Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-02-11
From the N. Y. Herald of Feb. Sth.l
Mr.. fuckers Objections to the Blair Ednea
tiOnal Bill.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 7th, 1885.


Congressman Tucker, of Virginia, chair
man of the Judiciary Committee, was asked
to, day by your correspondent why he op-
posed the Blair Educational bill. He re-
piled that he did SO for very many reasons.
He said: ID do not believe in the power of
Congress to establish a school system in the
constitution expressly authorizing this, but
in the history of the convention there is
everything to show the absence of such in
tention. Aud when it is said Congress,
while it has no power to do this which
few people maintain, has power to appro-
pirate money to the States to do what it
could not do of itself, it seems to me to in
volve an absurdity. For how can Congress
do through others what it cannot do of it
self? And when it is claimed that the gen.
eral welfare clause covers the case, l main
tain-frst, that the general welfare is de-
fined constitutionally to be what Congress
has specific grants to do To hold that it
covers more than the specific grants is alb
surd, for if it does, then there was no need
of the specific grants. The latter define the
general expression. The general express
sion cannot do more than to include the
specific grants. l hold Congress can only
raise revenue and appropriate money for the
purposes specifically defined or clearly i'm
piled from the language of the constitution.
Any other Interpretation of that paper
would give the tax and appropriating pow
er a scope only limited by the loose express
sion general welfare II, therefore, we
ever expect to have economy and retrench-
ment in expenditures and a lessening of the
burdens of tariff and internal revenue we
must confine the objects of expenditure to
those specifically defined by the grants of
the constitution. If the democratic party
came into power upon the doctrine of taxa
ZION and appropriation, limited only by the
general welfare clause, it will present the
singular anomaly of a party based on the
principles of jefferson embracing and prac-
Using the doctrines of Hamilton. But the
objection to this bill is not for its technical
unconstitutionally alone The bill is the
entering wedge to the entire control of the
schools of the States by the federal govern.
| ment. This government never touches one
Of these subjects without finally absorbing
| them. 1t cannot let it's money go without
supervision of its use, and when that's done
| it will increase until the Bureau of Educa
| ton at Washington will be the centre of all
| educational influence in the country. This
| will entail enormous patronage, which tends
l
| government. 1t would bring in intrusive
interference in the State systems and in
deed, if logically followed out, will do more
| to overthrow the federative character OF
our system and convert it into a centralized
| government. But the argument for the bill
at the South is that it is to get a greater
share of the fund than the North. This
would not seem to be an appropriation fo
general, but for local welfare. However
| the fact is this-we are not relieved iron
taxation by getting this appropriation. Thi
government gets all it gives us by taxing US
If by tariff every dollar it gives us out O.
the Treasury is scarcely one-fourth of VIVA
| it takes for revenue to the government ant
| for protection to the manufacturing inter
ests. 1t is cheaper to educate our children
by State taxation than by federal taxation
because all that the State takes from u
goes into its treasury, but all that the fed
eral government takes from us does not &c
into It's treasury. But as to Virginia, thu
| result is more striking. The tax on Vir
ginia tobacco gives the United States owe
30, 900, 900 of revenue. In eight years tina
will be $25;000.000. Thus the United State
takes from Virginia $25, 900, 900 and give
back about S., 100000. 1t takes five time
more than it gives. Let the United State
| take off the tobacco tax and Virginia, b,
one cent per pound tax ON her tobacco
would raise for her school system nearly a
much as the Blair bill offers. In other words
the benefit IS illusory and is obtained by al
I exercise of unconstitutional power and by
dangerous innovation on our system of gov
eminent"