Year: 1872

EduCatiOn-PubIiC Schools


1t has been frequently charged by the


radical newspapers and speakers that the


democrati conservative party in this State


was opposed to general education and pub


lie or co mmon schools, There ia no sort OF


foundation for this ami they know it. The


charge is made to draw off attention from


the corrupt and wicked doings of the radi-


cal party, now controlling the State, and


especially from the extravagant political


school system now attempted to be in en-


forced. There is opposition, almost uni


vcrsal, to the present system, cunnihgly


devised for political purpose, bht no op-


position to reasonable and proper sys-


TEN of public schools for tho advancement


Of general education. Democracy ever has


been and ever should be the promoter of


education. 1t depends for its successful


operation on the enlightenment and hon


esty of the masses. For ourself we have
always been the frien of common schools.
The most of our own education was OBJ


tained in schools of this kind, and we rate


them at their due. Importance. But no
system of common schools, at present ex-


isting in the New England States, is suit.
ed in its entirety to Texas. We have as


yet sparse population, and that too OF
mixed chnracter,..white and black. 1t will


not do to confound and mix them up tc-


gether. Besides, the negroes have little
or no property, aud heavy taxation af-
fects them but little. We are willing to
do what is reasonable for their instruction
under the circumstances, but it is not
right, at this time, that the whites should
be compelled to instruct them all at once
it is burden too heavy to bear and
they have right to complain. The pres
ent school system is unsuited to the con-
dition of the State-it is too expensive
there are too many useless officials on pay |
and with too much pay. 1t is being run
as political machine for the benefit Of
the radical party, and un Ter the control of
n central power at Austin, power un-
scrupulous and daring. When the conser-
vatiSe people of Texas get the control OF
the State, they will not abolish common
schools, but they will abolish or greatly
modify the present system, and they should
by n II means. There should be but cne |
Superintendent for the State, learned
man of capacity and honesty, and he
should have no control Of the money raised
for school purposes; neither should the
Governor or Attorney General The mon
ey, raised by taxation in the respective
counties, should he expended in those
counties. 1t should go into the county
treasury, where it should be kept as sep
arate fund. F.e school directors might
be appointed, one for each magistrates dis
trict, and nothing need be paid 70 them ex-
cept their act .al expenses. Capable men
can be found patriotic enough to serve.
We have no use for an army of carpet
baggers and school marms, imported to
teach radicalism and fatten upon our sub.
stance. We are told by u radical journal
that the most of the Supervisors are APP
pointed from the Grand Army of the Re-
public. We protest against school sys
tchi, which is to he run for the benefit of
the radical party, and because we do this,
no one has the light to say that .,ve, are op
posed to a proper school system and tegen-
eral education. 1t is fulse. But we are
opposed to an army of radical importations,
many of them totally untitled for the
Positions they occnpy, deficient in edh
cation and doubtful in principles, and with
more zeal for building up the radical par
ty than for the proper education of the
We must GET rid Of this system
and the men engaged in it as soou as POS
sible, and establish q new and proper
one to be carried out by honest and suita'
BILE agents in an economical and efficient
manner.