The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-09-29

When this nation was in process
of creation, after the colonies had Sc
cured their freedom, but before the
constitution had been adopted, when
the continental congress was still
the sole national governing author
ity. the members Of that body were
presented with the question of what
to do with the unorganized region ly-
ing north and west of the Ohio river,
which, prior to the revolution, had
been attached to the several colonies.
They met this question by passing the
ordinance Of 1887. organizing it into
the Northwest Territory. This doc
ument which was thus framed pri-
marily for the government of the vast
region out of which the states Of
Ohio. Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and
Wisconsin were subsequently formed,
contained two declarations of nation
al policy which have had more
powerful influence in shaping the
course of our natinal life than any
others In its history. The first dec
laration to which refer, found in
article six Of the ordinance, is this:
There shall be neither slavery nor
involuntary servitude in the said ter
ritory otherwise than in the punish
ment Of crimes whereof the party
shall have been duly convicted"
This early declaration against hu-
man slavery not only prevented it's
Introduction IN this new territory,
and the states which were formed
from 1t, but in q large measure paved
the way for its subsequent abolition
in the entire nation.
But It Is with the second declara-
tion Of the ordinance with which we
are concerned today. This is found
in article three, and is this:
Religion, morality and knowledge
being necessary to good government
and the happiness Of mankind.
schools and the means of education
shall forever be encouraged"
No human government was ever
founded upon more stable founda-
ton than that contained in the dec
laration Just quoted. The policy thus
announced by the founders of this re-
public in 1857 has been the fixed poll
icy Of this nation since 1t was de-
clared. Under its influence, whenever
new territories have been organized
by congress, that body has provided
for the maintenance of public schools
and the means Of education. In pur-
suit of this policy, when new states
have been organized, the federal gov
ernment has given to them generous
and specific grants of lands from its
domain in aid of public education,
| and as condition for their admis-
sion into the union has exacted SOL
emn pledges to faithfully administer
the. trust committed to them, and to
forever maintain adequate means for
education.
Policy Firmly Fixed
The national educational policy is
so firmly fixed as a part of our ma
tional life and policy that it was re-
Gently, and in our memories, applied
to an alien race. Through an ac-'
cident of war several millions Of
semi-civilized people were thrown up
on our hands in the PHILIPPINES. This
presented a most unusual problem,
the solution of which was not con-
templated in our scheme of govern
ment. How did the national govern
ment meet It? It sent to them an
army of soldiers to restore and pre-
serve order, but concurrently there
with and in the spirit of the ordin-
ance Of 1887, it sent to these unfor-
tunate people an army of school teach
ers to point them to the paths Of
peace, and to prepare them for the
responsibilities and duties OF self
government.
will now refer to an instance in
which the national educational policy
announced in the ordinance Of 1887
affects us directly. The soil upon
which We now stand was q part OF
the Louisiana purchase. On March
2, 1861. the congress of the United
States organized it into a territory
under the name of Dakota territory.
The territory thus organized was
bounded on the north by the British
possessions, and extended westward
from the Red River of the North and
the Iowa line over the Rocky moun-
tains into Washington territory, and
included within its boundaries whs:t
ds now five states, North Dakota.
South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana
and Idaho. There were at that time
T less than 5000. and probably not
more than 1000 white Inhabitants IL.
this entire region; and this. was q
little less than fifty years ago. +.
The act Of congress Of 1861 organ
izing Dakota territory and provid-
ing government for this vast region
was far removed in point Of time,
and farther removed in the Aeventss
Of history, from the ordinance of 1887,
but there had been no change in the