Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-06-17


| growth Of our chief industry we are
cribe 1T to the wonderful qualities of
/, our soil and to the unusual transpor-
! tatiol facilities which the topography
/ of our state permits us to enjoy.
| "The makers of Iowa knew the neces-
! sity of providing for the intellectual
| and moral growth of the people and
/ likewise knew that in commonwealth
where the church and state were ever
| to bG divorced it was necessary to rely
upor free public schools as the hand
maid of good government and the
ageucy by which subsequent genera
tionN would learn to know and vener-
/ ate its institutions. A despotic or mon
arctial government may exist without
popular education. A government franz
! ed l,y the people. and possessed of no
sanction for the enforcement of Us
lawn, save, the law abiding spirit of the
people cannot last unless the free pub
lie schools be created and be forever
cherished.
! institutions Becoming Noted.
| "In the first act passed for tSe nd
] sr,,ssion of Iowa In 1S45 congress DIo-
vidNd that five per cent of the net pro-
ceets of sales OF public lands should
be appropriated for public roads AMI
| canlls The people We're not inclined
to accept the constitution thus tender
| ell and secured change in the con-
gressional act providing that five per
cent cf the sale OF public lands be set
apart to be made permanent fund FOR
!setDo!. This permanent fund lfnnun's
lEow 20 almost S5,000,000. The first
schocl opened in Iowa was in 1880,
leigItt years before the territory of Iowa
Iva; formed Now there are about
t30'l0) teatner giving instructions In
school houses which in the aggregate
coat over $20,000,000. and there is now
IexDended annually over $4,000 600 IN
lthe maintenance of these common
schools. Iowa stands second In percen-
tafe of illiteracy and only Massachu-
setts. New York and the Dist-'ict OF
tCoumbia in the older states OF the
union expend a greater per capita for
common school purposes than Iowa
does. The state has not. in the promo
| ticn of ecucation been content to lest
/ af'ec providing for the common scaool
sysrenl but made provisions In its con-
stitution for the establishment of d state
university ikat has been and VII ie-
m,lsn the center from which radtates
the educational influences necessary to
| keep Iowa in the forefront Of ittale:-
| tna! achievement.
| THE Iowa State College of Ag-icnl-
|tur.. and Mechanical Arts, fossrred Y
the state. and for the support OF which
sums are constantly voted. is the best
! IT,, r.f t<c,
land is rejecting honor on ,.le state;
iit,i students as graduates are constant
IL giving evidence of a scientific char
aeter of the instruction impaired in
titM wallis
! "The great normal school which, In
| recent years. has been properly appre-
/ ciated by most generous appropriations
| is bringing to THE teaching forces of the
slate strength and vigor and culture
that will insure Iowa's aspiration for
the minimum of illiteracy. State uni
| v.rsities are now a necessity. and In
tile years to come we will be compelled
tD place much reliance on the univer-
slty or college endowed by the state for
the impartial instruction of the youth
| IN political and social science and In
studies of our industrial life.
Iowa occupies most creditable po-
/ sition respecting the number and the
higher character OF the sectarian
schools and colleges located within her
/ borders. These Institutions mean much
| in repeated disappointments. self-sac-
/ lifice and unrewarded devotion to edu-
cation, on the part of the founders, off,
GERS and pro ce.;sor: As the state and
4 church must remain-like two parallel
! lines running on together, but never
llneeting-these institutions of learning
| lave never received any largess from
/ the public treasury. The same love OF
Ilearning and appreciation OF its neces-
,sity that made. the early pioneer pro-
| vide for the common schools have
]a.aused the growth of the denominations
I;tI schools, all harmoniously tending to
The more thorough and better education
of the youth and to the incalculable
good Of the state.
"Our educational institutions have
given the people an accurate knowledge
,f our government, both state and ma
/ tional They have stimulated a desire
| to study the principles of democracy
and to acquire a familiarity with the
basic ideas of good government and
the intense commercial spirit of other
| portions of the land has not yet in
! vaded our agricultural state or retard-
! ed the growth OF this desire.
"Christianity In its broadest and
| most tolerant sense is the law of the
state. The elevating and refining influ-
ence of Christianity has been present
! since the early days of our history and
1 has dominated the thoughts and GUS
| toms of the people and found express
/ sion in laws wherein moral reforms
have secured the sustaining aid OF leg
islative will.
Power Of the Press.
4 Next to the people, the most infiuen-
4 tial power is the newspaper press. 1t
/. is a continuous transcript and picture
of current public opinion Like other
business enterprises, it has conner
cial side, but the commercial side OF the
Iowa press has not made 1t venal or
subservient. It's opinions on public
questions are not purchasable, and it is
not the exponent of selfish interests.
| masking itself as speaking for the pub
\ lie good. Prosperous turpitude has not
been the aspirations or achievement of
.Iowa's journalists. and such has been
/ her unbroken record.
.It takes larger number OF people
in Iowa to make public opinion than In
| states where the population is more
dense. We have political leaders, but
80 baya No nolitical bosses The