The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-12-01
RETAIN ALL
THxSCRQOLSpA
Says MURRAY
Alfalfa Bill Thinks State Gan
Afford 10 MaIniaIn Present
Institutions
Special to the Daily Leader.

Special to the Daily Leader
Tishomingo, Okla, Dec Hon.
VIM H. Murray, known in political
parlance as Alfalfa Bin'', and held
by the people as the Father Of Okla
homas Constitution, relative to the
proposed initiative bill to abolish the
district agricultural schools, four
Inormals, and others, in his character
istic way made this observation: 49,
China once built a railroad with
complete equipment. operated it one
day for the satisfaction of the pig
tails curiosity, then chopped UP the
track and destroyed every vestige of
the magnificent thoroughfare. This
was the boxerlsm inherent in the
Chinese race; and this is Just what
the proposed initiative bill seeks to-
do. These fifteen colleges for higher
learning have just been completed
the first great cost paid, and now the
opponents of higher education, the
boxer element, propose TO destroy
them. The supreme test or the peo-
pies ability to rule is now before
them, and incidentally the wisdom OF
folly Of permitting them 70 rule
through the powers of initiative and
referendum. The American people
will surely watch the contest with
painful attention, with a view OF de-
termining whether they will embrace
the forward movement styled 'Peo-
pies rule If we have more of these
institutions than any other state it
is because our statesmen were wiser
than the builders of other states. II
there be arguments against these in
stitutions it is the same argument
used against all education at public
expense-univeristi colleges and
common schools included. The chill
dren OF the poor--not the children of
the rich receive the most benefit
from education at public expense.
While the bulk Of the people of ey-
cry commonwealth neither desire nor
need all academic education, it is
profoundly necessary for every civil
izatlon Of every state, whatever the
form Of government, but especially
true OF democracies and republics.
that few men be thoroughly ana
we'll educated, the more the better;
and since, in democracies and repub-
lies the citizen is given the largest
liberty of choice, such governments
con do little more than provide the
opportunity, leaving all entirely free
TO become wise or remain ignorant
1T, therefore, remains the duty OF
the state to provide the means for
the education of every child to the
limit of human learning-in the arts
sciences and literature-and that at
the expense of the public. Here is
the cornerstone OF the strongest civil
lzaticn. Indeed, without this a peo-
pie may be governed well for while
never long-as has been instanced
by some of the Indian tribes, but with
neither mental nor moral activity.
the two things most needed for no
bier manhood.
"A little learning is a dangerous
thing, in society where the whole
population are kept in ignorance
None receive higher education, but
all are advanced Just far enough to
become confirmed anarchists.
"Expensive2 0, yes, but too much
money can not be provided, if wisely
spent, for education and public roads.
The old Romans built the roads. but
they neglected education If we de-.
stroy these institutions we shall be
neglecting both
u shall have more to say on this
subject later, for the things upper.
most In my breast is the preservation
Of Oklahoma's constitution and her
educational institutions.
u shall refuse to believe that our
people will vote for the Boxers Bill
have an abiding faith in the people
to govern themselves wisely as we'll
as justly"