St. Paul daily globe., 1889-06-16

state purveyors of shoddy cloth that
would be employed at public expense
for this purpose. And what more ap-
prOpriate, from the states point OF
view, than the national cOlOrS.
Imagine then every yOungSter IN the
land clothed by law in red coat, white
pants and blue vest, or striped skirts! !!
Or, conceive, if you can, the vast army
of cooks. sculliOns, diShwaShers, wait
erS and high-salaried wet nurses that
would have to be employed by the state
to provide food for the various tastes of
our children; or imagine them all l,yOung
and old. reduced by law to the black
broth of the LacedemOnians! The state
demands the right to educate our chill
dren because education is necessary to
make good citizens; but to make good
citizens is it not equally necessary that
she should feed and clOthe them?
But to put the states claim to the
right to educate our children for us in
the best possible light. let us analyze it
by supplying the following case, in
which again borrow the words OF the
late assistant attorney general.
LET us take from this very large
mass of school material a small quantity
of its essential elements, just enough to
be handled with ease and examined
with care. and we shall be the better
able to see what is the character of the
ingredients which go to make up the
system. In order that you, good reader,
may not accuse us of unfairness in our
selection of the particular sample to be
analyzed, we will allow you to choose
your own material. Then cast your
eyes around you among your friends
and neighborS, and name for us
two of the very best, pureSt, most
intelligent, highly-educated, and reli-
able men of your acquaintance. Let
them be men of your own religion, and
belonging to the same political party as
yourself. In word, let them be two
men to whom. in preference to all 9th
ers in the world, you would be willing
to entrust the guardianship of that
beautiful little girl of yours, should it
please God to take you and her mother
away from her during her years OF child
hood. Now, these two friends OF yours,
whom we shall call A and B. we shall
take 1t for granted. are the very best
material to be found in that great mass
of voters who control by their votes the
destinies and shape the character OF the
public school system as it exists In
your city.
Now, suppose these two model men
and neighborS should some day come to
your house and address you thus: Mr..
c., we are informed that you are the
father of a bright, beautiful and intelli-
gent little girl. now about seven years
old-just the proper age to begin her
education. We feel quite anxious that
she should be properly educated, and,
to tell you the plain truth, we are afraid
that if we leave the matter entirely with
you her education will be neglected.
Now here is what we propose to do.
t."We propose that we-your two best
frends-together with yourself, shall
all enter into written contract, bind
ing ourselves during your daughter S
minority to contribute annually GER
tain percentage upon the assessed value
of our property, which shall constitute
fund for the education of this, your
little girl. But it must.at the same time,
and in the same contract. be stipulated
that it shall at all times be in the power
of majority of us three to select the
teachers and the school books for your
child. Should you, against the wishes
and without the consent OF major
ity of us. take your child away and send
her to some school, you must agree 10
forfeit-shOuld we choose to exact it
not exceeding 500 for the first OffenSe,