Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-06-19
The AMERICAN AND THE BLAIR BILL.

1f-~ S"TT~ "a -sf4s
The Nashville American seems to
think il can press the CHRONICLE to the
wall by pointing outsalleged' inconsis-
tencies In its utterances on the Blair
bill; it deems the sings and arrows we
have been throwing in its dissection, in
this regard, boomerangs that havecome
home to squelch US.
Inconsistency is the fools bugbear,
and we wouldn't be completely, over
whelmed-if the American could show a
case In point where we were entirely
at variance with a former position On
this or any other question, but in this
instance we are satisfied that our, opin-
ions enthusiastically the same that they
have ever been. 7>''A 80 ~; -f.s ~
The editorial which the American
has resurrected, never had place in
the weekly CHRONICLE. 1t appeared in
the daily edition OF the paper published
last winter and was promptly "killed'
before the weekly forms we're made up.
This is not offered by way of explana-
ton or apology. We don't deem any
thing OF that kind necessary.
That editorial was written while the
Blair bill was pending in the Senate and
it dealt only with the. amendment
offered by Senator Edmunds- That
amendment proposed the distribution
OF the school fund on the basis Of the
census Of 1880, between thewhite and
colored schools in. those States where
the schools are seperate. We thought
better basis Of distribution would be
the census Of the scholastic population
which most OF the States take annually
We regarded the amendment an insin
uation from Republican source, thai
the blacks would not be treated fairly
If the basis OF distribution was left tt
be fixed by the States, and as such were
disposed to resent it. The bill with
this amendment passed the Senate. We
would like to see the amendment
eliminated, but we would greatly prefer
that the bill as it is becomes law, to it
being defeated on account OF this objec
tionable feature.
The American opposes national ,aic
to education in any shape. We believe
1.-THE truth were known, it opposes edu
cation at public expense either State Of
national. Stubborn and telentless OPP
position to the Blair bill when traceC
back to first causes generally discover,
the old Bourbon spirit, once too Target,
prevailing in the South, which though
education should be confined to the
favored few and that illiteracy was bes
for the masses.
Entertaining such radical views al
these, the American is trying to drive
people from the support OF deservedly
popular measure by the weak argumen
that the control of the distribution O
the fund given the Secretary of the In
terror, amounts to Federal control o
the schools.
1t was this balderdash that we attack
ed and it is because of this attack tina
we are charged with inconsistency.
The American is at liberty to keep II,
this strain till it gets tired. The CHRoN
IoLE is in favor OF public education, o
Federal aid and the Blair bill as al
attainable means to that end. II woult
prefer the Miller bill if that measur,
can be passed.
That our position is at radical varianc'
with thst of the American in these sew
eral points, is to be attributed to the fac
that we walk in the wake of progress,
and our Nashville contemporary is stub
bornly Bourbon.