The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-09-23
WHARF VIII We Get Aid2

an almost accomplished fact. Ihey
are afraid to 90 back the long dis
lance they have come lest they can
never get this far again. 1t lacks
very little of being law. Never
theless, if we cannot get it in that
form, we cannot get it, and there's
an end O. it. The principle of fed
eral aid in some form is conceded.
Our candidate, Mr.. Taylor, adopts
the public lands method. Hon.
Andrew Caldwell has a bill pend
ing that is based upon this idea.
We are not averse to this plan If 1t
is possible and meets the case. Will
it pay US to drop the Blair bill and
90 back and begin all this hard
work over again? Really and hon
estly, men, pray where is the great
difference in giving the money now
on hand and in selling lands to get
more money to give? The advo-
Gates of this publicslands plan have
never yet answered the argument
that the proposition is clearly In
the face of the democratic platform,
which is clear and explicit in de-
handing that the public lands be
held sacredly for homes for the peo-
pie. But waving that even, 1t can
| DE clearly shown that the proceeds
of the sale of lands is not sufficient
for the purpose. If that is true,
then that plan must be dropped as
unavailable and insufficient.
THE CITIZEN is for the Blair bill
first because it is already nearly a
law, but it is willing to the public
lands plan if it is sufficient. Be
lieving, however, that the former is
perhaps defeated and the latter IS
inadequate and impossible, we turn
to find another plan. Where will
we get the money?
Senator Whitthorne proposed to
take the cotton tax and appropri-
ate it thus, but public opinion says
this is manifestly unjust-that the
cotton tax belongs to the men from
whom it was illegally taken. AL
these plans recognize the principle
of federal aid, and yet neither is
available non possible. We wan
something to meet present needs
The people are aroused. The party
platforms all demand better free
schools. 1t must not be by direct
taxes on the people. They will no
stand 1t, and yet the platform au
thorizes it and some men advocate
it. There is but one way out tina
, we can see.
Appropriate part of the tobacco ant
,0Aisky tar! Why not this as well a
land money-as well as Gus tom
money-as well as cotton tax mon.
e ey? 1t is a war tax-it is almOs
blood money-it is illegally anC
wrongfully wrung from the people
t and yet we cannot repeal the law
! We can make amends for its lille
gality and the wrongs and oppres-
sions that it entails by apprOpriat
ing a part OF it to great charita-
BILE, benefcent purpose. 1t viii
not take much of it. We want OnlI
about eight millions a year out o
Lhe hundred millions it raises.
Upon what meat have we beer
> recently feeding that we have grown
I so everlastiDgly and enormously
particular about paying the public
debt? Of course the debt ought t.
: be paid, and it is being paid rapid
= Iy. Why raise this debt paying
: question for the first time to pre-
vent the very first great benefit tina
has ever been offered the south
Brethren, if Sut Luvingood were il
the flesh he would say we were al
''nat'ral born durn phools." We d.
not want to interfere with the debt
We do not want to take all the sur
= plus, nor half of it, nor a fourth 0
, it, nor tenth ofiH Give US onl,
eight millions a year out of tn
great bulk Of money. That will
not interrupt the debt paying much
4 There will be millions and million
7 left to pay the debt with. Give u
only a small part of the blood mon
! ey wrung from the people.
Change the terms of the Blai
bill so that it will appropriate thu
small part of the internal revenu
Z tax. We cannot get the Blair bill
i as it is; the proceeds of lands is in
t sufficient; the cotton tax belongs t.
the men who paid it. But here il
money wrongfully taken from thu
people-extorted by armed fore,
,, and inquisitorial and Oppressive
methods--illegally and unconstitu
tionally taken. Let's give it bacl
to the children of the people. Let's
f do pennance for the wrongs anC
expressions by which we get it by
applying it to the education of oul
poor children and thus carry out
the injunction of our platform and
the lofty spirit of democracy ex-
pressed at Chicago in the words:
''The diffusion of free education by
common schools so that every child In
the land may be taught the rights and
duties of citizenship"
The national party thus spake
That is q worthy purpose-that is
pure democratic purpose-the great
est benefit where it is most needed
We all now agree that national aid
is desirable. Let's unite or this
and thus redeem the pledge of the
platform and save the people from
direct taxation.
The Expositor statesman says:
"A dispatch received at Sparta at )
p. m. Wednesday says that Charles
ton, S. c., is badly torn up, and is
covered by fifteen feet of water and
some of it is burning up. We could
get no other particulars-this is la
ter than the Nashville dailies have"
Fifteen feet under water and still
a-burning. This is still "later than
any of the Nashville dailies have. -
1t is useless to remark that this pa
per is strongly for Bob.-Littletoa
Col. Jas, d. Richardson in his ac-
ceptance speech took occasion to
mouthe at the president for not
turning the rascals out fast enough.
1t used to be quite the style to
grumble at Mr.. Cleveland but they