The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-10-14
TIE BLAIR BILL.
Democrat Discusses the Vexing Measure
With Convincing Ability.

not generally understood L uuSU
confess 1 had not read it until very
recently and could not, therefore,
take a position upon it, but repre-
sensations made by others rather
led me to regard it with disfavor. l
had heard so much of federal inter
ference and supervision that l was
led to think it of that character.
And it is represented also in certain
quarters as favoring mixed schools
of the two races. But none of these
charges are true further than each
state that accepts the law and re-
ceives the fund is required to re-
port each year to the secretary of
the interior the number of scholas-
tic children, white and black, in
each county and township, the
number of teachers, the salaries
paid and books used. No federal
officer is sent into the states to OBJ
tain these facts, nor is any interior
ence made further than this: If
these requirements are not compli
ed with the state so failing will for
felt her fund the next year. Iu-
deed, no state will receive any fund
unless her legislature accepts by
vote the boon rendered, and no leg
istator can vote to accept it if he
believes the law unconstitutional.
But in this case the fund will not
remain in the treasury but be pro
rated among those states that do
accept. Now such a report made
to the secretary of the interior as
required under the bill is somewhat
such a report as the public school
law of Tennessee requires to be
made to the superintendent of in
struction.. Under this bill to the
secretary of the interior the reports
are made, but he cannot interfere
in any way whatever with the
states management.
The bill appropriates for eight
years from the federal treasury
SIT ,O00,00O-an average of nearly
ten millions per year-to be dis
tributed to the states according to
the illiteracy of the different states,
and when so distributed the south
would get about 81 and the north
only about 16 millions. This
would give to the south nearly
eight millions and the north a little
more than two millions year. Ten
nessee would get on an average
for the eight years nearly q mil
lion of dollars per year. This adj
ded to her state fund would be amir
ply sufficient to run free schools TO-
ten months in the year.
If the present state school fund
should be deemed sufficient by the
legislature then the state fund
could be reduced one half by re-
duclng the tax that much.
The bill requires each state to
raise as much and no more than is
given under the bill, and as much
and no more is given under the bill
that the state raised, but not to ex-
coed the amount raises by the state,
say for Tennessee one million of
dollars per year.
This is emphatieally a southern
and a democratic measure. 1t is
southern because it got in the SEN
ate the vote of about four fifths of
the southern senators, and because
it's benefits go about four-ffths to
the south. 1t is democratic because
10 of the democratic senators Of the
south voted for it and only 6
against it. Indeed, it is boon to
the south and no southern man
can oppose it unless he believes it
to be as alleged unconstitutional.
1t is said to be unconstitutional be-
cause there is no express grant or
authority in the constitution for it.
Is there any for the distribution of
the proceeds of the public lands, or
for other appropriations made by
congress from year to year? There
is none further than is found IN
Art. l, Sec. s. This says congress
shall have power to lay and collect
taxes, duties, imposts and excuses,
to pay the debts and provide for
the common defense and general sCeL-
fare of the states" Now, if congress
can make appropriations to educate
the children of the Indians, con-
struct canals, build bridges, make
sanitary appropriations; also large
appropriations for bounties, pen
sions, snunities and other purposes,
why cannot it be done for the edu-
cation of poor children who cannot
be otherwise educated? What can
be more conducive to the general
welfare? But when such galaxy
of democratic southern statesmen
in the United States senate as Gar
land, Lamar, Brown, Colquitt, Pugh,
Hampton, Butler, Vance, George,
jackson and others-the first two
now IN the presidents cabinet, and
one his legal and constitutional ad
wiser. and another on the federal
bench, say by their votes it is con-
stltutional, does it not smack with
impudence for little politicians to
crv ont unconstitutional All!
but a distinguished son of Tennes-
see says it is unconstitutional and
when Simon like he says "wig wag"
mAnV OIL bHB ldlbAAOA dAO AOAOJ W
flop wag and eat crow. Away with
such slavery! A man is not a free
man who will not think and act for
himself.
There Is no politics in the bill.
Democrats and republicans voted
for it and democrats and republi
cans voted against it. 1t Is not in
conflict with the state democratic
platform in the least. The fund is
not given from the surplus any
more than any other appropriation.
IT. however, there shall be a sur
plus after all the appropriations are
supplied then let that surplus go to
the extinguishmeRt of the public
debt as provided for by the 4th
plank of the platform. But the 9Th
plank of the platform rather calls
for such aid instead of opposing it.
The plank "favors a maintenance
and Improvement of public schools
and the education of all classes of
our citizens" This cannot be done
without money and money can only
l. A4o,oad nv fodaral old "a prO-