The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1888-01-12

ponds on its aggregate physical
mental and moral force. The high.
est aggregate of this can only be
obtained by enlightenment-en-
lightenment can only come to the
masses through the agency of the
public schools.
"At present 10 this matter of edu-
cation, we labor under great many
disadvantages which will be over
come in time by the influence OF
the progress of the age and the la
Dor of the few. Among the obsta-
Giles to be overcome in our road to
education of the masses is the un-
reasonable prejudice in our people
against public education Men of pro-
perty feeling their ability to educate
their owe children, as they under
stand education, are opposed to be
ing taxed for the purpos. ofeeiucat.
ing the children of other people.
They seem not to know that by a
general education of the masses the
community in which they them
selves live is made more prosper
Gus, the value of their lands in
creased, aud all values in which
they have their money invested
are enhanced, thus increasing their
own riches, just rs business
proposition-addiDg a dollar to
their riches for every pitiful cen.
they pay out in the way Of taxes
for the support OF public schools.
Besides the pleasure of life and as
sociation in the community are in
creased-life, liberty and the rights
of property are nare secure; 500
is of more value; will buy more of
the real Pleasures of life ia a cult
vated and enlightened country than
wagon full of money will buy in
the wilds of Africa. A man in
creases his wealth in proportion as
he increases the pleasure-purchas-
ing power of his money.
''On this principle what better in
vestment can be made than in
schools? We can well afford it, and
it is a better Investment to pay a
greater tax for school purposes
than for all other purposes for
which taxes are levied. If we raise
the salary of, our teachers we can
decrease the tax levied for the pay.
msnt Of costs of criminal proseou-
tions. Education is a better safe
guard to life, liberty and property.
In a free country than standing
army, and if we reduce the wages Of
the school master we must raise
the wages of the police.
If time permitted l might give
you statistics showing some of the
advantages to state re-
sulting from general education-a
general education resulting from a
system of free schools supported
by taKation. | will stop long
enough to compare Massachus sets
and Tennessee:
Massachusetts has no minerals
has a soil that will hardly sprout
blaekeyed peas until it is MANFRED.
The poorest land in this county is
a garden spot in comparison. She
has nothing as basis of her wealth
but her educated aud skilled labor.
She sgoes westa of the Allegheny
Mountains for ner Subsistence and
fuel, and comes away down south
for her raw cotton, which she car
ries hundreds upon hundreds of
miles into that Inhospitable, poor
country, where there is six months
of winter, and there manufactures
cottons and calicses st such a prof
it as to make her population the
richest in the United States. If
the entire wealth of Massachusetts
were divided out equally among her
dense population, there would be
over $1,000 to each man, woman
and child.
"On the other hand Tennessee pos
sesses a fertility of soil and eli
mate and a capacity for a varied
product unsurpassed by any state
in the union. She has within her
borders coal, iron, copper and some
gold. She has great variety Of
valuable timber. If fenced il by
Chinese wall she would be indepen-
dent Of the world for all those
things in use among civilized
nations. But she has no proper
system of public schools, and con-
sequently no educated and skilled
labor capable of utilizing natures
great gifts to her, and as a conse-
quence if all her wealth were di-
Fided out equally among her sparse
population it would be less than
$500 to the head"
TAXPAYER.