The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-11-16
NUMBER 81.


aid. The bill, which passed the
Senate at the last session, proposes
to act through State school systems
in subordination and auxiliary L
State authorities, and steered as fal
as possible from bureaucracy ant
Capitalization. The distribution
was not based on population in tn,
aggregate, but on the illiteracy O
the school population. ascertaincd OF
ascertainable from the sworn return:
of the census. 1t rightly recognized
illiteracy, not as local or sectional
but as a national question of para
mount Importance, imperilling oul
representative institutions. Tn,
North may be geographically and
practically severed from contact
with the negroes; but she cannot
hope to be exempt from the indus
trial, social, moral, and political con
sequences of their illiteracy. TIL,
North emancipated, citizenized and
enfranchised the negroes; and from
these three distinct, substantive
acts there is resulting obligation to
qualify them for citizenship and suf-
frage that cannot be honestly ignor'
ed or evaded. 1t will no longer sat
isfy conscience or reason to say that
the South enjoyed the fruits of slave
labor and must now pay for the edu-
cation of the freedom, for since APP.
pomattox quarter of a century has
elapsed, and majority of the me-
groes now living were never in legal
bondage to any man.
The aid proposed, if given in bulk,
is not as much as is given every
year to soldiers and claim agents in
the way of pensions, and would be
about one-fourth of the annual ex-
penditures of the Government; but
the bill appropriates only 100000
the first year and an average Of only
$l0,000,000 for the period of eight
subsequent years. This trifling and
temporary sum, to be paid over to
State officers, is to be expended in
the common schools on the right and
healthful condition that no greater
part shall be paid out to any State
in one year than the sum expended
by that State out Of its own reve-
nues. To us an illustration of Sena-
tor Blair, in Florida, for instance,
could receive by the provisions OF
the bill $125 for each child, in order
to get that the State would have to
raise within itself an equal amount
thus securing for each child's edu-
cation $3.50.
Our liberties and the perpetuity
of representative institutions are in
separately interviewer with free
schools. Recently there have been
strong and persistent efforts in be-
half of 'parochial Schools" and the
advocates of them, as substitutes
for State schools, have manifestly
increased their activity. If common
schools fail at the South, or linger
in feebleness and insufiiciency, the
parochial schools will acquire in
creased strength, if not predomi.
nance. If parochial schools become
influential and powerful, and take.
in any degree, the place Of the State
schools, the denominations control-
ing and supporting them will clamor
for their share of school revenues.
When religionists become a compact
body and act politically as unit,
they can often control municipal or
State or Federal elections, and par
ties and candidates, from policy or
cowardice, will soon be yielding to
the demand for partition Of funds.
What has been done in some cities,
will be repeated dsastrously
throughout the land
The South, in her past history,
from the administration of Washing
ton to that of Harrison, inclusive,
has been conservative. Often have
her statesmen and her public opinion
interposed to preserve the ancient
landmarks and prevent departures
from the Constitution and the precc-
dents of the fathers. She has been
as much maligncd as misunderstood.
If true to the free schools. she can
save representative Government and
our civil and religious liberties.
Her freedom, present and prospec-
tive, from heterogeneous and foreign
elements, and her consciousness OF
the perils from the race question,
should make her again, as often
heretofore, the great conservative,
controlling, saving section of the
country
For the present and for few
years to come, national aid is our
only hope. The South, has favored
the measure. Both political parties
in Virginia have incorporated it in
their platforms. There could not be
stronger need for the aid than now.
The next session of Congress offers
encouraging opportunity for accom-
what we have longed and
labored for The children, the coun-
try, our freedom, the warnings of
the oppressed of the Old World,
unite to make us put forth strong
and united effort to remove and pre-
vent illiteracy and save our free
schools. j. l.. M. CURRY.
Va.
l respectfully and earnestly ask
the newspapers Of the South, politi
cal, religious and educational. to
this aDpeal,