Middletown transcript., 1892-09-15
WHERE THE RESPONSIBILITY
RESTS.
JAMES A. B. DILWORTH.


That generous friend of the Ameri-
can farmer and farmworker, the
Protectionist, delights to point to ex-
isting conditions, as an evidence OF
the benefits derived from the protec-
tive tariffs. We Will for a moment
accept his method of reasoning, and
apply it to the present conditions
existing upon the Delaware and
Maryland Peninsula.
1t is the boast Of the United States,
that higher education has been the
ruling passion of her people.
Seeking after knowledge has always
been the prime motive of the average
American. And to give his children
the benefits of an education, has
always been his desire and to have
accomplished it, has always been his
pride.
Does the public school system OF
the Delaware and Maryland PENN
sula, offer any better opportunities
for education to the young people
than was offered to the young people
of the Peninsula between 1850 and
1860? Let each man who now has
children, and was himself then a
child, consider we'll this question. l
am not going to draw comparison,
further than to reiterate the state
ment made few years ago, by q
Senator from New Castle County, in
the Delaware Legislature, which was
to the effect, that his father who titled
no more land, made no better crops,
nor was none the less economical than
himself, was enabled to give his
children the benefits of an academic
education but he found it exceeding.
ly difficult to keep his family even
for few months of the year, in the
public school.
Now if the desire to educate their
children, be the great ambition Of the
average man of the Delaware and
Maryland Peninsula. why is it, that
their children are not enjoying the
benefits of that higher education !
have shown in a previous arti Gle.
that they should have much better
opportunity than was offered thell
fathers, and think that l have
shown that the reason they do not
possess the additional advantages, is
because of an unnatural obstacle
placed in their way by legislation.
do not propose to assert that the
protective features of a revenue law
is wholly responsible for the fact, thai
an education for farmer or farm.
workers son to-day, is even more
difficult than it was thirty years ago
But if the ProtectioDists claim fol
the laws of their creation, the credi
of clothing the farmers in factory
produced garments, rather than IL
homespun, and of having substituted
the tin dipper in place of the gourd
and thu driven we'll in place Of th'
old cumbersome bucket, they mus
also take the responsibility, of th'
difficulties which lie in the way o
the sons and daughters of the farm
ers and farmworkers of the Peninsula
from obtaining that so much desired
education" IF the Protectionist
claim as the result of their Legisla.
ton, that the glory of the palaces j
theirs, they must also assume the re-
sponsibility for the huts. If the.
claim for themselves the credit o
having produced the regiment o
millionaires, they must also accep
the responsibility for the gran'
army of tramps."
In truth, there is great deal Q
nonsense in ascribing to Legislation
certain results To the people o
America, educated to liberty, to in
dustry, and TO a thoughtful self
reliance, progres was only natural
That the progress might have beel
accelerated by a munifcent law ]
f true that it could be, and doubles
has been, retarded BY baneful lawl
e is equally true.
y The people of the United States il
the aggregate are rich. Their richie
9 however, partake too much of tn
8 nature of the Republican exhibit @
the tin and terneplate business
] There is too little little tin, and to
much terneplate to show an extra
ordinary wealth in tin-plate business
r There are many millionaires, an
e great monopolies. and powerful cor
r porations, and alas, there are to
0 many struggling men and women, /
e whom the problem of living is a
e actual tragedy.