Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-12-21
A Convincing Letter.


House OF Representatives to pass the bin
Upon every stump We shall bear oil tina
failure. The table, are already prepared
showing how many Thousands OF dollar
each county In Virginia would have re
csiyed but for Democratic negligence. DR.
CtrRY does not touch upon this point. W.
did not expect that he would. But 1t u
one which the leaders OF the Democratic
pary csnnot avoid. Mr.. BARBOUR Is mem.
Der Of the Democratic National Committee
the Democratic National Executive Com
mi,tee, the Virginia Democratic State Cen
trsl Committee, and the Virginia Demo.
cratic State Executive Committee. He can
exercise wonderful influence in favor Of
the BLAIR bill.
We now Introduce DIR. CURRY:
Federal Aid 90 Public schools.
10 ne Editor Of the Dispatch:
A pressure OF official duties has prevented
an carrier response TO your request for my
views on the Senate hill, now before the
House OF Representatives. giving Federal
aid 10 public schools. The subject has
been so exclusively discussed in the last
few years that 1t Is difficult 10 present any
thing. either new or interesting. AS the
question, however, IL one OF param punt
interchangeable most vital before the coun.
try-I am more than willing TO cooperate
with you In trying to get the Representa-.
tiyes 10 recognize It's "urgency" and to act
on II promptly.
Much misrepresentation exists as to the
character OF the "Bl,ir bill " as II passed
the Senste. The fears Of the par-ercelience
strict consiructionists and States.rights pol.
i,icians have been excited by what is IN
their perturbfd iinaginations rather than
by what is In the proposed legislation.
(a.) The basis OF distribution OF the
money 10 be appropriated Is not population
in The aggregate but the illiteracy OF the pop
ulaton. As the immediate peril, justifying
and making imperative the legislation, Is
iliterscy. the bin applies the remedy where
The evil or disease exists.
(b.) The aid proposed Is temporary, to
meet present exigency, and the approprl-
alton is self.limited. and diminisbes accord.
ing 10 fixed rate. The aid IS not In per-
petuiiy. nor Is the policy intended to be
permanent. II Is means OF immediate re-
lief TO meet conditions which the States
chiefly TO be benefited did not create, and
could not control. The operations OF the
law are to cease at the expiration OF def
n.tely.pescribed term OF years.
(c.) Federal aid Is applied nj the weakest
and most critical point, but there Is no
subofCination OF State systems OF educa-
tion 10 Government Bureau or to Federal
supervisors and control. The money Is TO
be applied through State stockholders.
and there is no ofiicious or distrustful in.
nit bA
The Blair bill Is characterized by great
libcrality and by tender concern for State
jurisdiction and authority. II proceeds
on the right principle. that the States
are 10 establish and manage their
own systems Of public education. and that
the education OF the youth Is primarily aud
properly charge on the property OF the
citizens OF State, and hence Federal aid
il to be Withdrawn rs soon as the emergency
ceases. Much ~ / desire Federal aid, II
should. in my judgment, be resisted Ito
The bitter end" and Indignantly spurned,
il II has the effect OF paralyzing local effort
or inducing the States to give up the essen.
tisl idea Of local taxation for the support OF
public schools.
The constitutiopality Of such temporary
aid ought not to be questioned even on
the basis OF ante-war Interpretation. All
the States are estopped from the denial OF
the power. Every State. old and new, over
and over again has accepted and used FOL
purposes Of education money, or its equiva
lent. given by the General Government
The Discrimination sought to be made be
twixt a direct appropriation from th'
Trasurv and using money from the Tire 4
sury 20 buy land, aud then selling the lane
and disbursing the proceeds OF the sale
hardly merits digui6ed reply. Soldiers and
sailors and Indians, the deaf, the dumb, and
Tie blind, have been educated at public cost
Agriculture and mechanic arts have hat
colleges endowed for their benefit. To o.,
"hnd" States, 30 called because OF public
Iands lying within their boundaries, l00,'
teO,OQ0 acres OF the public domain have
been given 10 support schools, aud col.
leges. and universities. While the prac-
tice Of the Government Is consistent ana
uniform I'm granting aid for purposes o
education, no patriot nor statesman cat
deny that 10 preserve imperilled libertie'
end Institutions extreme measures OF ever
doubtful constitutional sanction may be
come necessity and duty.
Unless the fathers OF the repubhc wer
grossly deceived and all writers on govern
ment are stupidity ignorant, the census o
1850 discloses n state OF facts which SHOULD
make all patriots uemble for the safety o
the country. The testimony OF such mel
Il concurrent In reference TO the dangers q
uucducated citizens upon material prosper
ity and the perpetuity Of our representa-
tive government. Nearly one eighth OF tn
entire population OF the United States owe
ten years Of age cannot write thei
names. Those who have given much at
tenton 10 census returns know tina
the picture Is not sufficiently dark
In the 10 southern Ststes.' there wer
1,676,e39 iliiterate whites over ten years o
age, and 3,c5s.234 illiterate blacks. Nor
than one fouith OF the people OF the lat
slave holding States cannot read the Bibl
or the Constitution. Z" In the thirty-eigh
States,'' saws the Hon. Mr.. Willis. Of Ken
lucky. "there are 1871 ,2i7 illiterate voters
They hold the balance OF power in tel
northern aud all the southern States" Il
South Carolina more than half OF the mel
over twenty.one cannot read. In the othe
southern States the proportion OF suci
voters Is fearful. On the influence OF sucl
citizens. endowed With suffrage and tn
prey Of the vicious demsgogue, II Is no
necessary 10 enlarge.
These statistics have been produced 81
often that the public ear Is becoming dea
TO the appeal which they make. Inscnsi
bility 10 danger does not lessen our duty h
avert II, nor Its power 10 harm us.
II Il well known that q large percentag
of the national illiteracy Is In the South
What the southern people have done sine
Appomattox In reconstructing. their gov
ernments, preventing chaos. laying anes
che foundations OF Q slow-oomlng materia
prosperity and establishing and maintain
Ing SJstems equally for the education o
The black and the white, 10 not so wei
known. Upon the education Of the children
our people win spend this year full si5,
oooD0o. spd yet nearly one hall Of the chill
oreu are not receiving any education II
schooh. Relatively, some southern State
sne communities are taxing themselves 70
school purposes - much O. northern State
and communities. The difference In th
aggregate amounts expended grows out q
the difference In taxable property. Will
tbc population Of the southern stxtes sinc
1850 bss incrcased, and the educabl
population immensely beeause Of emau
cipstiop, the assesscd valuation Q
property has inereAxed slowly, o
perhaps has actually diminished. will
favorable opportunities for aoqusintsnc
with sehool.work IN the south. ! 90 no
hesitate 70 affirm that Il Il pccuDisrily iul
possible 10 educate ~ the children d Bot