National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-06-07
Education n Political Necessity.

A southern journal says that the Blair
bill has become "a sectional ISSUE" 1t says
that II has become the fashion of the north
ern journals to refer to the author of this
bill as "the absurd Blair" 1t also declares
that, ''as rule" the southern journals
favor the bill, while the northern journals
oppose 1t.
These statements are curious, especially
In view of the fact that the bill has twice
passed the Republican Senate, while it has
been thriae slain in the Democratic House
Of Representatives-the effective strength
Of the Democrats being southern and that
Of the Republicans being as distinctiyely
northern. Yet these statements are stu
more curious for the reason that they are
not wholly groundless. Here and there in
the south are few newspapers, edited by
men having only that little learning which is
dangerous that tiercely oppose the Blair
bill as they also oppose, more or less openly,
all free popular education; but 1t is fact
that the leading and enlightened press OF
the southern states is Jealous both for free
schools and the federal aid proposed by the
Blair bill. Every mail, from Virginia to
this. On the other hand, we see many
northern journals OF prominence opposing
this great educational measure. But-this
northern opposition is heralded chiefly by
the Democratic journals Of that section,
aided only by the Mugwump organs and
that small section of the Republican press
which is more or less tainted with British
free trade. The northern Republican
papers are for the Blair bill In the
main, as the northern Republican SEN
ators ard representatives, with their
constituents, are; aud If the whole
Republican press OF the north with the ex-
ceptions already noted) is not vigorously
fighting for the Blair bill as great and
fundamental measure Of government Of,
for, and by the people, 1t is either because
its editors see no use Of urging on their
reader what these already concede, or be-
cause these editors consider (very wrongly,
no doubt that it is not their duty to force
benelcence on the south which the south,
through its delegated authorities in Con-
gress, seem bent upon defeating and refus-
ing.
| Meanwhile II is certainly fact, attested
| by every evidence, that ho people OF every
section are strongly in favor of federal aid
to educate the illiterates Of the land, and
all the more In favor Of this for the very
reason that these illiterates are principally
in the impoverished and devastated south,
| and consist, for the most part, of colored
population emancipated from slavery and
invested with all the powers and duties of
equal citizenship by the north as the
! guardian and savior Of the Union. And
not merely for the south, but for all the
Union, II is political necessity that these
illiterates should be educated. Not with
! out high national policy is the basis of
illiteracy adopted In the Blair bill, so that
at once the south shall furnish an en-
lightened citizenry to the country, and the
federal power which made this citizenry
| I'm so far as It is illiterate) shall contribute
largely toits enlightenment.
The southern pe0ple want and ask this
contribution from the nation. The con.
tributlon will work potently to free the
south from the shackles Of bourbonism;
but, above all, 1t will rally to the Union,
the constitution, and the laws grateful
multitude, whose very ignorance makes
them powerless for good, yet almost ON
niputent for evil.