The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-07-07

rhorc may be divergent views among
,ne members Of the Lynchburg Convention
- to the planks to put into the Democra',c
rl.t,or1p this year, when there are no Fcd.
cral elections to be held, but we wos'o
faln hope that there can scarcely be TWO
on,nions as to certain pianks that ought
mot TO be left out, nor large minority In
favor Of silence upon any important ques.
ton. And let us say by the way that II
Federal politics are referred TO at all, there
need be no difficulty in framing such an
indictment against the Republican party as
will insure the defeat Of that party IN 'n-
g,nia both this year and next year.
We take 1t for granted, them Una. .nc
Ivncbhurg Convention win make deiiv-
erance upon the subject Of the public debt
and also one upon the subject OF the pup
lie schools. To go into the contest with-
ont declaration OF our intentions IN re-
card to those two subjects would, u seems
70 ms. be suicidal; and we would not con-
slider II possible that there was any doubt
ms 10 the necessity for such a decia-
ration on the part OF the Democrats
IL we had not seen and read OF per-
sons who desire no platform except
one line denouncing bosses and bossism'
The question has been raised and dts
cusscd in the papers as to the purpose OF
the Democratic party relative to the state
debt in case they carry the next Legisla-
ture. They are charged with an unwil-
ingucss to acquiesce in the settlement made
nv the RJppLEBERGER bill, and desire TO
renew In some form the agitation upon the
.ubiect. OF course the Democrats know
that the charge is untrue. The reso-
buttons passed in the recent Demo-
cratic mass-meetings in Charlotte. Lee
Patrick, Smyth, and other counues'
furnish upon this point evidence which
cannot be overlooked. But nevertheless
the necessity is laid upon the Lynch
burg Convention OF silenclng once Tor all
the clamor OF the Coalitionists about the !
Democrats and the State debt. Indeed, the
very fact that in so many county-meetings |
the Democrats deemed 1t both polite and
right to "eliminate" the debt question |
from Virginia politics ought to be accepted |
by the Lynchburg Convention as in the ma
ture of instructions 10 that body in this
behalf. The debt question is forever put
mt rest. Let the Convention say so. Why
not?
II is important, too, that the public
schools should be endorsed and pledge |
given to make them better and better year
after year, II possible. In some counties
they are not so good as they ought to be.
There may be two opinions as TO whether
or not to accept the gage OF battle thrown
down before the white people Of Virginia
by CAMERON, FARR, and BLAIR; but there
can be no two opinions as to the desira-
biiity OF increasing the efficiency OF the
pubIic-school system outside OF the
cities and q few exceptional counties.
And as the poverty of the people is the rea-
son always given for not having estab-
lisbed better schools-especlally for their
short sessions-it might not be amiss to en-
dorse one of the several bills which were
before the last Congress providing aid TO
the public schools OF the seNerhi olates,
said aid to be in proportion to their illite-
racy, which is the same as saying 10 pro-
portion to their needs. The "commun-
ism" which some OF their enemies see in
the public schools is exactly the same sort
of communism" which calls upon all the
rest Of the male community to put out the
fire which is consuming other mems houses.
The fires OF ignorance must also be
qucnched, and the human houses not made
with hands be saved from destruction. 1t
is the same sort Of communism " which
takes rich and poor alike to the field OF
battle to defend or protect interests in
which neither poor nor rich, it is possible,
have personal concern. IL we believe IN
the public-school system, let us say so.
Why not?
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