Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1885-10-29

dangerous consequences that are likely to follow and result from the con
tnuance of this condition of things. One of the alarming tendencies y
." lay Is ue ue 81 money, now enormously aggregated and concentrated
IN the hands of the few, in controlling elections, which involve oreo
public questions and policies. This use will become more and NOR
prevalent and more and more dangerous with the continuance Or increas
of an ignorant voting population. Inthe efforts that will be made to secure
this ilhterate vote for party success and party supremacy, party polite
VIII inevitably degenerate 10 lis h1a; party methods will become nmrt
corrupt, and party policies more and more communisic and agrariankir
their tendency, while private rights and public obligations will be less M,
less respected and protected. With an iliterate voting population holdine
the balance of power, we will, step by step, and as certainly as day follow
night or night the day, reach a corrupted suffrage, the ozyyy ounJ oEAe
ShHdtoH 10 auae governments"
The evils and dangers reach beyond the locality in which that sud
may be exercised, Their effects are coextensive with the povernr&I,s
whose policies are thereby controlled. No r%ghtthinking man can, III
moment suppose that it would be conducive. to the welfare of the cod 4
Tor any one or more of the States to become the scene of wdesp ikH
corruption in political methods, As sectional questions are settled aMEdd
sectional anlnoSIhes are buried and forgotten, as they should be, we Nav
expect to see the important financial and economic problems of govern.
ment attracting more and more the attention, and dividing more andA vH
the nnid opinions PIN 1o5, of tn. .t educated odn.s ID classes a $ Of ts - - Ea&
political contests, of such political agencies and a such f@{ #sEHs3hTcJ
as | have hurredly stated. WksTP1
l 10 d refer TO these dangerous results attendant upon an iliterate
voting population in any partisan spirit. The evil consequences thence
resulting affect all political parties, but above all party uiumphs they in
vove the peace and welfare of the entire country and the perpetuhy Of
republican institutions.
fohuCaI parties are but the means to an end, and that end is O shorld
De- the countyS honor, peace, prosperity and preservation.
Instead OF attempting to counterfeit the tendencies to party orruphon
by federal supervision OF elections in the States it would be a far wiser
and more enlightened policy for the General Government to aid the States
IN. qualifying an lllterate citizenship, common to both, for the intelligent
exercise of suffrage.
But let us turn to another branch of this man ysided subject Tho
PeVanhS nA'efacy mas important industrial bearings and relations which
concern the general welfare, and which may well claim the attention Of
the General Government and justify its cooperation with the States in the
effort to correct. llhteracy leads to the degradation of labor; to the
ulnAhuuoh Oh It's productive power, and to the remrdment Of the material
development and prosperity of the States in which it prevails and I'm fine
direct proportion to the extent of its existence.
The productive force lost to The country by ilteracy is enormously
large; Larger by millions than the expense that would be involved in its
removal Carefully conducted investigations, instituted in 1870 and
carried on by the Bureau OF Education at Washington, established these
Stnkngy interesting and important facts:
l. lhat an average Tree common school education, such as now pro.
"oed IN me common schools OF the country, adds 50 per cent. to the
productive power OF the hborer, considered as a mere productive ma.
chine.
2. That the average academical education adds 100 per cent
:. That the average collegiate or university education adds from ~ q
300 per cent to his average annual producing capacity, to say nothing Of
the immense addition to his elevation.
Now, assuming that the labor of the A. ao4,a52 ilGterate adults in the
United States would reach only the minimum value of $500 each. the
annual loss to themselves and to the country for the lack of simple COM
mon school education at $50 each would reach the immense sum Of
.$2Io, 100000. Take the adult male ilterates of the thirteen disinc6vev
southern oateS' numbering now over 100000, place their labor at the
minimum annual value of $rzo, add thereto hs-ydrsr-ssnss.~~ksssxA
common school education would give to their productive capacity, and
we have the sum OF Us ooo,o 900 as the annual pecunlary benefit to be
derived for the individuals and States in which they reside, to say nothing
of the private, the social and political advantages that would also follow
lake our own State with her $4,000 adult male lierates, assume their
labor to be OF the annual value OF $12o, add the 20 per cent to their
productive capacity which will result from a common school education
and there will be a gain to those persons and to the State of 1000 900
annually. Regarded from this lower standpoint, economy towards edu
cation Is extravagant wastefulness IN material benefits.
But the subject has wider bearings than this. The South, with its rich
and lnexhausuDle resources and mineral wealth, is just entering upon a
new era OF wonderful. industrial development. We need especially skilled
labor to meet the demands Of our changed conditions and new surroundings
In order tosuppy this necessity Of our situation we must either educate the
labor IN our midst or leaving It in Ignorance. as a social and noiicoI
cancer to work out its dangerous results, we must seek the required labor
from other sources. That the former is the wisest and safest course ad.
mts of no question, when the facts are understood. In the Southern
States there were in 1850, {, 100000 persons 10 years of age and over
engaged in all the occupations and professions. OF these 100000,
over 50 per cent, were unsklled aborers. Who can estimate the ad-
vantages in the way of material development that would result from hay
ing this vast and comparatively unproductve force converted into skilled
labor?
Who can depict or forecast the future growth, prosperity and glory of the
South under the impulse it would give to diversified industries, which
would arrest or put an end to the ruinous policy heretofore pursued OF
making commerce of our 'av maya, representing only the minimum
of embodied labor.
For centuries England has given close attention to the subject of skilled
labor, and employed every available means to encourage it in her work
men. She spent millions In fostering its growth; she forbade its emgra
ton and the expectation of its inventions and improvements. O Of
these restrictions continuing in force until 1912. What is the result !?
We see that little speck upon the face of the globe, with a manufacturing
or industrial capacity equal to Co., 100000 man power, dominating the
commerce of the world. But in aiming at and in securing this com.
mercEl supremacy she pursued until recently, the policy of simply making
skilled machines OF her wageearnlng people. OutsiyahonA demandsaa
different policy. We should aim at securing the levatDEDfrhssJNose
while increasing his productive capacity. The 4naaxsA AsrsjS m
and his rights and duties as a citizen require this more enlightened