The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-05-17

fore, he said. shall read In the Bible right
Mt once; Jim shall be doctor. ana shat.
read in tho medicine book. and Tom snail
be a lawyer and read In the law BOOK.
You. too. think one can learn to read from
any kind OF a book; the same kind OF book
viii do anywhere.
Even with one kind OF plow you can
not pillow all kinds of land; much less Is
ono kind Of text book adapted 10 all loca-
tions and all minds, where diversity is SO
much greater than In land, Especially
would schools where the children OF I'M
disadvantage.
Gentlemen of the house, a text book man
told me with great pride and satisiactlon'
II do not listen to the counsel OF teachers
listen to the People" Yes. you listen 10
tho people, but to what kind OF peoule'
Certainly not to the intelligent portion OF
the people. but to such who are on tue
same limo with the father who wanted his
boys to begin with the study OF profession
right at once That's the kind Of people
you listen to. You say, We do not listen
in educational matter to the teachers, hut
TO the people Let me explain your say
ing: You mean TO say In educational mat
tors you do not listen to the teachers. but
to the people. In case OF sickness, you lis
ten to the people. too. Tor instance. 10 your
tailor, and in low case you 40 for advice
to shocmake. That's the Kind Of people
W no 'idlNoI lpl SuCu u law. nllG WuNSN SVil-
timoats YOU voice, but declare that this
IS not tho voice Of the people but of the
thoughtless mob of Texas, MIR. Speaker
and gentlemen OF the house | think "A
leather medal should be struck ana tho
advocates Of this bill should he decorated
wleth 1t. moriied reward for their ASSN
Unity.
You friends OF tho people who wish so
much to ondear yourselves to them by pro-
tectiug them, who are so anxious TO be the
guardians OF their welfare, you are about
Ia take a step that deprivps them Of one
of their rights to soft government. Surely.
you do not mako the people strong aud
able to take care Of themselves. II YOU
take away all chances Of exercising their
judgment in their own affairs. ! say. In
stead Of taking their rights OF local self
government away from them. you rather
should increase their rights. throwing
safeguards around against thoir abuse. This
cry OF protecting the ignorance OF the
people. and under that preteNt taking away
from them their rights, is the greatest
danger to our republic. How do you expect
them to vote tutelliceutly on great State
and national issues that are beyond their
observation. II you deem them too unwiso
To- manage their local affairs, that are un-
der their very eyes and of which manage
ment YOU try to deprive themT l advise
you 10 let them manage this school book
question AMONGST themselves onactng
only such a law that will guide them. 1t
is this free play OF individuality. tempered
BY as fcw laws as possible. that has made
this country so great and powerful DO
not interfere with IT, When Western Flu
rope has become paraiyzcd by military rule
and police regulations this country will
be inhabited by "A self governed people
whose Individuality and activity Is pro-
footed. hut not paralyzed, by law. While
now n great part OF the American youth
. 4.
the center OF high culture and civilization.
I see the time coming when the prngi egs
Of mankind In It's Western march will have
It's ceuter in this free country. First. We
ind Asia. the country where the first hui
man progress was recorded. and where
civilization conferred. Thence 1t migrated
To glorious, ancient Greece and Rome next
and, at present. Western Europe is CON
siiprcd rs the center of civilization. Cur
country has entered already the struggle
for the supremacy Of mind. and when the
Development Of individuality has been laid
lame by the rule of mlltarism in Western
Eurouc see the time coming when that
country viii look up to us for new ideas
when old Europe will send her children
FOR education to us. 10 ho refreshed by the
untamcd spirit of our institution. l say.
Mr. Speaker and gentlemen OF tho house
that | shall forever be opposed to n bill
that takes without cause from the people
tends TO smother the development Of in1l-
viduulity and replace It by dcaihlike I'M
iformty. and before YOU take such an
important step, | advise You to critically
examine the consequences ask You Ia
put your stamp Of GlSaprroyal on a bill
that inierferes with the rights OF the pep-
pie. Some Of you say that You are indi-
Nidually opposed 10 n, but thnt the peo-
pie demand such law. | tell YOU the pco-
/ pie II this country never clamor that their
rights be- taken away from them In that
case they would tnke q stop that subveris
I the direction Of local self government. sc
I dear to their hearts. Admitted that part
of the people clamor for II that tho great
majority is indifferent. | had rather hc
crushed hy their III viii than help them
make mistake that robs them Of one o.
their rights to self government, We ever
md that the people Of grand rcINblics
have cried after monarchy but | Womb
rather be ngh;ing for liberty and like Bru
! tus +" buried under th" r''i"" " q grea
republic than come out victorious like
Caesar above the wreck Of republic Gen.
tlcmcn OF the house, In contemplating tn,
law Of freedom. the fate OF republics ana
their hcrncs form moro majestic gnf
more venerable thnn all tho Bruiuses an,
Caesars. form that has deserved no,
only tho veneratlon OF tho new but tina
has challenged also the admiration OF tn
old world. tho form Of the founder of tn
doctrine OF local self government, gran,
Thomas jefferson, presents itself to my
mind. o. that the memory IF his glorinu
deeds, which has done so much TO inspir
and onllghten the minds OF Western Eu
rope he turned westward and send III
ray OF light to the brain Of his sons, tina
It NAV dispc the cloud Of Egyptian dark
ness that bears on their brain.
Gentlemen Of the house. sou are about l.
scll thn proud inheritance Of this man 70
the sake Of few dollars; but never cx
poet mo TO lend you helping hand II
uycrturnlng The doctrines Of Thomas JET
ferson. the doctrine OF local solf govern
ment
VICTORIA.