Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-09-14

demand would constitute the best con
ceiyable currency. The objection tC
national bank notes Is not that they are
not sound and equal for circulation Ia
greenbacks, but the right TO Issue paper
gives to banks, especially where they
combine, dangerous power over circula.
ton, and this was shown few years ago In
New York where they refused by mutual
agreement 10 receive silver dollars on gen.
eral deposit account. They are not and
cannot be better than treasury notes, for
IL is the promise Of the government 10
see that they are redeemed, which gives
them general circulation, and | have
never been able to see why the govern
ment does not issue the notes and be
done with It, This is the general senti-
ment OF the Democratic psrty. The great
body Of the party advocated and voted
for silver coinage and Ii in line with the
people. OF course there are exceptions,
but that is the rule.
The Democratic party has been greatly
instrumental in the reduction OF the in
terest on the public debt--now drawing
~, and per cent. per annum interest.
This, everyone can see is manlfestly In
the interest Of the taxpayer.
PUBLIC DEBT.
1t is the Democratic policy to pay the
public debt as speedily as 1t can be done
without depressing the taxpayer. This
debt paid, there will no longer be a pre-
text for burdensome taxes, and as the
national banks rest on the national debt,
when the debt is paid there can be no
reason for national bank issues.
BLAIR EDUCATIONAL BILL.
This is emphaticaily Republican
measure, matured, as Mr.. Blair publicly
stated In the senate, in Republican caucus,
and was designed and intended to give
that party control Of the children Of the
South, to the end that they might be
raised up with Republican school books
In the Republican faith. II won't do to
say that Democrats now have control.
The bill was first presented when Repub.
llcans had control. But II matters not
to me on this question what national
party controls, it has no business TO
direct the education of the children in
the states. / regard the bill as terly
unconstitutional and fearfully dangerous
in policy. The direction and control of
education in the public schools of right
belongs to the state, and rejoice that the
convention has taken this stand.
Judge Terrell in his speech at Weather
ford, on last Saturday, finds fault with
me for having introduced In the senate
bill to distribute the proceeds Of the sales
of the public lands belonging to the
United States, for school purposes, and
processes to see but little difference be-
tween that and the Blair bill and makes
this remarkable statement: ''But how
ever this may be, the distribution Of the
sales OF the public lands among the states
for any purposes, has, in every period Of
our history, been branded by the Demo-
cratic party as unconstitutional This
will be information to readers of political
history,
The precise reverse is true. In every
period OF our political history from the
time the government went into operation
under the constitution in 1888, public
lands have been donated the states and
territories for school purposes Out Of
The great Northwest territory, ceded by
the ordinance of 1887; out of the Louis
ANA territory; the Florida territory, aud
that acquired by the treaty OF Guadalupe
Hidalgo OF February 2, l848, lands have
been given to the states and territories
within which they lie for school purposes;
hrst, the sixteenth section of every town
ship, and now the sixteenth and thrty-sixth
sections. Besides this a percentage of
the net proceeds OF public lands have
been given by the general government in
aid OF universities, and the University of
where the gentleman was edu-
Gated, was thus aided by part OF the net
OF land belonging to the United
States lying in Missouri. The Agricul-
tural and Mechanical college were thus
built up, and that in Texas was founded
on lands given by the United States for
this purpose. Lands belonging to the
United States have been given by Demo-
cratic congress as homesteads, bountles
Tor military services, and In aid of canals
and railroads, the first important dona-
tion for this purpose being In aid Of the
Illinois Central railroad granted under
the leadership of Stephen A. Douglass.
bill OF like provisions as the one in
troduced, subsequently passed the SEN
ate, for which every Democrat who was
present in the senate voted except seven.
Among those who voted for 1t are nv dis
tIngulshed colleagues Senator Coke, SEN
ator Beck, myself and many others whose
Democracy no man questions. The bin
provides that the money should
NN'NNNN w oSuOul purposes
and no other, and that a failure
thus to use 1t forfeits the right,
and so 1t should; for this aid was designed
for the children, and any other use would
have been fraud on their rights, but II
left the states free to conduct the schools
absolutely free of interference from the
United States in any way whatever.
All that Texas ever got out Of the pub
lie land belonging to the United States
was what was given for the A. and NJ. col
lege' The Western and Northwestern
states have built up their school systems
out OF the sixteenth and thirty.sixth sec.
tloas given to them by the United States.
Why should not the other states have
their sharep These lands belong to the
United States, and IL would be far better
TO educate the children with their pro.
ceeds than squander them on railroads
and corporations as they have been In too
many Instances. Congress has no power
over the lands Of Texas. They belong to
The state. But II 1t would. donate our
share OF the lands belonging TO the United
) 'ates to us for school purposes, as it has
done under many Democratic administra-
lions to other states, would willingly
take the aid, as would ninety-nine out OF
one hundred men In Texas aud other
> Ia Na wanNaN "a.