The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-12-29
Lessons from the Census.


States, in round numbers, 100000
voters. OF this number, 1900, 900, or
one fifth of the whole number, were ILL
terate. One in every group of five could
not write his name one in every six
could not read his ballot. This vast army
of illiterates, armed with the most power
full franchise ever bestowed on man, have
power enough to change the results in
almost all of our State and National cleo
tions.
1.-THE uneducated freeman is slave.
The dupe of the designing and unprinei-
Piled demagogue, his powers may be en-
ployed, not only against society, but also
for his own destruction.
'Many have thought, and not without
reason, that illiteracy will prove to be
the sand-bank upon which our ship of
State will be stranded and destroyed.
"Of one thing we may be very sure /:
such franchise as universal suffrage
without commensurate education, Is
among the greatest perils of our free in
stitutions. And, what is more and more
alarming is, that, in spite of all the efforts
of Church and State and all other educa-
tonal agencies, iiliteracy is on the in
crease pi-American Journal Of Educa-
ton.
1--WE are now charged with the educa.
tion of eighteen million children aud
youth, who in less than ten years will be
the nation. Of these, ten and one half
millions are enrolled 10 public or private
schools, six millions is the average atten-
dance, while sesen and one. half millions,
or flve-twelfths of the whole, are growing
up in absolute ignorance of the English
alphabet. IL W. Blair.
THE REMEDY.
Principal Features Of The Blu for Federal
did for Public Schools Mat has passed
the Senate Of the 49M Congress, and is
noso pending an the House.
After an elaborate and exhaustive dis.
cnssion of more than three weeks, the
United States Senate passed National
Aid Bill by vote of SO yeas and / nays.
Eleven other Senators were in favor of
this Bill, but were .'paired, and did not
vote, making total of Al Senators iu-
dorsing the measure.
We print two sections, that the reader
may get better idea of the amounts to
be appropriated, and a part of the condi-
tions on which the aid is to be distri-
buted.
can act to aid 10 the establishment and
temporary support Of the common
schools.
''Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States
of America in Congress assembled That
for eight years next after the passage OF
this act there shall be annually appropri-
ated from the money in the Treasury the
following sums, to wit
1.-THE first year the sum Of $4,000
the second year the sum of S10,000,0 00
the third year the sum of SIC, 200, 900, the
fourth year the sum of $4,000, 600, the
fifth year the sum of 100000, the
sixth year the sum Of $0,000,0 900, the
seventh year the sum of $1,000, 900, the
eighth year the sum of So, 600, 900; which
several sums shall be expended to secure
the benefits of common school education
to all the children of the school age men.
toned hereafter living in the United
States.
SECT. 2. That such money shall an,
nually be divided among and pail out in
the several States and Territories in that
proportion which the whole number Of
persons in each who, being of the age Of
10 years and over, cannot write, bears to
the whole number of such persons in the
United States such computation shall be-
made according to the census of 1897
Millions for the improvement of our
rivers and harbors are expended from the
national Treasury. Why not apply por-
tion of its surplus to the improvement Of
our future men and women? The defen-
cos of nation are not its armies and
navies, but the character of its citizen
shin