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Editorial
September 5, 1870
The Wheeling Daily Register
Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia
What is this article about?
Editorial refutes Radical claims of Democratic opposition to free schools, criticizing Governor Stanton's speech accusing Democrats of planning to abolish the system. Asserts Democrats would improve rather than end it, highlighting current abuses under Radical control.
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The Democracy on Free Schools,
It seems to us that it is time the old
slander about Democratic hostility to
free schools was dropped by the Radical
party. There never was a word of
truth in the charge, nor a particle of
evidence on which it could be based
and yet periodically the falsehood is
resurrected and served up in various
styles for Radical consumption Its
latest appearance is in a speech made to
the black and white Radicals at Mar
tinsburg, Berkeley county last week by
our fellow townsman, Governor STAN
TON.
Possibly Mr. Stanton could find
nothing else to talk about, but, if so,
he would better have said nothing He
certainly forgot that he lives in a Dem
ocratic city: that the school system of
the city is controlled by Democrats—
that the schools are popular among our
citizens, and that they are as well man
aged and successful as any in the
Union. He stated his belief that if the
Democrats obtained power in this State
they would abolish the free school sys
tem. We have too much respect for
his intelligence to think that he be
lieves any such thing. A man like
Mr. Stanton, pandering to the pas
sions and prejudices of a political mob,
may, when the truth is not to his pur
pose, put forth such a statement, but he
don't believe it himself.
The Free School system of the State
is not administered as successfully as it
should be, mainly because it has been
made a political machine and run in
the interest of the Radical party It
was only last winter that the test oath
for teachers was repealed and the mo
nopoly which has been enjoyed by
seedy and incompetent carpet-bagging
pedagogues destroyed. And yet. up to
the present time, there have been as
many grumblers against the School
Law in the Radical party as in the
Democratic. If the Democratic party
should attain power in the State (which
we confidently hope it soon will) the
school system will be purged of its
abuses and better organized and better
administered; but that it will be abol
ished no truthful man of common
sense will assert, and still less will any
sensible man believe
It seems to us that it is time the old
slander about Democratic hostility to
free schools was dropped by the Radical
party. There never was a word of
truth in the charge, nor a particle of
evidence on which it could be based
and yet periodically the falsehood is
resurrected and served up in various
styles for Radical consumption Its
latest appearance is in a speech made to
the black and white Radicals at Mar
tinsburg, Berkeley county last week by
our fellow townsman, Governor STAN
TON.
Possibly Mr. Stanton could find
nothing else to talk about, but, if so,
he would better have said nothing He
certainly forgot that he lives in a Dem
ocratic city: that the school system of
the city is controlled by Democrats—
that the schools are popular among our
citizens, and that they are as well man
aged and successful as any in the
Union. He stated his belief that if the
Democrats obtained power in this State
they would abolish the free school sys
tem. We have too much respect for
his intelligence to think that he be
lieves any such thing. A man like
Mr. Stanton, pandering to the pas
sions and prejudices of a political mob,
may, when the truth is not to his pur
pose, put forth such a statement, but he
don't believe it himself.
The Free School system of the State
is not administered as successfully as it
should be, mainly because it has been
made a political machine and run in
the interest of the Radical party It
was only last winter that the test oath
for teachers was repealed and the mo
nopoly which has been enjoyed by
seedy and incompetent carpet-bagging
pedagogues destroyed. And yet. up to
the present time, there have been as
many grumblers against the School
Law in the Radical party as in the
Democratic. If the Democratic party
should attain power in the State (which
we confidently hope it soon will) the
school system will be purged of its
abuses and better organized and better
administered; but that it will be abol
ished no truthful man of common
sense will assert, and still less will any
sensible man believe
What sub-type of article is it?
Education
Partisan Politics
What keywords are associated?
Free Schools
Democratic Party
Radical Party
Education System
Governor Stanton
School Reform
What entities or persons were involved?
Governor Stanton
Democratic Party
Radical Party
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
Refutation Of Democratic Hostility To Free Schools
Stance / Tone
Defensive Support For Democratic Education Policy, Critical Of Radicals
Key Figures
Governor Stanton
Democratic Party
Radical Party
Key Arguments
No Truth Or Evidence For Claims Of Democratic Opposition To Free Schools
Stanton's Speech Panders To Prejudices And Is Unbelievable Even By Him
Democratic Controlled City Schools Are Successful And Popular
Free School System Abused As Radical Political Machine, Needs Democratic Reform Not Abolition