The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-01-17
WEDNESDAY,. JANUARY L. 1900.
DANGEROUS Bill.

One of the most d1licl!t "a oie1HS lid =
our government has to deal with Is that
Of popular education. We believe In the
rubnc-school system, but there is in the
system a measure Of communism that
must be closely guarded. 1. viii not DO
10 bring up the children OF this country
with the idea that they are the children
of the Commonwealth and that they must
look TO the Commonwealth to supply their
needs Our Government is built upon a
principle that is radically different from
this. Democracy detests paternalism
Ii teaches that the greatest Of all things
liz this world is manhood. and that man
hood must be Independent. sef-assertire
and self-supporting. If the boys Of this
land are raised up with the idea that
: they must depend upon Government rath-
er than upon their Own exertions to get
along American manhood win soon be-
come thing of the past and We shall
have a nation Of pnlings.
We have time and again warned the
too-ardent friend of the public schools
that they were in danger Of defeating
: their own ends and creating popular pre-
JUDGE against the system. Already the
State assumes g certain control over the
children of the land and there is clash
of authority between the Government
ana the head of the family. In some
States attendance at school is made COM
pulsory, and the father must send his
children to school whether or not he
4 wishes to do so. If he refuse to obey
an officer Of the law may come into his
house and take his child by force and
carry 1t TO school. This sort Of thing
arouses the righteous indignation of every
true American.
Now comes tie proposition in Virginia
that teachers in the public schools be re-
anired to lecture the pupils on the evil
OF alcoholism. Just what it is proposed
I 10 teach in this connection we do not
know. Doctors are disagreed as to the
s effects of alcoholism on the human sys-
ten. There are some extreme temper
ance doctors who hold that alcoholism is
e poison and that its effect upon the
system. however sparingly it may be
Used. is always de!eterious. But the
great majority OF physicians hold that
alcohol taken with discretion is frequent
cases is imperative. The question arises,
therefore, as to what sort of literature
is to he employed in case Studies in, al
'cohol' become a part OF our common
school curriculum. Shall our pupils be
taught that alcohol is always a poison in
defiance OF the opinion of some Of the
brightest chemists and medical men of
: the age2 But il The pupils be taught
( hat alcohol used within moderation IS
treqnentl. beneficial the object which
the advocates of this measure have in
view will certainly not be accomplished.
But waving all that, in another phase
the temperance question is moral guess
ton. not to say religious question
and political question. and IL questions
of this character are TO be Jagged into
the commen-scl,oal course, in the name
OF common sense. where is the thing 10
s-cp? Are the parents of Virginia will
] !lg that their children shall be taught re-
,igion and politics in the public schools?
Are Methodists willing that their children
si,a1l be taught religious doctrine by
Baptist teachers, or are Baptists willing
that their children shall be taught relisi-
aus doctrine by Methodist teachers
sha5l jews be taught by Christian and
Christian be taught Dy Jews2 But even
granting that such instruction shall be
confined 10 temperance. everything will
depend .4,,on the peculiar views OF the
teacher. Once adini: this question into
the public schools and %e shall soon
have lectures on prohibition. and every
s body knows TO Mnat extremes ardent pro-
h:bi,ionists sometimes 30. We do not
,nean 10 be Offensive 10 those who be-
iiere IN prohibition. for as rule they
ere honest. conscientious people. But
NE say that ,i,is IS a. question. upon
which thcre are wide differences OF opin-
!. ion and those who do no, believe in the
.sr,rine Of prohibition are certainly not
Wiling to have their children taught ex-
an S3sSa s,|nrf sYshaea ara