Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-03-01
on COMPULSORY EDUCATION.
REPRESENTATIVE WERNER ELABORATEs
HIS EDUCATIONAL VIEWS.
PRINCIPLE AND ExPED|ENCY'
Two Heads under Which He Bases 0pposl.
tton to ~. cation by Command.
[Columbia State. ]

&R iuNlIeo IuIout'!i is3 oNiuHhs w
to state my reasons for opposing the
compulsory school W; (2) to JUS
tify my statement, roc,ntly made on
the floor of the House + Representa-
sives, with reference % the condi-
tions prevailing in Ms 'achusetts, in
contrast with those o this State;
(3) to be more specific i, my declara-
tion that certain educated class,
t'from the executive down, is largely
responsible for the non-en 'orcement
of the law; and (4) to state whether
am opposed to education. While,
Mr.. Editor, l am naturally a, arse to
becoming involved in a new paper
controversy, still wish to than you
for the opportunity to give a more
extended outline of my remarks IN
the floor of the House than was pub
lished in your paper, because fee.
that l am giving expression, not
merely to my own sentiments in the
matter at issue, but also to the senti-
ments of considerable majority of
the members OF that House, as we'll
rs the people of .he State. / wish
to preface also the remark that it
seems to me rather unfortunate that
the opponents of compulsory educa-
tion should be classed indiscrimi-
nately as "fools and demagogues" by
those who happen to differ from
them. On the contrary, l feel that
that appelation is both unfair and
unjust to men who are as honest and
sincere and patriotic in their devo-
tion to their duty and their State as
any of their opponents 1t might
also be well to add that by no process
of logic can it be inferred that the
opponents of compulsory school
law are opposed to education be-
cause l feel perfectly sure that the
cause of education can find no better
champions or more sincere advocates
than among their ranks.
But to the subject Q) My rea-
sons for opposing compulsory
law. oppose it GAY as matter of
principle, (b) as matter of expedi-
ENJOY.
As matter of principle, l believe
this government to be founded on
and resting in the will of the people,
and that it derives all of its powers
from the consent of the governed.
Seeing, then, no indication, either ex
pressed or implied, that they desire
such law, / hold that until we have
an expression of the will of MAORI
ty of the people we have no authority
for enacting law which touches
every home in South Carolina. AL
though know the constitutionality
of such Legislation has been main
tanned by the courts, still l am of the
opinion that legislation of this kind
frequently does vastly more harm
than good, for it invariably breeds
dissatisfaction and opposition. Laws
that touch personal and family rela-
tions, before their enactment, ought
to be the object of the maturest
thought and deliberation, because the
greatest care ought to be exercised
not to infringe or abridge any of
those sacred rights which the Anglo
Saxon people have, since time i'm
memorial, regarded as dearer than
life itself. South Carolina, be it said
to her honor, has repeatedly refused
to follow the lead of other States in
enacting divorce legislation, but it
seems to me quite as unsafe to force
the child from the home as to sane
tion the. separation of husband and
wife. 1t is also rather remarkable
and pertinent that divorce laws and
compulsory school laws are found
side by side in the same States. AL
most every State il the Union that
has enacted one has enacted the
other.
Legislation to take the control of
the child out of the hands of the
parents, however, / hold to be per-
nicious in principle, because at the