The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1912-06-14

A bulletin issued by the Bureau Of Ed
sEj ucation of the United States government,
the giving the figures on the subject of illit-
E. eracy, places Germany first in the list of
{ li.eracy; England second, and the United
States a bad third. The figures given
ala show that there are only three in every
ITO ten thousand her population who can
not read and write. In England there
~ are only one hundred and fifty in every
shin ten thousand of her people who cannot
fou read and write.
strs In the United States in every ten
MAJ thousand Of the population there are
ina seven hundred and seventy who can not
ana read and write. These figures are very
o op .iiscouraging, not to say deporabe, to
He The people of this great civilized nation
9th, .fthey are true, but we do not think that
T fhey are accurate in strict sense.
in But even if not strictly accurate, they
real will serve to arouse our people TO the
sa" necessity of adopting means to correct
nee This menace to the future of our country,
alln ssnd to its. continued progress, if not TO
bea Nnd its institutions.
furi : But we do not believe that this coud-
spill ton is as bad as indicated, and we think
The that the statement is misleading as it is
tina tuoted in the bulletin.
anu In order to get a clear idea OF the
,,'ho tliteracy of our country we must con-
er,C 'ider the character of our population.
" a doing this we must first consider the
seas asst negro population which is now over
he'll evenly millions and which vast popula
star on has only been free from slavery for
sWu alf a century, and has not had the time
sut. opportunity TO become educated,
,.i,, though the negro race has made great
of ,[ogress under the most adverse Circum-
dun hances Then It must always be re-
mar embered that the education of any
dow alton or people is a very slow process,
ste Ind is the result of training for centuries.
PIE have really made more rapid prog
i ,, oss in this line than any nation that has
So, 'er existed on the earth
isb Another factor that enters into the con-
the leration Of this all important subject,
A the fact of the vast millions OF for
hor .gners who have for a hundred years
10 zen flowing into our native population.
Mei t,Many Of these foreigners have been
sod people and have made very good
N mizens, but Of late years there has been
NJ starge influx of foreigners to our shores
fras lSm Southern Europe, who left their
of 'untry for their country's good and
dow we been, and are, undesirable and dan
'un rous citizens in our country. They are
uea the very lowest order of humanity in
eir own country, and are ignorant and
roo large per cent. of them belong to the
onI animal classes, and they tend to the
gan wread of crime and ignorance in our
Rrhntry. 1t is time, and has been time
sei7 thg since, when this country, in self de-
ana inse, must close our doors against this
me IS Of foreigners. 1.-THE old countries
not educate and reform their own
90 Ouation. then it is criminal negligence
riff, our part to allow them to be dumped
ing Pom our shores to spread ignorance,
out I'd crime and lawlessness Of which we
we too much already, among our own
san rive born population.
9u' IN addition to which our country will |
wy. a few years be crowded by our own
tim = ural increase of population. 1t is even |
var " stated that our production Of food !
on ,)plies does not keep pace with the !
rease of population, and as a result !
cost of living naturally is increasing I
IDLY for the people that we now have |
ed. 1t is only the part of wisdom 10 |
me wise steps for our own sell preser- /
lana Alon. This country can only feed so |
b,ny and as we seem to be reaching
q limit, we ought to shut our doors.
that does not take care Of his house |
rive, II has denied the faith, and is worse
had :. an inhdel." This applies to us in
ceaI aouble sense.
arou Il aere is another consideration that
cord arves attention, and that is, if we are
Slinll m illiterate than Germany and Eng
stl we are better educated people
. either Germany or England for our