Do our legislators appreciate the significant fact that of the $91,158,039 expended on the public schools in the thirty-eight states and nine territories and the District of Columbia during 1882, more than one quarter of that entire expense was borne by the three states of Illinois, Ohio, and Iowa? That nearly one third of that great expense was borne by and expended in the four states of New York, Ohio, Illinois and Pennsylvania? That more than one half of it was borne by and expended in the six states of New York, Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Iowa and California? That nearly two thirds of it all was borne by and expended in the nine states of California, Missouri, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio and New York? Of what practical avail, then, is the bill[K] which passed the United States Senate on the 7th of April last, so far, at least, as the amount to be appropriated is concerned? It proposes to appropriate a total amount of $77,000,000. That amount certainly sounds well and looks generous at first sight. But how is it appropriated? Let us see. This $77,000,000 that looks so large and adequate, is to be scattered over the whole country, and over a period of eight years, thus: The first year, $7,000,000—which is much less than Illinois alone gives in one year for her own children; the second year, $10,000,000—which is much less than Massachusetts and Iowa together give in one year for their own children; the third year, $15,000,000—which is much less than Ohio and Pennsylvania together give for one year’s schooling of their own children; the fourth year, $13,000,000—or about what Massachusetts, Indiana, and Wisconsin together give a year for such purposes; the fifth year, $11,000,000—or less than New York alone gives in one year; the sixth year, $9,000,000—very little more than Ohio alone gives; the seventh year, $7,000,000—or only a trifle more than Missouri and California together give in a year; and the eighth year, $5,000,000—or a trifle over what Indiana gives, and less than Iowa gives, in one year! Now, if such appropriations as these are not absurdly inadequate, what are they? They are limited to eight years, and during those eight years the mean average annual appropriation is less than $10,000,000. Think of it for a moment. An amount ($9,625,000) appropriated by Congress to cure the illiteracy of the whole nation—only $1,057,325 more than Illinois now spends in a year for educational purposes; only $1,361,755 more than Pennsylvania spends, and only $804,086 more than is spent by Ohio; while it is $1,797,593 less than the state of New York expends in a single year within her borders for like purposes!