The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-11
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE,

citizen and gives hin, mastery over the
secrets and the forces Of nature, without
verted the Wilderness into fruitful hields
and tho savage into tho benefactor. VINO,
SpeasngE an ah sns not ne bd ,Wo
ands, grow where one grew before.
| Now, Vrginlans ike. amidst the same
natural forees.as do the New Englanders,
though with vastly more natural oppor-
us while nlggardly TO them, But note the he
present contrast, New England, specially
Island, though soil is sterile and climate
inhospItable., is densely populated, Is
crowded. with great cities and manufa;c-
with wealth and resources, and Is n potent
1T the halls ofGoansress, Shipping ieg,sla
Vrsna ne thos ea ed ise are so Fertile and and
productive Of many Of the most priced priced
! and her MISUNDERSTANDING almost bound
| less. presents a painful contrast. Vir-
ginin. that though once almost debating
| politically feeble that her voice and her
| interests are UNDECIDED. and the benefits,
alas. how few! that she derives from the he
| said to have founded. are by the grace OF
| mated from her educated brain.
| The following bulletin of the Census
| Bureau s;rikingly illustrates the contrast
| between Virginia and Connecticut and
| the great value of education. The bull
| letin shows tho value of only eight
| branches of ,manufacture In 1905 of Con-
! ncctIcut, q state hardly as large as a dok-
| en- ofsour counties.
| Ammunition sl5,Ssi.iS5 shoots and shoes.
| sl2.s2s,3s6; brass, s53,9i6,ii5; cotton. SIS
229l65; foundry and machine. s2o,1s93a:
| hardware, S2l,4So.652; silk. si5.62S,6a3; wool
| 11,1s6.a65. Total. $l6s, $40 lbs.
l,nt In l,rN.a l.,oa f,p1t do
| wooden nutmegs and wooden hams. which
| tradition places to the credit OF Connec-
! ticut. Observe also that brass. which. by
4 the way. Ia the greatest Of all Connectt-
| cuts manufactures. means the real arti-
Gle. not figurative brass that prejudice
attributes to the Connecticut Yankee.
Now. why this wide difference? Not
because of inferiority OF intellect, be-
cause naturally the Virginia brain is as
clear vigorous profound and bright as
I that of New England however meri-
| torous and commendable that brain may
be. Tho difference is due directly and
| Indirectly TO education.
| From the beginning New Eng!Ald has
| fostered education and 1t has been prac-
tically compulsory. not however by act
| of Legislature, but by force of public SEN
timent. which attached n stigma to igno-
rance consequently all sought to be
educated according to position and con-
dition. Education enabled them to pene-
| trate the secrets and to harness the
forces of nature mature is a sealed book
| to ignorance), and to make steam and
electricity their obedent hand-maidens
and the co-partnership education and
nature. formed the combination that has
| placed the Northeastern section of the
| United States far In the van. politically
and otherwise. It is said that one OF the
senators from Rhode Island tAldrich) Is
the most influential man In the country
In shaping that style of legislation that
cnrches North and East at the expense
of the South. Volumes could be written
| education has done for North and East,
| hut 1t is needless. Sufficient that wealth.
| might and power go hand In hand with
education. practically compulsory by vir-
| tue of public opinion.
| Education making the State wealthy
| and powerful and on the whole more
| moral and virtuous. the State has by
| general consent. as already stated es-
| tablished a free school system and r
| order to make the system fully effective
| /. is proposed. since voluntary atten-
| dance has proved failure, to make at
tendance compulsory. But directors whit
unfortunately are the majority, say, oil
no: the State has no right to do this
1t invades the sacred right OF the par
| ents.
The directors admit the right OF tht
J State for its own good to sell the in
/ dividual out of house and home for
taxes and to turn him adrift upon the
world. yet deny the State the lesser
right to compel the child to be educated
They admit the right of the State tc
J deprivn gSthe Individual. even for life, OF
\ liberty for certain acts, yet they deny
the State for its own good the Jesse,
right to compel the child to be educated
They admit the right of the State fol
! its own good to take the life of the in
| dividual. for other certain acts, yet they
deny the State the lesser right for Its
| own good to compel the, child to be ed
| ucated.
They admit the right of the state r
/ it's own interest to compel the individual
4 to take his life in his hand and go forth
| TO defend her, yet they deny the State
| for It's own good the lesser right to com
| pei the child to be educated
| In short the DIRECTORS admit the rlgh
of the State for its own good to the life
liberty and thro' taxation, to the hap
| Hiness of the individual, life. liberty
/ and the pursuit of happiness and subjec
to the will of the State, yet they den,
the State the infinitely less right to com
pei in its own interest the child to bt
educated. The door that leads to wealth
power, influence. happiness and all the
higher employments and enjoyments
/ of life must he shut in the
face of the child lest for-sooth tho
rights of parents be interfered with
/ Absurd
But the DIRECTORS. tho wholly unten-
able in their position, hold the fort. sc
to speak. and until disodged we shall
look In vain for really effective educa-
/ ton. But as no fort can finally withstand
constant bombardment, so the fort OF
we'll meaning ignorance and prejudice
must surely in the end succumb to the
assaults of reason and common sense
with the Object lesson Of other States
constantly in view. So up guards md
advocates of Compulsory Education, and
at EN-. and tho fort must in time caplt-
ulate, but In the meanwhile press home
the truth that It is both the right and
duty of the State to enforce the educa-
| ton that is bountifully supplied.
The educated shall inherit the earth
Indeed they already inherit it.
Il. II. B.
Neglected Graves at Hollywood
Editor of The Times-Dispatch:
Sol hat N1ar AZ