The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-23
THE INNING RATION QUESTION.
Reasons Why Georgia Should Give
More Attention to 1t.

Reasons Why Georgia Should GIVE
More Attention to 1t.
| Editor Morning Netcs: The election is
now over, and want to have business
talk with you and your readers concerning
the future of Georgia.
came from the great northwest to the
south several years ago, having lived in
Florida most of the time since, but am
thoroughly interested in the building up of
all parts of the south, especially Florida
and Georgia.
Knowing what do about the west, l am
free to assert that there are far better open
ings in Georgia for the masses than can be
found in any part of the west, and if this
fact were generally known in the no tn the
population OF the state would double in less
than five wears, provided the state itself
takes tine necessary steps to induce immigra-
ton.
The soil, climate, fuel, and market icili-
ties are all good, and will commend them
selves to the people, but before anything
can be done there must be a deciu ed i'm
provement in the public schools of the
state. | believe that l am safe in aging
that Georgia has the poorest school system
i'll the United States, at least the
most defective that | know of.
No state can educate her Children by
setting apart only 81 for each pupil. Florida
appropriates S., and in Putnam county,
where / have been living for several years,
the amount appropriated for each regular
scholar in school is about $40 year. This
enables the board to employ good teachers,
and, as a consequence, educational facilities
in that county will soon be as good as they
are in many parts of the north. The people
of the colder regions, becoming acquainted
with that fact, are adding immene'y to
the wealth and population Of the county.
do not want to run Florida down in the
least for, taking into consideration tie eli
mate and push of the people, would 800 .er
live there than any place OF which have any
knowledge; but Georgia has far better
soil, while her climate is mild enough to
please immigrants generally, and if she will
take the proper steps she can secure three
immigrants to where Florida gets one. But
she must make her school system at least as
good as what Florida has; or, still better,
let her adopt system as good as the public
| school system of Kansas.
| Kansas to-day, in the point of immigra-
tion is taking the lead of all western states,
and there are just four things that are
| giving her this great advantage:
l. Her public school system, that for
thoroughness and general application has
no superior in any of the new states. The
| poorest boy in the state can receive an
education fitting him for any ordinary
| DuoiilGSS. luOuSduuS VI DtOplt diS oeUOlItlS
| there, largely on that account Ii Georgia
had as good school system, immigrants
would come here by the tens of thousands
2. Her strict prohibition laws. In this
respect Georgia Is taking a commendable
course that would induce Immigration,
were it not for her poor school system.
3. The railroads are employing
every known device to get
the people to purchase and settle on lands
| in, no hot md tbat fnO rirrht in, ba foo
! of almost starvation IN many of the western
counties. The railroads have it in their
| power to bring more people into this state
than ever went into Kansas, and there is
no danger of their starving here, for a
workingman who cannot make living in
Georgia is not wanted in any state.
4. All the newspapers III Kansas ale red
hot on the immigration question, and leave
/ not one stone unturned TO build up the
country. In this respect the press of Georgia
needs to make a decided improvement
Ii all the papers in Georgia would wade
| into this immigration bu mess IN dead ear
nest, they would not only soon double the
| population and wealth of the state, but their
| subscription lists also. Let them work the
people up to fever heat on that question:
| and then they will act, too. There il nc
use being anyways timid about it. Georgia
is a good state, with boundless resources
and with a few improvements in laws,
! would sooner have 1t than any of the west.
ern states, and / know good deal about
them.
Let every possible influence be brought
| to bear upon the lawmaking power of the
state to induce them to improve the school
| system, for there is no use in talking about
| immigration with our present Imperfect
school system. In this age of progress AID
! increased intelligence, parents cannot afford
| to settle where their C ildren cannot have
the advantages of good educational facili-
| ties. And that is just what is running the
rural districts of the empire state. The
absence of schools is driving most OF the
enterprising people to the cities, in order
that they may educate their children, thus
leaving the farming interests almost wholly
in the hands of the uneducated and poor.
Such a course will ruin the farming interest
of any state, north or south.
Besides all this, the educated and pushing
| young men of the north are coming into the
state and working themselves into these
| places requiring mental training, and are
showing the less favored sons Of Georgia tc
the rear, and thus cheating them out OF
their God given rights Give Georgia q
good school system and you will not only
repeople the rural districts with men and
women of wealth and culture, but
you will place the Georgia boys
| and girls on an equal footing
with their brothers and sisters of other
states, and thus give them an equal chance
in the race for wealth and fame. AS it now
is, all the schools Of any note are In the
towns, where the city children are educated
to the neglect of those in the county, this
| giving the city young man decided ad-
| vantage in the pursuits OF life, The
tendency is TO work all the intelligence and
wealth into the towns and leave the rural
districts destitute of both wealth and charm
J. H. MOORE.
Cherokee Enr11l IKnfLcr02S Ga