Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1894-02-25

the plalns ol Nebraska IN the heart OF
the Rocky mountains, upon the very
crest Of the sierras of Nevada, the
schoolhouses grew and increased in
number and size. Everywhere in the
new states the free school stood like a
sentinel of civilization. The system
f1ourished in the cities and wilderness
alike; it became q chain and linked the
oceans together and embraced the des-
TIMES of the Republic, and has become
the very foundation. OF our political
institutions. An intelligent people
may be sovereigns-but none others
can be. The growth was stupendous
In 1890 there was in the United States
between the ages of five and twenty
years, 22,447 1892 school children. In
1898 we employed 1863, 634 teachers, and
paid them and superintendent $685..
791 900. The total expenditure upon
public schools was $148, 724,647. ]
would not omit naming our own ter
ritory as recipient of the blessings Of
free school. Here, its value was quickly
seen. l am proud to state this fact
that Arizona expends more money an
nually for educational purposes accord
ing to population than any state in the
Union, and the census of 1890 shows a
larger percentage of her white popula-
lion able to read and write than does
that of the great state of Massachusetts.
We are building state here. The
star of Arizona will soon twinkle in the
cerulean blue of the American flag.
Now l am not against thrift. In the
hills, | would have the ceaseless drop OF
the miners stamp and the continuous
clash and clang of pick and drill, and
in these fair valleys the endless whirl
of countless spindles; but first and fore
most, would have every child to read
and write, to know that we get cutlery
from Sheffield, wine from France,
india rubber from South America,
cochinsal from Mexico, indigo from
Central America, teas from China, silk
from the looms of Lyons, furs from
Alaska, cotton from the Carolinas,
cloths from the mills OF New Nngland,
wheat, barley, fax and hemp from the
northwest, silver and gold from the
mines of Montana, Nevada and Ari-
IONA. l would have him read the
epochs of the worlds history, the
progress of christianity, the career oil
Mahomet, Luther's defiance to the Diet
of Worms, the story of William Tell, Of
Alfred and the Cakes, and how English
barons made an English king sign the
Magma Charta at Runnymeda. He
should repeat the declaration of indie
pendence, and the emancipation procla
nation. would have him to know the
cause of day and night, summer anC
winter, the laws of cold and heat, tina
the earth il a sphere and not a cube
and that the moon is reflector, anC
not producer of light, before h,
learned to compute in compound inter
est at bankers table. Before the dol
lar obscured his. vision he ough. tt
know that Plato was philosopher
Swedenborg mystic, Montague 4,
sceptic, Shakespeare poet, Goethe
writer, Napoleon soldier, and tina
Washington was the father of hi
country and Lincoln, martyr!
The state may build hospitals for th
sick, asylums for the insane, poorhouse
for the poor, and prisons for the GRIMM
ais, but 1 would first dedicate the frs
fruits of all taxes to building school
houses and paying school teachers
/ Why not? 1t is the duty of the gov
eminent to protect life and property
Ignorance is the greatest danger whic
can threaten either. Mobs destro
both, and mobs are but the efferves
cence of ignorance. Had they bee
taught to find pleasure in the exercis
of the intellect, to fear God, to respec
authority, and seek redress for real o
fancied wrongs by peaceful and Lawful
means, there would have been n
banding together for violence. TIL
government spends millions in buildin
massive prisons, steel cages, solitar
cells, gives and locks, gallows all
electric chairs. Spend one third g
much for educating every man born il
or coming into the country, and thes
prisons and cells would be vacated
Crime diminishes as learning increases
The cultivated do not need government
and the people are best governed VIII
are least governed. 1 must bid 20
farewell.
Martin Luther declared If he wer
not preacher he would be a teacher
It may be that there ia degree of di
ference in the callings, as one star i
different from another in glory, but tn
teacher is entrusted with the minds {
the coming generations, and being 6
entrusted, has in his hands the freedom
the happiness and the glory of tn
country. There is no sursr road to tn
stars! Verify, verify, they shall hay
their reward.
Much credit is due Superintendent
Wallam, Hon. F. j. Netherton, Prof
Lee, James, Wilson, Storment, Go.
Fitzgibbon, Fulton, Barnes, Ray, 'Gi
more, Case, and Misses King, Crothel
and Garlick, and also the several mi
steal societies which contributed {
much to the success of the institute.