The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-10-07
evening State yuurmal.
LET US HAVE THE TRUTH.

| The Republican platform demands "a tho
rough system of common school education,
and in the same paper they denounce the
Funding Bill, which provided for the pay.
ment of interest on two-thirds of the State
debt.
"IIow would it do to pay the interest on
two-thirds of the debt first, and then look
after educating the colored people? There
is an old but very good saying: TO be just
before you are generous The constitution
does not require this system to be put in
operation before 1876.
ave are decided friends Of the Free
School System--( Great Heavens !)-always
have been--advocated it so far back as
1850. But there is so much complaint
about paying this interest, we think the
best plan would be to save the money spent
on our schools-probably 100000 a
year.
"Wc do not like to sec any of our peo-
pie, white or black, grow up without a
common school education; but we prefer
IGNORANCE to DISHONESTY, and if we
are forced to elect, we say LET US PAY
OUR DEBTS FIRST, AND GO TO
SCHOOL AFTERWARDS"
1--WE have taken the liberty of giving
prominence to the last few lines of the
above.)
A GREAT FUSS ABOUT HoTHISG--THE SITUATION IN
YIRGIyIA-FATAL POSITION OF TUE DEMOCRACY.
BY Telegraph to the Press.
Washington, October 4, 1s7l.-The platform of
the Virginia Republicans has compelled the
Democratic organs to pronounce in favor OF sus-
pending all attempts at establishing free schools
until 1876 at least, SO that the money to be used
therefor and raised by taxes may be expended in
tl,.t
of the State debt, now required by law. As
the funding act is oppressive and the schools are
vital to tire laboring whites the blacks, this
position is fatal one for the Democracy. Colo
mel Hinton, Secretary of the Republican Execu-
tive Committee, is in receipt of letters from all
parts of the State showing the activity prevail
ing these issues and of the CONSERVATION their
vigorous pushing of them makes among the Con-
servatiye managers.
"What great fire little spark kindleth !!
We believe that ourneighbor, the Enquirer,
some weeks ago, in speaking Of the Radical
complaint about high taxes, said We'll,
the State tax is 80 cents in the hundred dol
lars, and if we leave out the Free School
system it is precisely what it was before
the war;
"ihis is the only expression we can re-
call to mind that has been used by the Con-
servativc paper in the State which could be
tortured into an attack upon the School
System, and yet we are grayely assured
that the Democratic oFsans (aS the Radi-
Gals insist on calling the Conservative jour
nals) pronounce in favor of suspenei;lg all
attempts at establishing free schools until
1876 Nc.
"Verily mast our adversaries he hard
pressed indeed when they TIM, essay to
make a mountain out OF snch mole-hlll.' -
We take the article ga Great Fuss
About Nothing" from the Whig of this
morning, and "Honesty Before Education"
from the EaqaiIr of September 3oth.
OF the three morning Democratic dailies
published in Richmond, the Enquirer is the
only recognized organ of Democracy, and,
in our Judgment, the, only one entitled to
such consideration. 1t alone is authorized
to speak for the party and is never ignored
by any of its members. This is not true
of either the others. As the Enquirer
goes, so goes Virginia Democracy. 1t never
waits to catch the popular tide, but asserts
and maintains its authority to speak for the
party.
The Wing, in its article of this morning,
has found it quite convenient to overlook
the important expressions of the Enquirer
in opposition to the immediate enforcement
of the School System. and, whether inten-
tionally or not, deceves its readers as to the
ttct of the party's opposition, Through its
osgan) to the Free School System, and its
anxiety to pay nothing towards it, until the
interest on the public debt is paid. We
have no confidence in the position pretended
to be taken by the Wing, nor can we have,
with reference to this question, until it says
whether it is flesh or fish.
1t has failed to correct its unjust and UNI
warranted statement, that we were advo-
eating, in the interest of the gamblers and
jobbcrs, the Funding Bill, while it was OPP
posed to it. If the Wing was opposed to
it then, why does it now fear the party
lash so much as to keep silent upon the
subject?
Not content with this reticence, it must
attempt to hide the opposition of the En-
qieirer, by failing to 'recall to mind any
thing else that might be tortured into an
attack upon the System.o
In order to learn the position of the
Wing with reference to the question, we
now call upon it to say, whether it is in fa-
vor of paying the interest on the public
debt, as provided for by the Funding Bill,
even if it is necessary to close the Public
Schools of the State.
When it shall have answered us, it will
find work enough before it without attempt
ing to defend the Enquirer, and in its at
tempt failing to recall to mind any thing
that might be tortured into an attack upon
the System"
If the Wing will look over its file of the
Enquirer, it might be able to ''recall'' some
thing more besides what we have furnished
in this article, showing opposition to the
School System, or its delay until the proyi-
sions of the Funding Bill are carried out.
-----------------
OUR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENTS. |
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9Th, 1871.