Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-25
PUBLIC EDUCATION
AMBASSADOR REDS NOTABLE
SPEECH IN SCOTLAND.
Special Cablegram to The Star.

Special Cablegram to The Star.
LONDON, November 24.-Despite the con-
slant shifting Of the kaleidoscope of Eng
lish politics. 1t is beginning to be recog-
nized everywhere that Mr.. Asquith did
make momentous announcement when he
stated that the government could not give
way to the house of lords on the education
bill, and would not do SO II they could
Efforts are everywhere being made to
minimize the influence attaching to Mr.. As
quiths words, but as a general thing min
listers OF Mr.. Asquith's great influence and
position do not make statements like this
without the full consent of their colleagues.
Mr. Asquith's announcement bears the i'm
print of official sanction. But it begins to
appear as though the government must
either drop the bill for this session or ap-
peal to the country. And this, too. in spite
of the gossip to the contrary, and the
for parliamentary position. And every
where it is being argued that the govern
ment is not inclined to drop the education
bill for this session.
This crisis, apparently being forced in
parliament by the terms of the education
bill, has forced into unusual prominence
the address just made by Whitelaw Reid.
the American ambassador, on educational
problems in America when recently pre-
scented the freedom of the city Of Dundee.
The newspaper reports have not done Mr.,
Reid justice, for it was not until he had
finished his address that even the news
paper men present became aroused to the
fact that Mr.. Reid had made what was In
reality an epoch-making speech upon the
subject Of education, contrasting the sys-
tenn of England with the system Of
not have the slightest intent that his re-
marks should be used in connection with
the present controversy now raging among
people and members of parliament, but 1t
is difficult to see how he can now escape
the notoriety which has been thrust upon,
him. -.... s5
The American System.
Speaking of education In America. Mr..
Reid said that In q country controlled by
popular suffrage and among a people pas
sionately convinced that the success of
their government depended upon the wild
est diffusion Of intelligence 1t was evident
that system of free public schools sup-
ported by public taxation would inevitably
become there fixed feature of public
policy. With two systems In force 1t would
be obvious that the one where tuition was
free would grow the faster; and therefore
it was equally obvious that those who paid
for their own and were taxed for the
other would wish to limit as far as possiS
BILE the scope and consequently the cost
Of the one they didn't use. Two rival
theories as to the taxing everybody for the
education Of the rising generation would
thus develop: one that such taxation was
only necessary and justifable far enough.
to fit them for the common duties of cit.
izenship and the other that 1t was also
to the public interest to fit them! for, any,
thing Heavy taxpayers wouIu naturally
lead in the first: those who felt! less the,
burden of taxation or paid no taxes in the
second. Thus could be easily foreseen a
struggle between those who wished to limit
the free public school to primary educa-s
ton and those who wished to carry it,
through secondary schools to colleges and
universities. Two centuries of educational
evolution In the United States seemed to be
ending in a system ranging from the alpha
bet to the classics. the modern languages,
literature, history, civics. the higher math-i
ematics and science with a strong leaning
to practical applications of science In all
fields of art and industry. sustained abso-
iutely at the public expense and free to all, .
with every grade open to the poorest and
the most friendless pupil in the grade be-
low. on the single requirement that his
standing there fitted him for it. This
system has grown in the early years of the
present century into total enrolment in
the schools and colleges and universities of
the United States. public and private. Of