Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-05
BIair's Educational Bill.
Tie Editor Of Tie Dispatch :

Your Washington correspondent
makes frequent illusions to the pro-
grcss and probable chances Of the Blair
and other unsettled bills before Con-
gress. and in his last Saturdays letter
has the following to say:
d" asked a member of the House to-
day TO give me his opinion about the
chances of the passage of bills outside
of the general appropriation bills. He
replied. There is no telling, but | am
inclined to think the chances are against
them Said /, You know that the
majority Of the House is for the Blair
bill 'Of course it is he replied.
You people. said he. seem to attach
too much political importance to it. 1t
ought to pass. and will be passed if it
can be reached. All Of you in Viz
ginia nearly are for it. and it will be the
fault of the rules if direct vote is not
reached on it before adjournment "
Now, this colloquy may be very COM
prehensible and satisfactory to your
correspondent and his member Of Con-
gress, but it is entirely unintelligible
and unsatisfactory to the people of Vir-
ginia. The Democrats have a controll-
ing majority Of some seventy votes in
the House, and are held responsible by
the people for what it does and what it
neglccts to do; and while it is very true
that the arbitrary "rules" Of the
House may enable the minority to fire.
quently delay and finally to defeat the
majority in important legislation, there
is at least one thing which the majority
can always do, and that is, to place the
responsibility Of such bad legislation
rhere it property belongs!
Now, if the petty minority i'll the
House who are opposed to the Blair
bill will not permit it to come up and
be decided upon its merits under the
Irregular rules" then it is very easy
for the Democratic majority to put them
to a test vote. and while indicating
themselves show to the country where
the responsibility and blame properly
lie by compelling them to show their
hands.
Unless such test as this is made
upon the Blair bill before the present
Congress adjourns, rules or no rules,
the Democratic party in the House will
be deservedly held responsible for its
non-action on the bill. and we will have
no way to excuse, much less to argue,
out of it before the people of Virginia
in the next campaign, and our neglect
will be Mahone's only stock 10 trade
with which to lead his hosts agas.st us
in the fight.
Some thoughtless congressman who
has not got some LAG, 900 ignorant negro
voters to lunge against him next cleo
ton, may say that this is "glving the
subject too much Importance" but let
him try it on himself as we have to do
down here in Virginia and he will find
that he is only trifing with the subject
himself, and by opposition to, or neglect
of, the Blair bill, he is doing immense
and inexcusable damage to the Demo-
cratic party of our State by endangering
success next November.
By Mr.. Hurd's extreme folly last
year on the tariff question he lost his
election in a Democratic district Of
more than 5000 majority, and helped
to give Ohio to Blaine by 10000. His
motion the other day in the House on
the Blair bill was another piece of Just
such bullheaded folly and short-sight-
edness, which could only originate with
q political crank who never stops to
consider the tendency Of his actions in
affecting his party and friends. The
defeat Of the educational bill may do
no hurt to the Ohio gentleman next
fall, because he is not in the race, but
it will place bludgeon in the hands of
our enemies in Virginia aud the South
with which to make savage warfare