The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-02-06
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"Constitution of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, adopted in 1880
bv the Governor of that Common
wealth.
Simon Snyder was prominent mem
Der of the convention, and signed the
document, which declares ''We the peo
pie of the Commonwealth of Penusyi
vania, ordain and establish this constr
tuition for its government.
Article VII. Section l provides that
s'The Legislature shall, as soon as
conveniently may be, provide by law
for the establishment of :. schools
throughout the State, in such manner
that the poor may be taught gratis.
Governor Snyder was the third gov
ernor under this constitution, having
been preceded by Governor Thomas
,Miffiin and Governor Thomas Mexican
Governor Snyder was the first gov
ernor to personally advocate in his mes
sages the free public school system.
Senator Simon P. Wolverton, made this
statement in the Senate of Pennsylva-
MIA, when advocating the bill, in a ma g.
nifcent speech he made for the appro-
priation which resulted in the State
erecting to Governor Snyder monu-
ment at Selinsgrove.
1t is clearly sustained by his mes
sage to the Legislature. This is an i'm
portant matter, because the Pennsyl-
vania Public School Memorial Asso-
citation, chartered by the Philadelphia
courts, proposes to erect a monument in
Capitol Park to the original advocates
of the free school system and to Thad-
deus Stevens, and former governors and
others who aided in saving the public
school system from defeat in the Leg
islature of 1855.
Governor Thomas Miffiin, so far as
we can find, made no mention of this
subject in his messages.
Governor Thomas Mexican, Novem-
ber 81, 1900, referred to the matter
in the following words:
Considering the diffusion of useful
knowledge among the people, to be the
best auxiliary to the administration of
free government, allow me, gentle
men, to remind you of constitutional
injunction, that the Legislature shall,
as soon as conveniently may be provide
by law for the establishment of schools
throughout the State, in such manner,
that the poor may be taught gratis, y
THAT is all he said-merely called
attention to the provision in the consti-
tuition. He never said whether he was
in favor of it, or against it,
In a subsequent message he again
repeats the provision contained in the
constitution, and simply adds, "Let
me then claim an early attention for
the important subject
Governor Snyder referred to the mat
ter frequently, and proved by his mes
sages ne was for free public schools.
In his first message TO the Legisla-
ture, December I, 1909, he said:
"Moral virtue consists in a know
ledge of duty, and conformity of will
and action to that knowledge. Political
virtue, in a republic, bottomed on NOR
al rectitude, consists in love of the
republic and esteem for its institutions. ,
Hence the immense Importance of a
system of education. Can a man be
morally or politically virtuous, who is
ignorant of the value of the first, and
understands not the principles of, nor
knows the duties which the latter en-
ioinsi'
"To establish, therefore, a system
of education, calculated to diffuse gem
eral instruction, is at once of primary
importance, in both moral and polite
al point of view: affording the strong
est bulwarks against the subversion of
good morals, and sound political prin-
ciples. The Importance of education is
still more enhanced. by the considera-
tion that in republican or represen-
tative government, every citizen may
be called upon to assist in the enaction,
or execution, of the laws of this coun-
try; and wiR-hence necessarily engage
your attention. F" -
The above is the first and an un-
answerable argument for free schools
under the constitutional provisions of
1890.
In subsequent message, December
g., 1910, he repeats the constitutional
provision and says:
Twenty years have elapsed since
this injunction became a part of your
during which time various
grant of colleges and academies have
been made, and several laws have been
enacted in the spirit of this provision;
but it is yet much doubted, whether
there has been such a legislative act,
as guarantees to the poor throughout
the State the blessings of education,
free of expense. To enforce the import
ance of general diffusion of knowledge
in a republican representative govern
ment, would surely be unnecessary to
an enlightened and patriotic Leeisla-
ture; nor will the difficulty of ascertain
ing the best and most certain means of
effeeting thi< great good, discourage
them from further attempting to attain
an object so extremely desirable. as it
regards the peace, harmony and happi-
ness of society, and secures the stability
of our republican institutions.
Still urging the matter he SAYS, De-
;ember 5, 1911, in another message:
To the subject of education I
would again invite your serious atten-
ton. of its beneficial effects upon NOR