National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-05-12

Tho fact IS that, while the free trade
northern opponents Of the Blair bill and its
Bourbon southern opponents are in happy
accord against the bill, and also equally
eager for the most part, to conceal here
their principal motives respectively for
their opposition, they are not in full har-
mony as to these motives. But this Van
Eaton letter, with captivating Ingenious
ness, lets al the cats out of the bag at
once. Being in cordial association with
both wings Of the dn,ischool folk, Its
writer speaks for free trade aud Mug.
wumpery when he abuses "high tariff rob.
bers,n and for himself and his fellow Bour-
bons when he discloses his hate Of "the
darkey' and common schools.n The
Judge expresses his convlctions-just as he
voted them in referring the Blair bill to a
smothering committee. That is 'the only
difference between him and his asso-
ciates-he tells the tale which they wish to
suppress.
And thus we have some side lights
thrown on this matter OF public education
and on others that bring into prominence
certain points that might otherwise escape
due attention, but it is impossible now to
ignore the fact that SO called "reyenue re-
form" has thrown its advocates into bad
company and forced them to oppose free
schools on false pretexts. Indeed, the
Blair bill has thus brought American pro-
lection and popular public education into
such relations that they mutually support
each other in logic and legislation and,
while thus fortifying themselves, betray
their opponents into most glaring incon-
sistency and obvious wrong State rights,
race end color prejudice, opposition to pop
ular elevation, and all the errors and vices
Of Bourhonism suddenly find themselves re-
enforced by northern contingent,
whose real, but denied, link of
sympathy with the Bourbons consists of
equal parts of British procllvity and scorn
Of the rights ard interests Of American la
bor. ,Bourbonism opposes the Blair bill
because 1t despises the people Of both col
orss and hates free schools; but, while the
Mugwumps may not yet have developed a
hate for the schools, they oppose the Blair
bill, and thus fight popular education and
elevation, especially among the colorcd II.
lterates of the south, because their 50 called
"reyenue roform,n with It's insidlous move.
mCnt toward free trade, requires curtail,
mout ofexpenditure FROM the federal treas,
ury on every possible account, with con
tinuNnce and extension Of direct internal
taXation-a requirement which will moi
stop at opposition to school aid, nor at tax
alton on whisky and tobacco, but which
| II unchecked, will subject our dis
ablcd veterans to pauperism or starva
t!on, aud impose on all oui
| possessions and productions an eyer-grow
ing taxation Of the most oncrous, veXa
tious, and inquisitora, description. Al
ready we are told that pensions and free
trade are SO incompatible that they who
support The latter must pluck up resolution
| to resist the former. Aud thus, filed with
one gall of bitterness and united in com,
mond bonds Of iniquity, we find chained
together, in one cOngenial gang, free trade
dHtiree schools, dmi-pensions, internal
ta20tIou, and Bourbonilw, with Mormonsm
lingering near In expectation of fond en-
brace, All these foul birds, deHling the
American ueft, ere Of feather, and they
inevitably Aock together. We know each
by the company 1t keeps.