National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-05-01
THE BLAIR BILL.

An Open Letter From Ex-senator II.
X. bruce TO Mr.. Mckinley on tho
Subject.
WASHINGTON, D. G., April 30, 1885,
Hon. WIN. MCKINLEY, HOUSE OF REPRE-.
sENTATtvEs-Dcdr Sir venture TO call
your attention to the Senate educational
bill, commonly known as the Blair bill, and
now pending before the House Of Repre-.
sentatives.
The immediate need and the supreme Inn
portance Of popular education, elementary
and techlnal, generally conceded.
The citizen, under our system, is the
sovereign, and intelligence on the ques-
tions OF his civil and political duties Is as
necessary TO their satisfactory discharge as
wisdom, In the rulers OF O country, is
requisite to good government.
Intelligent labor-embracing q practical
knowledge OF the best methods OF produc-
tion and familiarity with the best appliances
to be used In the practical pursuits Of life
is essential to the creation of the material
comforts and conveniences OF n community.
The government that imposes the obliga-
tion Of obedience upon the citizen and the
burden Of taxation upon the producer
should supply facilities that will enable the
one TO understand his political duties and
the revenues Of the country are derived.
The demand for education for the masses
is urgent In all Of the political communities
that constitute our republic; the needs aud
the facilities for meeting them, however,
vary in different localities.
Exceptional causes have consplred to
swell Che volume OF popular ignorance
among both the white and colored citizens
Of the south, and the same causes have re-
duced the ability Of these communities to
meet the demands for.popular education.
While the population In the south is
about one-third Of the population of the
whole country, the expenditures for school
purposes In that section are only about one
sixth of the amount expended by the entire
country.
The Statistics furnished by the bureau of
education show that In 1881 the school
population in the formerly slave states
numbered 0,249,9O2, while the enrolment
was but 3,51S,76l. These cstimates show
the presence at school OF little more than
one.half OF the school population, and sug-
gest as a significant and alarming concIu-
sion that the educational wants of these
communities are only about half supplied.
The period has been reached when the
aid Of the national government is impera-
lively demanded.
have watched With anxiety the fortunes
| Of the several measures brought before
| Congress in favor OF aid by the national
government for popular education.
For both races and all classes Of the peo-
| pie earnestly appeal to the statesmen and
philanthropists Of both parties to give this
| question the immediate, serious consldera.
tion to which Its great Importance entities
| 1t.
Delay is full OF mischief, because, no mat
ter how speedy the action Of Congress, the
contemplated programme is so large, the
difficulties to be surmounted so great, and
the progress Of the practical development
Of the measure will be so gradual and slow
that, at best, those who now cry out for
help will hardly be able to appreciate the
benefits offered, ere they shall have reached
period in life when both the political
duties Of the citizen and the actual de-
mands for livelihood will be upon them.
II action be postponed, another genera
tion OF poorly equipped voters and work.
ers will be thrown on the community, and
| gothrough life disabled by an ignorance
that never can DO remedied. Very respect
fully, B. X. BRUCE.