
vtIsity. Massachusetts divided her sbare
between the Agricultural College at Am.
herst and tho Institute Of Technology a.
Boston, while q large majority 0: the re-
naming States established colleges Of agri.
culture. Ill 1903 All act was passed giving
to Ohio ) percent Of the net proceeds from
sales Of public lands within her borders,
and with the exception OF Maine, Texas
and West Virginia lin neither OF which
did the National Government own land) n
similar grant has been made 10 every State
admitted since Ohio.
The author Of tho paper intelligently
discusses the QUESTION raised as 10 the
right as well as tho duly Of the national
government to provide for tho education
OF the mases, citing numerous emiueut
men from every gection-Senator Brown,
Of Georgia, Senator Morrill,, OF Vermont,
AID Others OF equal prominence-who
have expressed approval OF the policy, and
presents an additional argument in labu-
lar form, giving the exact proportion Of
these item years old and ovel) ia each
State who cannot reaJ. West Virginia
makes an exhibit OF IL percent in that
table Of illiteracy. The highest percent
900 q is in Nav Mexico; the lowest lo ~ in
Iowa. As to section, tue Southern States
present the highest percent which is NC.
counted fo' by tho presence there OF a
large prep, ndctance OF the colored ele-
ment, whose educational advantages prior
10 the war was aomewhat prescribed %, in
addition to which was the peculiar s, stem
Of society described by Senator Brown
when be said that under the old system
We (,he Southern people, looked more to
the education Of the ruling class than we
did to tho education OF the whole mase."
Referring TO the several propositions
more recently advanced In Congress look,
ing to the better education Of the people,
the generation OF boys and girls as yet un-
able to write their nEmes, who have but
little present prospect for proper facilities
for the acquisition OF learning, tho author,
citing the Peabody donation, with lis bere.
ticent results, asan example, makes an in.
direct appeal Tor The passage OF the fneas-
ure referred to ut the beginning Of this mr.
ticle, in these words: "rhe hope is enter
tanned that before the adjournment Of the
Forly.eiyh.h Congress provisionse even more
generous than those OF Of 1857, or Of the net
Of 1868, or OF tho educational bills OF 1880
and 1852, will he made Tor the education of
the people who now cannot read tbs bal.
lots they cast" III
have not attempted to do moro than
present tho mere outline II the valuable
information and suggestions which the ar
ticle contains. do not desire 10 trans
gress upon your space to do more. But
fancy enough is given TO excite On interest
| sv,H 81, al ,.+hs ,,,l
doubtless ere long command much space
and more time for discussion-and these
who desire it can obtain, road and digest
the sensible conclusions reached by The
author from whom quote. G. Vi. s. Il
February4, 1854.