PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND CRIME. 325 



is further noted that twenty per cent were total abstainers from 

 intoxicants, showing very clearly that a perfect mastery of self is 

 by no means necessarily allied with an honest regard for the 

 rights and property of others. 



But if the education of the masses is accompanied by no dimi- 

 nution of vice, crime, and insanity, what shall we say of the effect 

 illiteracy may have upon our institutions by the abuse or misuse 

 of the suffrage ? The following extract from the address of the 

 Rev. J. C. Hartzall, delivered before the National Education As- 

 sembly at Ocean Grove, in August, 1885, which, with other ex- 

 tracts, is incorporated in the speech of Senator Blair on his Edu- 

 cational Bill, delivered in the Senate, February 8, 188G, presents a 

 fair example of the rather extravagant statements often made by 

 publicists and statesmen concerning the dangers attending the ex- 

 ercise of the elective franchise by illiterate voters. The reverend 

 doctor thus appealed to the Assembly : " I simply call your atten- 

 tion to what may be the injurious effect of their (illiterates) silent 

 action at the polls. The members of our respective political par- 

 ties believe in the Tightness of their principles, and seek to make 

 their appeal to the reason and the consciences of the people ; but 

 the figures disclose the alarming fact that in eleven States these 

 illiterate voters outnumber the votes cast in the last presidential 

 (1884) election by either of the political parties. Thus, should 

 they unite under any strong, impassioned, successful leader, they 

 would have absolute control of legislation and offices in those 

 States, and of the election of twenty-two members of the United 

 States Senate." 



Only a moment's thought is necessary to expose the folly of 

 such ill-founded fears, for the suggested peril is contravened by 

 the very conditions set forth as dangerous, as the inability to read 

 and write affords a complete and absolute bar against the possi- 

 bility of such concerted action ; for what means of communication 

 are to be employed to unite, for a single purpose, the illiterates of 

 eleven States, who can neither read letters, circulars, documents, 

 nor newspapers, and, still further, are unable to write answers in 

 return ? It requires the most perfect organization, careful can- 

 vass, and the expenditure of vast sums of money, to bring out a 

 full vote where conditions are the most favorable for it, in the 

 enlightened and thickly settled portions of the Union, and only 

 where States are very evenly divided is the organization so per- 

 fected, at great cost, as to make a full vote possible. 



But the election returns themselves are sufficient to prove that 

 the voters in the illiterate States adhere more closely to the two 

 great parties which are said to " appeal to the reason and con- 

 sciences of men " than do the voters of the States affording the 

 best facilities for the education of the masses ; and in the election 



