The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1886-07-24
Judge Gunby -As'raigHs ti.e States ans:
Fiy9rs Federal Aid for Eaucafi0E,

Jadge Gunby A.raigHs tLe States ana
Fayors Federal Aid for Education.
MONROE, La, July II, 1885.
Editor Daily States:
III your issue OF the 10th you indorse
in the editorial headed "Sound Doc
trine," II mos. unfair criticism Of a re-
port Of my speech at Vernon, La, I
cOnnOt expect to convert so cntightcn-
ed u Journalist as yourself to my views
nor can / expec, 10 avert the political
anathema you have uttered agains, all
those who advocate national aid TO
education. But as your declaration
that "yon will not support or vote for
any man" who favors such measure
includes both of our distinguished
Senators, most ofour present Congress
men, and such able men as George,
Lamar, Brown, Garland, and Jackson
OF Tennessee, who, shortly after his
unanswersble speech, in favor of the
Blair bill was thought worthy to beo
come United States Circuit Judge, a
do not know but that poor devil Of l
candidate for nomination should feel
proud to err with such men? l think,
l. Can S1il1 4cc1 IAC u Dc1oOCIaI iA
such company!
But while T must despair of the
political support Of your sterling paper
I wish TO be understood by it. John
g. Calhoun in 1886 reported and sup.
ported bill to distribute surplus In
the National Treasury among the
States for educational purposes, If it
was constitutional and advisable then,
how much more so is it now in the
South, where sc veral millions of illit.
crates have been made citiZnns sud
denly? When from mental darkness,
they have been ushered into tho iui;
day Of liberty, what could be more
just and proper than that the surplus
in our treasury should be used as John
G. Calhoun used it fifty years ago:
You speak about the willingness Of
the South to educate her own people.
DR.. Curry and DR.. Mayo, experienced
educators aud profound students OF
human history, have .complimcnted
the South on her splendid efforts 80
educate her people, and l would, join
in the paean with trumpet voice. But
they say she is unable to cope with
the task, aud [ say so too. 1t is we'll
enough to talk proudly Of ourintention
to help ourselves, but the fact remains
that our people are not educated, and
we have not got the means to afford
sufficient and reasonable opportunities.
In the late war, many brave soldier
died on the field Of battle who could
neither read or write. Think OF it,
A man giving his life for q country
that had not thought enough of him to
teach him to write his name! Bat il
seems that you think it shame for
the South to assume tho role OF bog.
gar. She must not beg, forsootb! You
speak az if the Federal Government
were a foreign, alien nation-not our
own government. ! thought that
Louisiana was part and parcel Of the
government at Washington, aud that
we owned an interest in the money Of
this nation, Have we not right to
do what we will with our own? The
money is in the sreasury--our treasury
and when we seek TO appropriate ii
to our schools, to talk of s'begging," is
surely folly IN a,ticulo norris!
l am in favor of practical statesman>
ship in the South. While floods of
money are yearly pouring into the
North and West, tits equitable "a well
as necessary and constitutional that
the South should DO aided to develop
both her material and her mental
resources. "The end of all government
is the good of tho governed" From
every standpoint, constitutional. moral
equitable, social, natural and dem>
! ocratic, this question of national aid to
education has been argued and advcca-
ted by as learned and pure Democrats
and statesmen as America ever pro-
duced. ! cannot suppose, Mr.. Editor,
that you have failed to read and study
these great arguments, but one thing
you have not done: You have not
answered them. Yours truly and
| respectfully,