The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-01-26

| dlspensary mas become q part OF the
fixed policy of the State and as long as
our present constitution remains intact
1t is the, duty OF the Governor to see
that the laws governing it are enforc
ed, and it is the duty of all aw-abidine
citizens to labor for the same end, OF
at least to submit to the provisions o
the law.
1 believe the dispensary comes near.
er to the solution OF the liquor problem
than any other scheme yet propos.
cd by man. 1t may be necessary to
modify the law, but constant changes
are to Oe deplored. The dispensers
should be honest men, selected with.
out regard to party affiliations, and
when convicted OF crime should be
handled like other criminals. The
chief dispenser the board Of control
and all the higher officials should be
men whose honesty cannot be reasona-
| bly, questioned, and who should hold
| their places on account Of fitness and
| not for political reasons. An institu-
/ ttOn is known by its fruits, and it is
simply question whether prohibition
or the dispensary system will do most
to diminish drunkenness and its ac-
cOmpanying ills Upon moral grounds
and only upon moral grounds, the dis
pensary must stand or fall. The pro-
fit feature is OF secondary considera-
tion.
! EDUCATION-TIIE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
That it is the duty of the State to
provide for the education of her child
rem is now almost universally conced-
ed. He belongs to tho past and not to
the present who hopes to check the
growing demand for popular educa-
tion. The enemies of the public school
will find the entire drift Of modern
civilization against them. All the
leading nations of the earth have
founded, and are still cndeavoring to
perfect, systems of popular education.
Witness Germany with 10 per cent.
and France and England each with
16 1-2 per cent. Of their population in
the schools. To be relegaled to tho
rear is the fate OF every State that
fails to provide for the training of her
childreo.
Witness Spain, once the leading
power of Europe, with only 10 per
cent; Italy, once the home Of art and
science and culture, with per cent:
Turkey, at once the shame and disgrace
of Europe, with Upper cent; Mexico,
with 4 II, and Brazil With only per
cent. of her population at school.
The whole history Of modern civiliza-
VIVA pSoShSS Vhit, III struggle lOr
supremacy, the sceptre of dominion
passes not to the State most richly
blessed by nature, but to the State
that best succeeds in training its citi-
zens for all the duties of life, both pub
lie aud private, in peace and in war.
In comparison with cold and bleak
New England the South is paradise
And yet it must be confessed by all
fair minded men that long before the
desolating cyclone of war had swept
over our fair fields, power and do
minion were already passing rapidly
to tho North. We were already ap-
preaching condition of intellectual
bondage in the South. 1t has been
estimated by eminent authority that
this section paid annually to the North,
for many years before the war, not
less than $4,000, 900 for books aud edu-
cation. When New England cstab-
lished her free public schools and
strengthened her system of popular
instruction, she armed herself with the
power to wrest supremacy from the
South, which was content with pri-
vate and parOchial schools, and to
make good her claim to leadership far
more eifectually than she subsequently,
secured in the surrender of Lee at APP
pomattoX.
III
the generation Of men now rapidly
passing from the stage, whose courage
and fortitude were tested on hundred
hard fought fields, whose "energy
made bricks without straw and spread
splendor amid the ruins of their war
wasted homes !" but for the purpose of
emphasizing u truth which cannot be
too deeply impressed upon the minds
of the men into whose hands is COM
mlttcd the solemn responsibility of
moulding the destiny Of the State and
of making her future not unworthy of
her proud, inspiring past. TO see our
own shortcomings and to rise with
hrm Will to correct past mistakes is
the part OF wisdom. Vain conceit in
a State is no more to be admired than
in an individual.
Our schools are not what they ought
to be. In the opportunities they offer
their youth for education, the north
crn and western States have left us far
behind and this for reasons beyond
our control. The war left us confront
ed by the most serious educational
problem ever thrust upon a free peo-
ple-thc problem, it has been we'll
said, of educating three times the num-
ber Of children with one-third the
money. The war not only robbed us
" 'hoiS ohoh oO POI C0uG. vi our Idx-
able property, but it added at single
stroke to our school population hun
dreds of thousands OF illiterate ex-
slaves. In spite Of desperate odds, we
have been moving forward, but the
battle Is not yet won South Carolina
has not yet regained her once proud
position in this great republic. She
can never regain it until her people,
rising above all partisan hatred, unite
in one heroic effort to mako our sys-
tenn of public instruction inferior to
none.
1t is thus and thus only that we shall
triumph in the end. We should de-
velop our mines, build factories and
improve the fertility Of our soil but
our highest, our most sacred duty now
and evermore must be to improve the
quality of our citizenship, to develop
the mind and hearts of the rising gen
GRAFTON, for upon their intelligence,
virtue and patriotism the destiny OF
our State depends.
In monarchy, in an aristocracy, q
few great and good men may govern
the state wisely and well, but In gov
ernment OF the people, for the people
and by the people, illiteracy is shame
and disgrace and constant menace
to the safety of the State. All good
citizens sho lid unite in the effort to
improve our public schools to lengthen
the school term, especially in the
country TO encourage the foundation
of public libraries; to inaugurate a