New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-28
aRorT EDrC4TION IN GOTERNlNG'

A.. bonefuI spirit lifts many burdens put j. 1t
mot nosshc that Americans are expecting lio'"
nocro and other natives of CUBA. OF WHOM d"
largo proportion cannot read. ana from H'''l
nine soyacCS or TaCalS. OF whom It" le"N
Snonish better use of educational au'Hh'aN''
in self-goyernment than our own people nav
shown? Give them opportunities III local gov
orumcut il is said. to learn how good anu Va"
laws affect their welfare, how good anu Va"
,,Icrs orc produced. and let them then deVe'op
rroduolly the capacity to Judge about ana dire''
thoir own affairs on larger scale. EVerypou!
will admit that il sounds reasonable. SONIC
measure of Improvement in the faculty OF SUI
,,,lo should nj least be realized and Win 'ihie
ord hotter education of the majority the pe"pI'
may become fully qualified to maintain s'aoi'
opd worthy government without any supporting
and guarding arm. Every well wiSher must
homo 60 and vet are the roughs of Cuba or 'he
.raeols of Luzon able to get more education
from such training than the voters OF American
cities? ,,,.o
Now-York City may be taken as an lllusu"
+ion not ot MI because it is the worst but
Now.Yorl, has enjoyed over a century OF sell
government and is the most populous city ana
also thc chief centre of trade and of business
Tho single fact that responsible business inter
csts have more dependence upon good govern
,or+ hcro thon anywhere else and more TO lose
,,rouph had government would naturally make
tho oreot influence Of such concentrated inter
cets n most valuable aid I'm the educational
procoss Yet is Ncw-York so far satisfied with
it's government that it would take pride in see
Inc, . Novor Of Havana like Van Wyck or Dis
trict Attorney Of Manila like Gardiner or a
Chief Of Police in either city Ike Devery. or a
local hoard Of lawmakers like the City Council!
Would it probably help Cubans or Tagals to
higher regard for purity or integrity In local adj
ministration if they should see. rs Newly orkers
do. criminal hauns paying tribute regularly to
the persons in control Of the city government III
order to be permitted TO plumber the innocent
and unwary without molesation:
All have heard that such shameful things
have been done under Spanish rule hut educa-
ton under the Spaniards does not seem 10 have
uplifted the Cubans or others who have tried To
Use the same methods in Havana. nor the Ia
gals who have developed intoerable corruption
according TO general testimony. wherever they
have been intrusted with government OF local
affairs. A century Of experience. much of the
time under such rule as Tammany Democracy
gives has not made American voters Of this city
so Tar cOIlUIfIflIu ltS WI fli''l i'i ''i'' '''
they are ready to cast It off. Little spots In the
great city exhibit some leaning toward the Hght.
but when il is considered how few Assembly
districts show disposition 10 secure better
things by the ballot. what reason have we for
faith that year or two Of experience viii teach
Cubans or Tagas to vote with sense
1t IS partly question Of intelligence, and yet
not all The schools here arc many and enable
a great proportion Of the children 70 read. II is
not by illiteratc voters only that Tamnany cor
ruptiOn is sustained lis army OF supporters
embraces multiudcs Of educated men, profcs-
sonal men, capable business men and working
men able 10 read the productions Of Socialists
and Anarchists. How is il that all think II right
to expect great popular uprising of Cubans or
Tagals against bad government after they have
had q little personal experience Of IT, though
such experience does not prevent the continued
support of Tammany government, with all that
it implies, by the majority of voters in New
York; Or does anybody imagine that Cubans
or Tagals are 30 stupid that to them Dcvcry
government and Gardiner government Van
Wyck and Croker government, would seem TO
be good and for the welfare Of the pcopleI