The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-28

reached Its highest development or at
tained its greatest civilization that did
not contain a large body of men fitted
for the discharge of duties of highest
trust by the broad and liberal accom-
plishments which a university education
alone can bestow.
Many grave social political and eco
nom1c problems confront our future, and
these problems can only be correctly or
wisely solved by young men who under
stand and grasp great Fundamental prin-
cipals, who have been trained and fitted
by a university education to properly dis
charge the serious duties of life. 1t Is
as true today as when uttered by Pope
that "A little learning is a dangerous
thing. Drink deep or taste not the Pier
len spring The need, therefore, of young
men, trained and equipped by a univer-
sty education, was never more impera-
tive. How often, in legislative bodies, do
we witness the pitiable spectacle of strong
and able men graphing with problems
which have, for hundreds of years, been
settled by the best thought of the world,
owing on their part to a lack of proper
educational training, to a knowledge of
economies and history, and the funda-
mental principles of government. We in
herit our language, and most of our laws
and literature, from England. When we
consider the enormous appropriations
made by the British government for t11e
support and maintenance of Oxford and
Cambridge. the immense donations which,
for hundreds of years, have been contrib
uted to those great institutions of learn
ing, we can readily understand that the
power the progress and the splendid CIV
ilization of that great empire is largely
due to these great institutions from whose
fountains of learning sparkling streams
of knowledge and culture are constantly
flowing to revivfy that great empire. TWO
other leading countries of the old world
Germany and France, largely owe their
progress, civilization and culture to the
great universities which they MAINTAIN
at such lavish cost.
"Whle Alabama and other southern
states have not kept pace with the more
prosperous states of the union in educa-
tional development it is manifestly unfair
in criticsng the illiteracy that may ex-
ist in our borders or the amount OF our
school revenues as compared with other
states to fail to take into consideration
the loss of wealth and wealth producing
power which we sustained as result OF
the civil war and the increased expense
occa stoned by the necessity of having To
eouip and maintain schools for two sepa-
rate races We should not forget tnat
the per capita wealth Of the southern
states as compared with the other states
in 1860 WAS greater than the rest OF lHe
union At that period the wealth of Ala
hama exceeded that of New York. and
vet in 1870, the per capita wealth OF New
York was fve times as great as that OF
Alabama In addition the south lost one
tenth of its male population by war-one-
tenth of the men who were our leaoers
In every avenue of human endeavor. with
the overthrow of its entire economic sys-
tenn. and the enormous immigration from
orr horders which followed the civil war,
owing to the upheaval of the social and
economic conditions which followed In
its wake, estimated at 2,5OO,O0, we We're
further handicapped by our Struggle 10
nreserve our civilization and to readlus'
our economic condition, hampered, as they
were. by hostile federal legislation and
hitter sectional animosity. With the ap-
mailing loss of money and men the de-
struction of credit and the crushing bur-
dan of debt. with capital and immigration
summing our borders, 1t is not astonishing
that our economic and educational devel-
opment was retarded.
South's Marvellous Progress
at was not until 15oy that even three oil
the southern states had regained the per
ca pita wealth which existed In 1850. 1t IL
gratifying to know, however. that since
the commencement of the last decade the
south has made marvellous progress In
wealth and prosperity. and In the last
half of the present decade our develop.
ment has increased by leaps and bounds.