Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-04-09

LANCASTER. Z APRIL Q, 1855.
A Supernuous Measure.

A SupernnOus Measure.
The New York Erening Post has re- |
printed in pamphlet form, with the appro-
pirate title of "a Bill to promote Mendi-
cancy," !" its series of telling articles against |
the Blair bill; and good people who seem
to be at loss to know why such meas
ure should not pass Congress ought to
study the facts and figures of the argu-
ment. 1t needs no argument to satisfy in |
telligent minds that what man can do
for himself it is best not to do for him;
nor that the education of citizens and of
voters is a matter for the states and not
for the general government. But this
compilation most effectively demolshes
the statement of exceptional circumstan-
ces which have been relied upon to prove
that the condition of the South called for
such q measure as this Blair bill.
The illiteracy Of the freedmen voters is
most frequently cited as the ruling reason
for government aid to the states, without
confederation of the fact that its advan-
tages would not reach this class at all. 1t
Is only to be inquired whether the South
can and will do her duty by the new gener-
alton and to this the facts and figures
give emphatic and significant answer.
South Carolina, in 1874, under carpet-bag
rule, had only 11O,4l6 pupils in her public
schools. In 1884 the number had increased
to 1859. In Mississippi the number of
pupils rose from Ice, ,204 in 1876 to 266, 1896
in 1883. In Florida ten years increased
the annual roll of scholars from 20,9l1 to
6S,3ll. There is not state where the
gain has not been most gratifying. In most
commonwealth the percentage of chill
dren of the school age who attend school
already approaches that in the North-be-
ing. for instance, 63 per cent. in South
Carolina, and only SO per cent. in Maine
and in some Southern states it even ex-
ceeds the proportion in some Northern
states"
Again and again in the history of the
states it has been demonstrated that the
best schools and the hest results from them
are obtained in the commonwealths and
communities that are most self-reliant.
The public schools must draw their sus-
tenance from the people who are directly
or indirectly benefited" They never were,
they were never intended to be and they
ought never to become dependent upon
or controllable by the general government.
Especially is there no call for this when
the states seem to be doing their best and
are making constant strides in their edu-
cational work. Not only is the number of
pupils in tie schools of the South rapidly
increasing but the amount Of money
annually appropriated for educational
purposes in South Carolina and Tennessee
increased between 1880 and 1884 by nearly
80 per cent. Georgia, Alabama, Missouri,
Virginia and West Virginia, almost 40 per
cent. North Carolina and Florida, so per
cent. and Arkansas and Texas, consider
ably more than 100 per cent.
Nor are the blacks excluded from their
share of the benefits of this bounty. In
Mississippi, where they outnumber the
whites, the commissioner of education
says: The attendance of 1854 was largely
In excess Of that of any previous year, and
will, he supposes, be greater for 1885. Es-
pecially is this increase marked among the
colored people, showing more attention and
concern about the education of their chill
dren than manifested heretofore. 1t may
be truthfully said that the educational out
look of the state is hopeful, and the object
OF every one connected with legislation
should be to revise, improve and perfect
our school system" In South Carolina,
the other state in which the colored popu.
lation exceeds the white in numbers, the
governor says: The number of pupils en-.
rolled in the public schools during the ye Il
just closed was l7s,O23, of which 7S,4
were white and SO, ,5G5 were colored the
number of teachers employed was 1913,
being an increase of 50 over the number
employed during the preceding year; and
the number of schools was 1862, being an
increase Of 80 over the number in opera.
ton during the years lSS3-S4r
AS the Post suggests, the true method OF
comparison is to take the schools of today
with those of the North of twenty years
ago. There are but few states in the whole
South where the proportion of children Of
the school age attending school is moi
larger, and in many cases decidedly larger
tnan the 1850 record of 60 per cent. il
Maine ss the 81 per cent. in Tennessee, 81
N south Carolina, 6s in Missouri, 7S IL
west virginia, II in Delaware, 70 in Texa.
ana W In Florida show. Even in Mississippi
where the negroes largely outnumber tn,
whites and the load is consequently yer,
heavy, the ratio enrolled already two YEAR
ago was as great as in Maine twenty. .fiy,
years ago; and in South Carolina it i
K greater.
Constitutional reasons; educationa
reasons; economic reasons and due regar
for the self-respect which every common
!. wealth should have and keep, cry OF
>. ngninaf the Blair hill Beat II