National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-03-22
LIGHT OF KNOWLEDGE.
Further Discussion Of the Blair Educational
Bill.
Working Through Grist OF Private
House Measures.



The chair laid before the senate a message from
the President similar to that read Wednesday in
the house, transmitting communication from
the secretary of war giving an estimate of cost OF
pedestal for the Garfield statue to be erected in
Washington by the society Of the Army Of the
Cumberland.
Also, communication from the secretary Of
the Interior transmitting a roll of the Cherokee
Indians east Of the Mississippi river.
Bills were introduced and appropriately re-
ferred rs follows.
BY Mr. Cullom: To empower the secretary OF
war to permit the establishment Of a horse rail
road upon and over the island of Rock Island
and for connecting the cities Of Davenport ana
ROCK Island herewith.
By Mr.. Plat: To provide for the admission into
the union OF the state OF Tacoma.
BY Mr., Logan 10 grant II pension to the widow
OF Gen. Il. o. @. Ord at tho rate OF $50 per month.
by Mr.. Malone: To provide for the erection of
public building at Staunton Va.
BY Mr.. Call 10 authorize an investigation Of
the issue Of fraudulent warrants, and to protect
soldiers and sailors from loss thereupon.
Mr.. Hoar called up his bill increasing the sal;
aries of United States district judges to S5OO0 and
Mr. Morgan resumed his remarks In support Of
his amendment, which applies the increase only
to judges hereafter appointed.
Messrs. Bayard and Garland also supported the
bill
Upon veto being taken on Mr.. Morgan's
amendment, II was rejected.
Mr.. Van Wyck moved TO amend the bill by
making the salary S4 900 instead of $1,000.
At2 O'clock the matter went over Till Monday
| without decision.
Mr.. Blair's education bill was laid before the
senate, beingthe unfinished business of Thursday.
AT the request of Mr.. Allison, however, MT.
Blair gave way to permit the consideration of the
deficiency appropriation bill; which was read
| three times, the amendments recommended by
the senate COMMITTEES on appropriations were
| agreed to, and the bill was passed.
In the course of his remarks meeting the OBJ
| jectous to the bill, Mr.. Blair said ho would him
ne ooKq uGn ng
support of the common schools Of the country.
Therefore the bill only provided for the temporary
aid by the general government to the local schools
Within the ten years contemplated by the bill we
would secure the education of practically two
generations-for the majority Of children get in
they get at all. The need for MD
being greatest, now was the time. to give the
AID In that T9y the general
came, year by year. more and more able themselves
to support the schools BY the method suggested
by the senator from Iowa Mr.. Allison] of making @
small appropriation ut first and increasing year by
year, the general government would at the end o.
ten years suddenly withdra the large amount
which by that time IL would be annually giyinf
to the state and so leave the state system helpless
or almost so. Mr.. Blair would regret, eKceedingl,
that any amendment should be adopted whicl
would materially change the provisions OF tht
bill.
Mr.. Harrison, Mr.. Hoar, and Mr.. Blair entered
into n discussion OF some length as 10 the precis'
meaning OF some of the sections of the bill.
Mr.. Jones. of Florida, believed that congress
had full constitutional power TO make this appro
priation, though he did not ascribe that power y
the general welfare" clause. we had. he said
to recognize the changes in the constitution OF
fected by tho war. Those who had been slave
were, by constitutional amendment, made citizens
not of the states, but specifically OF the Uute'
Staes-lifted up to the fun status of ciiizenthi
without preparation. 1t was not the states tina
had made citizens OF those people; It was the gen
eral government, though the state, Mr.. Jones sal
lin reply to question of Mr.. Coke, had ratifle
the action of the general government. He re
garded the present measure as a most beniiicen
one, and thought the distinction n shade too fine
which made a difference between grant of pub
lie land TO Il state for educational purpose
and a grant of an amount of money cquivnlei
to the value of the land From the report of tn
commissioner of education 1t appeared that Ian
had been given by the general government to IN
separate states for the purpose Of common SCHOOL
aud the grant made by this bill, In Mr. Jones
Wow, was hardly TO be distinguished from tn
! grant of land. The United States government
which had made citizens OF the colorcd peopl
was simply coming forward, as 1t ought to con
} forward, TO help make them fit for the exercise
the rights which citizenship conferred. lie Wou
have no hesitation in voting for the measure.
Mr.. Garland lat 436 p. m.) moved that The sena
60 iuto executive session, which was agreed To.
Before the doors were closed amendments
the pending bill were offered by several senator
In order that they may DO printed.
One by Mr.. Sherman provides that tho mon'
shall be applied to the educationof,c hlldren wit
out distinction of race or color, and shall be di
tributed to the counties or school districts In Il
proportion which the number of illiterate childrt
III each such county or school district bears 10 u
, whole number of illiterate children in the stat
and that the assent OF the state to this provisiS
shall be had before the money can be given ~
by the United States.
The senate then (at4:45 p. n.y. went into exec
tive session, and, when the doors were reopene
, adjourned until Monday next,