The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-03-03
l1aitD argus.
a system of National 2dueation.

OF ell the bills before the present con-
gress looking towards the Capitalization and
consolidation of the United States of
America into q union more closely resemb-
ling that of United Germany-the ideal
government Of General Grant--there is
probably none so bold in its invasion of the
rights Of the states and none 40 subversive
OF the freedom of the citizen As that entitl-
ed IAN act to establish system of national
education In the course of debate, few
days ago, Mr. Kerr, of Indiana, showed 80
clearly its scope and intent that it will have
TO be laid aside, temporarily at least With
ont any preteuce OF clesr and express war
rant in the Federal Constitution, and cover
ing it's naked deformity with the fig leaf OF
the preamble Sin order TO form q more per-
fact union, Mr.. Kerr showed that any IN
terpretatiou which would give il validity
would also warrant the passage OF "a" re-
gulasing marriage and divorce inc regis
trn,ion of wills. or the transfer of real
estate. But, passing from the question of
constitutional authority-a subject worthy
only the jbes and sneers of the radical
nind-he laid bare the motives which lie
behind it.
/. Thirty seven state surerintendents, 243
general inspectors, 5000 local inspectors,
sad an army of $50, 900 teachers, all under
the control of and appointed by the bead of
the bureau so established, would furnish an
opportunity for fraud and corruption, for
venslity and nepotism, beside which the
present revenue system sinks into insigni6-
canoe.
2. The aggregate annual expenditures
would be 500, 100000 This vast sum, very
nearly the whole amount of the annual Fed
eral expenditures during the last democratic
administration, the bill proposes to share
egIaliy among the Scgsrai States. This
would burden the Southern and Western
States most heavily, while the tax on the
Eastern and Middle States would be com
paratiyely light. By the last census the
aggregate of values in FLORIDA has been
reduced forty.fve per cent. below that OF
1860 in LOUISIANA forty-six per cent in
MISSISSIPPI seveuty.one per cent. and the
bill imposes the same tax burdens on the
people Of those States as the people of MAS
sAcHusETTs and RHODE ISLAND would be
called upon TO bear, whose aggregate of val
ues has increased over ninety per cent. since
1860. And further TO Cypress the people OF
the Southern States, to protect the colored
man against paying any part Of the tax, and
TO punish the white nan of the South it pro-
viies that the homestead shall be exempted
from taxation to the value of $500. Il it
possible for human ingenuity to devise
more grossly unjust, unequal, oppressive,
and cruel mode of taxation?
3. 1t would place in the hands of the
Executive and this is the vital point of the
measured money and paironsgs more than
sufficient to have turned the scale, in any
Presidential election since the admiuistra
ton Of WASHINGTON, in favor of the incum-
bent of the executive office, or Of the man by
hin chosen as his successor. The effect OF
the bill, if passed, would be to insure Gen
erAl GRANTS 70 election IN 1872; and then,
with a corruption fund OF $50 900, 200 yearly
aided by the bsyonet election laws, to make
him President for life in name--an emperor
In fact