The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-06-18

patriotism, incidentally touching upon the proper support of the public schools the necessity for good school buildings ample play grounds, proper apparatus, good teachers at living wages and ade- Quate supervision.
 He strongly urged local taxation for schools, and illustrated the value of the same as an investment from a purely material point of view by reciting the relative importance of two counties in Georgia which started even many years ago, the one having local taxation for schools and the other not. The difference in land values, population and all other advantages was strikingly in favor of that county having local taxation.
 Treating of the moral development of the student he illustrated the power of hsbit in shaping character and discussed the relation of the church and benevolent institutions to this part of his subject. He closed his interesting and instructive address by proving from history that development along the lines he discussed was essential to true education.
 The two sermons of Rev. Sterling J. Foster were master pieces. He complete ly captivated all who had the good fortune to hear him. The occasion will readily suggest to the reader his general uu0 OI thought. 110 IcLL DGIliI1U LlIIl du influence for good that cannot be meas by though the teaching of those into whose hearts sank deep the beautiful truths he ennunciated.
 The address on Monday of Hon. Sid ney J. Bowie was replete with sound fully sustained the high reputation so daaArvAdlv nrn,ffrad hv h4pn
 The general purpose of his address was to enforce the idea that the noblest duty before the people of Alabama today Is the proper education of the youth of the State, both for the purpose of maintain ing the high standard set by the fathers of the old South, and as the means of promoting the material greatness of the new South. In concluding. Mir. Bowie said:
 ''The earning power of the educated labor of Massachusetts is four hundred millions more every years than that of Tennessee. The latter State is larger older and richer than Alabama and It's educational advantages better; but assum- ing that these conditions are identical we find that he working men of Massa- chusetts earn from their labor every year four hundred millions more than the WOEkIuB IItcn OI <hAdUathds HCSC hB bACs are almost too large to comprehend. Let us reduce them a little and see if we can understand them better The County of Calhoun, one of the weaNhiest in the State, believe. has property assessed for taxation at about or little more than eight million dollars. Suppose we fix its real value at ten million dollars. This includes not your property merely, but that of the railroads and corporations and non- residents. Now, stated differently, the annual earning power of labor fin Massa- chusetts exceeds that of Alabama by at least four hundred millions of dollars. If the total value of all property in this county Is ten million dollars then the mere annual excess of wealth producing power in the one State of Massachusetts would purchase all the property real. personal and corporate of forty counties like Cal. houn. In two years 1t would purchase eighty counties like this and two hundred in i've years. Think of itI The excess paid for educated labor in one State fir years over your own would pay for al the property you nave two hundred times
 'Tf the productive power of labor 1T Massachusetts Is four hundred million dollars per annum more than in Tennes see, or in Alabama. and if this is due tC | her system of free universal public | schools. the question Is. now long can VI afford to be without it? But, you say what is the remedy? There is but on' efficient remedy that has been found any where, and that is given every commuult! the right to tax itself enough to .'rovid a free school eight months in the year fo every child In it; this is true Dem s-acy It is the corner stone of a free republic Thomas Jefferson. the greatest believer fl popular government who ever lived de clared that no people could govern them selves unless they were intelligent. H l favored an educational test for suffrage He declared that he would preach crusade against ignorance. The theor, | of the support of public schools by loca taxation. not entirely but in large meas ure. is one which cannot be answered. Tn people. a majority of whom are oppose can do without it. but those who favor | can tax themselves for that purpose. I not this home rule? Is it not self-govern ment? Is anything short of 1t in accord