The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-07-05
Education and Morality.

greatest danger was to be found
In the poverty, ignorance and
crime Of the cities. Ii was against
these that the American people
must direct their patriotic ener-
gies, and that is true. This speak
er predicted that hundred years
from now there would be 100000
600 IN the United States. We do
not doubt II, and the desire for an
increase Of population is one of
the manins of the nation. Every
city desires a large population.
We point to our rapidly increasing
millions IN the country with pride
But a large population is not the
principal thing to aim at. As the
peaker referred to said, if we
we're hogs, numbers would count
or something. But we are not
logs, with comparatively few ex-
ceptions. The Rural is glad to say.
The vast majority of the American
people are men and women, and
noble, high-minded children. The
American people are as noble
people as there is on earth. But
they are not without blacksheep in
the flock. We have hundreds Of
thousands Of men and women who,
if they we're quietly sleeping in
the cemetery, would In their silent
slupbers greatly benefit the ma
ton. But they are not dead, they
are full of life, and the worst kind
of life. We cannot kill them
though Carlisle got wonderfully
near the truth when he said that
society was organized to extermi-
nate such people. They are an
injury to themselves and to every
body else. But having them we
must do the best we can with them.
No effort should be spared TO
reach them with education and
moral influences and training; and
failing in that they should be driv-
en- behind bars and bolts and kept
there.
Society should awaken to the
necessity of self-protection. Edu-
cation, as q protective measure,
should b. more thorough and more
practical The wealth of the
country should be more heavily
assessed 70 sustain broader and
better education. 1t is to its own
interests to have the masses edu-
Gated; and having done all that
should be done to educate every
body, men should be held strictly
responsible for their crimes, and
the foolish, soft-headed, soft-heart-
ed sentiments that plead for mercy
for red-handed criminals and
chronic depredators upon the
rights Of others should cease. The
city, as at present constituted, is a
danger. It Is a leaven OF evil, and
the sooner we awake to a realiza-
ton of that fact the better off we
shall be. When Daniel Webster,
standing IN the midst of the stony
acres of his native New Hampshire
was asked by a visitor. why,
Mr.. Webster, what do you raise
here? he replied: I'VE raise men,
sir" That is-the proudest, grand
est product of any nation,
men fully developed, physically,
mentally and morally. If we had
paid half the attention to the i'm
proyement Of the human race that
we have paid to the improvement
Of our domestic animals, the stand
ard Of laur manhood and Of our cit
izenshfs you'd have been fifty per
cent hi2 her than It is. But while
we havs been careful to stock the
country with splendid horses, cat
ane. hogs, we have left great
rds Of human beings In our CT
sk degenerate under the inhu-
ees5of vice and ignorance, until
undred besotted. red-eyed, hot
afI,ed, bloated-faced men can
found IN an hours search that
not worth as much to the world
as moderately valuable
horse or hog. It is not the way
for a republic to do. We want
men; men Of character; men with
unclouded intellect; men with keen
conscience; men with perception
TO see the right and with courage
70 do right, and every man in this
Republic needs to be a man of that
kind, if we would have certainly
permanent Republic and as bril-
liant future as awaits under the
most favorable conditions.-West-
ern Rural.