Round the World Quickly.—A copy of the London Times, sent to Lord Huntly, Japan, went round the world, returning to London in 69 days.
Glances Round the World.
(Continued and concluded from [August No.])
In vain have I appealed to the educators of our country in “The New Education.” It will be half a century before our systems of education will be organized for the elevation of society. Heretofore, our systems have had a positively demoralizing effect by inculcating a love of military glory, a love of ostentatious pedantry, a stubborn adherence to old opinions, and a scorn of useful industry. The gradual establishment of industrial schools, however, is the most hopeful sign in our educational system, and the establishment of ethical education will be the last and most glorious change. But that is a task for the next century which will understand how to save and reform criminals. The thought is already entertained, and the new Princeton Review says, that in coming time “the world will look back with amazement upon the days when it let known, determined criminals run at large, only punishing them occasionally, by a temporary deprivation of their liberty in short and determinate sentences. We can see to-day that it is a thoroughly illogical proceeding. The man determined upon a life of crime is of no use to himself at large, and he is both a danger and expense in his community. He commonly gives evidence in his character and his acts of this determination—evidence sufficient for the court which tries and sentences him; but if that is too uncertain, then conviction for a second offence may be legally taken to define his position. After the second offence the criminal should be shut up, on an indeterminate sentence, where he will be compelled to labor to pay for his board and clothes and the expense of his safe-keeping.”
AFRICAN POPULATION.
We have another disturbing element in the negro population, a large portion of which is unfitted for a republican government by ignorance and social debasement, but fortunately free from the violence and turbulence of the lower class of immigrants. This degradation is fast being removed by education and the ambition inspired by freedom. The latter is shown by the formation of the Afro-American League for the protection of the blacks, especially in the Southern States, and the advancement of their interests and influence. This idea originated with Mr. Fortune, the editor of the New York Freeman.
Few are aware of the progress of negro education. We have already 16,000 colored teachers. In the Southern States alone there are said to be 1,000,000 of pupils,—in the male and female high schools, 15,000. There are sixty normal schools, fifty colleges and universities, twenty-five theological seminaries, and in the churches 3,000,000 worshippers. The colored population pays taxes on from 150 to 200 millions of dollars.
The black race will be free from slavery at the close of this century. The Brazilian Parliament passed a law for gradual emancipation in 1871, when there were about 2,000,000 slaves. In 1885, the number was reduced to 1,200,000, and measures have been introduced to hasten the completion of emancipation.
In Cuba, slavery seems to be at an end. The queen regent of Spain has signed a decree freeing the Cuban slaves, some 300,000, from the remainder of their term of servitude. The work, thus consummated, began in 1869, which provided for the conditional emancipation of certain classes of slaves in Cuba, and for the payment of recompense to the owners of the men and women liberated. From the first, slave-owners have been paid for their slaves.