Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-04-17
Tho blilr Dill.

A Botetourt correspondent writes
Us a. follows:
We are solid in our county
(Botetourt), but II our party will
put plank in the platform favor.
ing the bill, l feel warranted in
saying that we can get from two
to three hundred more votes on
that account. 1t is not only in our
county, hut the further west the
more popular is the question:
We do not doubt its popularity
for one moment. Even here in
Richmond, where are to'be found
the best public schools in Virginia
We suppose, there is great need Of
more school funds. The parents
of thousands Of children, white
and black, are clamorous for more
schools.
On the above from tho Rich
mond Dispatch the Wig CON-
ments az follows:
Yes: the parents Of thousands
Of children, white and black, here
and all over the State are clam
orous for more schools; bat If any
of them expect to get them nom
the Democratic party, State or
National, or through . plank in
the State platform in favor Of the
Blair bill, they must be lunatics. In
this Bourbon city Richmond about
one thousand children annually are
excluded from all the privileges
and advantages or our free school
system because sufficient aocommo
dations are not provided for them (;
and to-day, despite the increase in
our population, school and other,
and all our taxable values, the
Bourbon Council appropriates this
year for the schools precisely the
sum Hrst appropriated in 1901
thirteen years ago!
With 70 majority in the House
Of Representatives, the Democrats
ha We tpios failed to take up the
Blair Bill, which passed the Re-
publican Senate early in 1884. For
over three months Of the session
of 1884, that bill lay untouched
ON the table in the House Of Re-
representatives. and there 1t was
left to die (still un touched) all
through the session Of 188l'85.
Who is so silly ~ TO look to the
Democratic party for any real
beneficence in behalf Of free educa.
tioni In 1880 the Democratic
House killed the Republican bill to
distribute the net proceeds Of the
sales of the public lands to the
States for the aid of free schools :
since then 1t has twice put ito foot
upon the Blair bill; snd in its
National platform the Democratic
party last year dsslsred enphsti.
cally against the Blair bill snd oil
similar measures in the words fol.
lowing, to Wit:
awe are opposed To all propo.
sitions iohiek, upon any pretext,
would convert the general Govern
ment into u machine for collecting
taxes to be distributed among the
States, or the citizens thereof
The parents and all other citizens
Of Virginia, black or white, Re-
publican or Democratic, Who really
desire the free schools to increase
aud multiply, and who favor State
and Federal aid TO them in abun
dant measure, must rally to the
Republican party, whose good
works attest its faithful cOnsecra-
ton TO the liberty, the education
and the prosperity Of the people.
The Wig doubtless overlooked
the comments OF Boss Bsrbeurs
Alexandria srgan which in terms
reminds the kloksrs In its party
tkst the democratic convention res
solved against the "Blsir Sch DOL
Bill and sites In proof the same
resolution copied above. Venly
ths people OF virgisis viii not be
betrayed sgsip by empty promises
on % vital O matter.