St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-08
Spirited Speech, in which Politics
Made the Disputants Use Sharp
Repartee.
Representative Converse Unable to Get
His Wool Tariff Bill the Prece-
dence.
Hurd Makes an Effective Speech, Which
is Frequently Applauded, Even by
Both Sides.
The Senate.

SeudGOr VOORHEES, lOllOWeu, Saying Oh q
measure SO non-partisan as this he could
meet with men of any and all political
parties. This bill, he said, should be received
with favor by all sections and all clases. The
Geeds of discord had been sown early in the
history of our national government and this
was measure to wipe out the last vestige OF
the results Of that discord. The measure
came from the right quarter, from New
England, andVoorhees, not only asa western
senator, but with the blood of the south in
his veins, could cordially support it. 1t was
not measure for the education of the colored
people alone, but all the people. 1t was
a grand measure of reconciliation. What
had We all been praying for during the last
twenty years? Was it not for whole souled
and hearty reconciliation? What measure
that could be devised would better bring
about that result than this bill? Voorhees,
thought it late in the day to protest against
national aid to state education, since not only
had hundreds of millions of acres of land
been given to separate states for education
but since the war So, 000,0 in cash had been
expended bv the national government in the
establishment and support of freedmen's
schools, and S400, 900 for the education of In
dian children at Hampton and Carlisle, and
all this, without protest from the gentlemen
who oppose the measure. He believed thai
there were certain great rights reserved to the
states, and there was character of strict
construction that was still to be upheld and
contended for, but the strict construction Of
the old time had been born of slavery, and
now slavery, with its special form of sJrict
construction, to which it gave rise, was dead.
The acquisition of Louisiana and Texas had
been effected during period even Of strictest
construction, yet without any express author
ity in the constitution. If we could extend
our flag over foreign soil, could we not edu-
cate our people? Voorhees, represented a
state that was out of debt, but when the
towns of southern Indiania We're swept by
a Obstructive flood and the legislature of the
a great public calamity. Vohries and his
colleague had asked Congress to give
substantial aid in the emergency and Con
gress had promptly given it, and nobody
had thought it an exercise of uncCnstitution
al power
Senator Hoar's first amendment was then
taken up, providing that the amount to be
distributed the first year be S7,00O,oOO, the
second year $40, 900, 900, the third S15,00O,-
900, and then diminish at the rate of 50, ,OO0,-
900 yearly, until the expiration of the eighth
year, when the appropriations shall cease.
The amendment was agreed to: 3S yeas, IL
nays.
Another amendment of Senator Hoar's
was agreed to, providing that equal oppor-
tunity of education be given to all children
of the state.
An amendment offered by Sherman, pro-
viding that the money shall be used only fo
common schools, not sectarian in character.
Senator Morgan inquired ir this provision
aimed at the Catholics.
Senator Sherman replied, it was not
aimed at the Catholics, Methodists or Presby-
terians especially, but it was his idea that
public money should be disbursed only for
non-sectarian schools. He himself believed
the intelligent Catholics of the country were
coming to the conclusion that many of their
Senator Hoar remarked, in the city in
which he resided there was no more stauneh
friends of the common schools, as rule,
than the Catholics The amendment was
agreed to, 80 yeas to IS nays.
The first of the amendments heretofore
offered by Senator Harrison was taken up. 1t
provides that no state shall receive any ben
eits of the act until the governor of the state
file with the secretary of the interior an an
nual statement, showing the attendance at
the schools and the expenditures for them.
Senator Williams opposed the compelling
of the governor Of a state to report to any ma
tional authority.
Senator Hawley remarked. No national
authority could order the governor of a state
to do anything
Senator Garland stated, the United States
government.could could not recognize any
state officer except the governor.
Senator Morgan said, there was provis-
ion in the constitution of Alabama that pro-
hibited the state from using the principal OF
any money, it could only use the interest.
In reply to suggestion from Senator Lo-
gan, regarding the new issues, Morgan said,
he did not care for the new issues, the old
issues were good enough for him. He, Nor
gan, was not presidential can didate.
Senator Butler suggested it was not at all
impossible. The secretary of the interior
might use this money as a corruption fund.
1t had been done before, and would be done
again if this bill was passed. He did net
care if that officer was a Democrat or Re-
publican. If a million dollars were put into
the hands of cabinet officer to be sent into
a state, it was not impossible, indeed it was
not improbable, in the light of past events,
for that officer to say to the governor of a
state, scarry your state for my political party
and you shall have this money, and if you do
not shall pick such flaws in your certificate
you cannot get this money"
Senator Plumb thought the danger greater
that the governor might use the money for
political purposes on his own account, or for
the benefit of his own political party.
Senator Harrison remarked that Senator
Beck had the other day, speaking for his
party, said: s'We never trust men twice. -
Harrison said that might do for the party of
the senator, "but," said he, s'on this side of
the chamber we do not trust men twice. If
we did not it might not be possible for us to
be on friendly relations with some of the
senators on the other side of the chamber u
Senator Morgan added, "nor your own
party either.'
Several senators protested against politics
being brought into the discussion of this hu-
manitarian question. Several attempts to
amend the amendment of Harrison were
voted down, and the amendment was agreed
to.
A motion of Logan was agreed to, striking
out the permitted states having less than 5
per cent. OF illiteracy, to use the money for