The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-02-12
promotion Of West Point graduates


promotion Of West Point graduate.
was reached.
On this some discussion alole. Sen.
ator Sewell, in reply to an inquiry q
Senator Plumb, said this was the first
year for a long time when there would
be more lieutenants graduated from
the West Point Academy than there
would be vacsnciesfn the army.
After considerable debate the bill
was passed as reported from the com.
mittee.
At o'clock the educational bill was
laid before the Senate and Senator
Morgan took the floor on it.
The bill, Senator Morgan said, was
a bill 10 create Office and elaborate the
machinery Of the government. II
was a bill to tax the honest, hard
working man in order to educate the
children OF the drunken, loafng vsga-
bond who would not work for his fam.
lily. II from the 10000, 900 people in
the United States were 10 be deducted
all the deadheads, dead-beats and nom
producers, there would be about 90
0O0, 900 left, who would have to pay
the taxes to carry out the provisions
OF this bill. The bill itself would be
equivalent to a tax Of So per capita on
thUse Taxpayers, aud by the time al
the officers were appointed for the ad-
minittration OF this scheme OF benevo-
lence, and all the clerks appointed
that would be necessary TO investigate
the accounts OF the thirty-eight States
and ten Territories affected by this
bill, it would be found that the tax
per capita would be $40 instead { ( SO.
III United States Senators we're men
who plowed fields or worked smithsr-
les, and paid taxes out of the swet OF
their brow, Senator Morgan could
have more respect for them when
voting away the money OF man
to educate the children Of another.
The constitutional ground for the bill,
Mr.. Morgan continued, was said to be
found in the general welfare" clause
oil the pr amble to the constitution.
The application OF that clause simply
meart that you could pull down the
man that got up by his own exeItions
in order to put up a drunken loafer
that would not exert himself. The
best people in the United States to-
day we're those who in the backwoods,
in the fear Of God and having respect
for the good order and the morals OF
society, had brought up around their
own lootstools and hear hst0nes hon.
est, sincere, diligent and faithful sons
and daughters. Senator Morgan char
acterized Mr.. Blair's idea as one in
volving the right Of Congress to edu.
cate the children Of the several States
without the consent OF the States.
Senator Blair interpoled to say that
he regarded the primary duty of edu-
cation to rest on the parent, but mas
much as education was indispensable
70 the existence Of free government,
II the parent, whether from inability
or disinclination, failed in the per-
Torrance OF the duty, that duty fell to
the States, and in our republic, If the
State proper and the parent both
failed, then IL became the duty of the
republic to educate the child since the
child would be citizen, not only of
the State but OF the United State,
This, however, was a power that
should be exercised Only in the last
resort?
Senator Call asked Senator Morgan
II he denied the right of the United
States to make donation TO a States
for any purpose2
Senator Morgan replied that he
could conceive OF such a case.
Senator Call-"Without the consent
Of the State ?"
Senator Morgan -"Scarcely."
In referring to the act OF 1916, dis.
tributiDg among the States the sur.
plus money in the Treasury OF the
General Government, Senator Morgan
said 1t was an important precedent.
Senator Geor9e-Did not Senator
Calhoun vote for the bill?
Senator Morgan-Oh, / do not
know; and with the greatest possible
respect for the memory cf Senator
calhoun, l do not care. Senator Cal.
loun has neither myConscience nor my
honor to care for. Senator Calhoun
,oted on both sides OF many cues.
ions-the tariff, internal improve
nent', various important constitutions,
md voted sincerely every time.
Senator George-That makes us very
comfortable here.
Senator Morgan-I know it does.
I you take one side you can feel com.
ortable, and II take the other can
eel comfortable, because Senator Cal
loun voted both ways. 1t is a de. !
ightful thing to have political ances.
or to whose sacred memory every
nan can refer all his sins and trans
'ressions.
Senator Morgan continued ct length
nd drew bread distinction between
moneys derived from taxation and
noneys derived from the sale of pub
lc lands, which constitut ed trust for
Il the people OF the United States, and
that il the money was TO
e given to the States, it should come
rom the proceeds OF these lands.
AT this point Senator Morgan Yielded
Or an executive session, sfter which
he Senate adjourned until Monday.