Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-12-30
A Northern View of the Blair Bill.

of the BLAIR bin has attracted much atten-
ton. II presented a powerful argument In
favor Of the policy Of afrord.ng aid to the
public-scbool systems OF the several States.
Our obseryant and wide-awake contempt
rary the Providence Or. ~ Journal has
read II, and has subjected II TO friendly
criticism. Its article we consider worthy
of reproduction in the South, as one that
declares the view on this subject OF liberal
and intelligent northern men. IL is as
follows:
TUE Hox. On. CuRRY.-The Hon. j. l..
NJ. Curry. OF Virginia. so well known as an
able and earnest advocate OF southern edu-
cation. has. at the request OF the Richmond
JisDdtc., sent II a communication upon
this subject intended and calculated to i'm
pei the Democratic House Of Representa-
lives ~ pass the Blair bill already enacted
by the Senate. His first idea, as his prelImi-
nary purpose, MS has been that OF the Dis
patch, Is TO satisfy the popular and repre-
sentative mind that q" State rights are not
interfered with by this bill. And herein
he is right, for just conception OF and adj
berence 10 State rights are the fundamentals
OF state sovereignty; and State sovereignty
overturned, the beginning OF the end OF
liberty Is apparent. The popular objection
in the South 10 the reception from the Fed
eral Government OF millions Of dollars was,
and is founded. not so much upon the con-
stituiional inability Of Congress 10 make the
appropriation. as upon the resistance OF
FcdeIsl authority In anv, the least. degree
over the expenditure OF the money.
Or. Curry sets himself TO work to re-
move the fears Of the people OF the South
and OF the Democratic representatives In
Congress IN this behalf. He says, and
truly, that there Is 'no subordination OF
Stale systems of education TO u Govern.
ment Bureau or 10 Federal supervisors and
control" And be asserts with pride aud
dignity the doctrine that IL l. the duty OF
the State TO tax itself for the education OF
its children; the exceptional circumstances
warranting, however, temporary aid from
the General Government DIR. Curry does
not soy what provision the Blair bill makes
for the expenditure in the spirit OF it of
tie appropriations made. He says: "There
Is no ofiiciOus or disirusifIll iutermeddling
" ith the State machinery" He is pleading
with Virginia 10 allow the nation to aid in
tic education Of the South.
Mr.. Curry presents anew certain stats.
IeaGer. In the South there are, say. five
millions OF ilucrlies over ten years OF age.
In South Carolina more than half OF the
men over twenty.one cannot read. Nearly
one half Of the children of the South are
not receiving any education in schools.
.'On the influence Of such citizens" says
DIR. Curry, "endOwed with suffrage and
the prey OF the vicious demaeogue. IL is not
necessary TO enlarge" Certainly not.
" The vicious demagogue" has. however,
we are glad IN find. taken rather to cheat
ing than shooting the ignorant freedman.
We have entire confidence In the good
faith OF DR.. Curry. He is southern
man; not northerner who makes
profession OF philanthropy and living
out Of ii. He has preiudices to combat,
not in the northern but in the southern
mind. His mission is to enlighten Vir-
glnl in this behalf.
We do not find in the communication OF
DIR. Curry any abstract proposition to
which we demur. He does not say that
the national money proposed to be given
should be- accepted n return for taxes
psid 10y the South. lie does not affirm the
right 81 the States TO accept it without some
account OF its expenditure. His doctrine
OF states' rights Is sound, and he puts the
Whole question upon its proper basis, with
the qualification that he does not say out
right ana emphaticslly that privilege in-
cur responsibility, and that the receipt OF
millions involved the obligation to account
for millions.
Assuming that Democratic House will
bestow this benefactlon upon the South.
there l. something more important than
the amount III dollars, or this mode Of re.
sorting 10 the National Government. II Is
a. TO the actual uses OF the money in the
way OF education.
DR.. Curry would probably he the last
man to deny that there yet fingers in the
South prejudice against the education OF
the coloTed race. Were Or. Curry
despot IN this business, as aside from theO-
retical objections we should wish him to
he, there would be not the slightest OBJ
lection in the North to the putting him into
power rs trustee with full discretionary
powers. But that is not possible. The
several States are TO be the trustees. There
il no disposition In the North TO advise
mixed schools; there is not any wish 10
affect the social status Of the negro at once
and directly. That which is de.ired is that
the money shall be used for the elementary
education Of the negro In good faith and
as effectively as possible.
II there il any doubt as TO whether this Is
likely TO be done with or without the com.
pulsion Of sanction To the law OF appso-
priation, Il has arisen. not from the natural
disposition OF the North. but from the
words and action OF the South. In one as
pect OF the case we should prefer that the
APPROXIMATION should be made without
the least restriction. But such legislation
would be unjustifiable upon principle.
We do not. however. attach much i'm
portance to the obligation Of the States
10 report progress" The appro-
piiaticn once made will be carried cut. II
i the most "liyely" and likely expert
ment that can be made. Nothing stands in
the way Of It but the Democratic party In
the House OF Representatives. Entered
upon, II win be carried on by the Demo.
crats OF the South. OF the millions for
whose benefit II rs intended. not one, being
black, win have an influential voice con-
corning II. Aud yet we have 10 persuade
our Democratic friends 10 assume the pow
er with ti1fe Of responsibility.
DIR. CURRY "is pleading with Virginia TO
allow the nation TO aid In the education OF
the South" That Is strong way OF
stating the ease. But isn't il literally true
Isn't II true that the bill proposes TO dis
tribute amongst the several States many
millions OF dollars, not upon the basis Of
population, but In proportion to illiteraey
TO distribute the money upon that basis is
20 deal literally with the southern States
aad IT Is this literally which DIR. CURRY
il pleading with Virginia TO accept.
We record with pleasure the Journals
candid and outspoken declaration that there
Is no disposition in the North 10 advise
mixed schools. II there Is no such disposi.
ton In Rhode Island there is none In any
southern Stats; and so we acceptable Jour-
mars disclaimer as the disclaimer Of all the
northern States. We are glad that this
Trunk declaration has come TO hand
Just now, for the few vlrginians
who oppose the BLAIR bill are not slow to
object 10 Il that II Is the opening wedge to
mixed schools. Initiating the Journal In
,ae ffsnkness, we viii say that no amount
Of money which the Federal Government
could offer US In aid Of our public schools
could induce the people Of the South 10
consider seriously the proposition to es,ab-
Iish mixed schools.
Nothing" says our Providence con.
Temporary. "nothing stands In the way
NJ % the Dassaee of the BLAIR hill &c hut