In a real democracy the only safeguard is the common sense of the people, and a system of free, public education will do more for the diffusion of common sense among the people than anything else can do. It is unsafe to place the ballot in the hands of people without giving them the opportunity to acquire that degree of enlightenment which is necessary to enable them to use the ballot intelligently. The voter who cannot read a newspaper or understand the public questions which he is called upon to decide is a poor foundation upon which to build a government. More than fifty years ago, when England practically adopted manhood suffrage, some of the old-fashioned statesmen bemoaned the fact that the multitudes of the people would be “masters” of the government. “Well, then”, said a certain member of Parliament, “educate your masters!” That is the only way to keep a democratic government honest, intelligent, orderly, and capable.
THE EVOLUTION OF THE BOOK. By John W. Alexander
From a Copley Print, copyright by Curtis & Cameron, Boston. Reproduced by permission.
THE EVOLUTION OF THE BOOK
By John W. Alexander
These three mural paintings are in the East Corridor of the Library of Congress.
The first depicts the spread of knowledge by oral tradition. A seer, or wise man, narrates by word of mouth to his tribesmen the story of the race. This was, in earliest times, the only way of imparting knowledge. Then, after many centuries, came the making of manuscript books on parchment. The monks of the Middle Ages, as shown in the central picture, spent much of their time in the laborious task of making books—each letter being printed by hand. Finally came the invention of printing. In the third picture Gutenburg, the inventor, is inspecting one of the pages just completed by the primitive press which the boy is turning by hand.
If so, why are intelligent men sometimes corrupt in politics?