The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-07-19
Gen. Harrison and the Blair Bill.

equally unfOunded, assures its readers that
Genl Harrison is opposed to the RialE
bill. OF course our steemed contemporary
did not Know hat it WAS stating as ii fact
that which is utterly untrue. We are sat
iSied that such d s. atement would not
been cogniZant of the facts, and when he
sees that he is III error he should, and
doubtless, will promptly make the currfC-
ton. Gen. Harrison is a friend OF the
has 50 declared himself. Aud when The
crucial test of friendship for the measure
came he was found standing with those
who desired to see schonl facilities placed
within the reach of the poor. Twice
during Gen. Harrison s term did the Blair
bill pass Republican Senate To find its
grave in Democrtic House. On the 9Th
day of April, 1884, The bill passed the Sen
ate by vote of SO to II. OF the 33 voting
for the bill 20 were Republicans. General
Harrison being of the number; of the j
voting against it 8 were democrats and
only Republicans.
Again on the 5th of March, 1886, when
the bill for the second time passed the
Senate, this time by d vote of 50 to | /, a
majority of all who voted for it were Re
publicans, and a majority of all who voted
against it were Democrats. Gen. Har-
rison did not vote, but he rose in his seat
and said:
g. am paired upon this question with
the Senator from Connecticut Mr.. llaw-
leyl. If he were present | should vote
yea" | understand he would vote may,
That is the official record Of General
f; Harrison on the Blair Bill. But even if,
as the V5ndicator enormously stated. Gen.
Harrison were opposed to the bill, still the
platform upon which he WI nominated,
and which he cordially endorses, declares
| for it. 1t says:
I'm Republic like ours where the citi-
zen is the sovereign and the official the
| servant. Where no power Is exercised
except by the will of the people. it is i'm
portant that the sovereign-the people
should possess intelligence. The free
school is The promoter OF that intelligence,
which is to preserve us as free nation.
! Therefore, the State or nation or both
combined, should support free institutions
of learning sufficient to offer to every
child growing up in the land, opportunity
of good common school education.7
This clause of the platform was sug-
gested by one of the warmest friends OF
the Blair bitten. VIM. Warner of Mis-
souri,. 1t is a literal quotation from the
celebrated DesMones speech of that
greatest of Republicans, Gen. Grant. In
that speech Gen. Grant said:
| Inarepublic liky ours, where the citizen i,
the sovereign, and the official the servant
where no power is exercised except by the viii
| of the people, it is important that the sovereign
| the people shou.d possess intelligence.
The free school is the promoter of that intel
ligence which is to preserve us Hee nation
If we are to have another contest il the neal
| future of our national existence, predict that
the dividing line will not be Mason's anC
| Dixon g, but between patriotism and lntelli
gence on the one side, and super stitioD, ambi
ton and ignorance on the other.
Now, i'll this centennial year of our nationa
existence, believe ii Il good time to begin The
| work OF Strengthening the foundation of the
| mouse commenced 10y our patt,otf 'orfi;tthel
one hundred years ago at Concord ana Leg
| lngtou.
He then adds:
| Resolved that either the State nation, OF
| both cOmbined, shall support institutions o
learning sufficient to afford TO every child
| gro%ng up in the land the opportunity of
| good common school education. unnllHeu VIII
| sectaran. pagan or atheistical tenets-
In a recent speech in the House. Gen
| Warner, who prepared this clause OF the
platform. uttered this splendid tribute t.
the public school system:
1t is in the public school that the son of thu
| poorest citizen lays the foundation of know
| ledge that fits him in after years for any posi-
| tl0n within the gift of the State nation. /
is in the public school that the people are edu
| catedttted for the duty OF self-goYernment
| drted for the responsibility OF rulers From i
| comes the intelligent ctigen, the just judge
| the incoIruptible legislator, the Wise executive
IL makes the ballot box register the will OF TIN
many rather than the decree OF a privileged
class.
1t was to emphasize and make proml
nent Republican support of the Blair bill
to weld the party to the principle o
National aid to the public schools tina
Gen. Warner and the Southern represen
tatiyes on the committee at Chicago pro
posed to engraft as a part of the part,
creed the memorable words OF one OF tn
truest and best friends the cause of pop
ular education ever had.
In striking contrast was The action 0
the two national conventions upon th
question. In the Democratic convention
not one word was uttered in behalf of FREE
egucat on. The platform was Significantly
silent on the subject. But it did endors
the Democratic platform of 1854. in whiel
the principle of the Blair bill was con
demned The friends of the Blair bill
the friends of popular education, will no
again be deceived. On the one side is
party which has thrice passed the bill. l
stands on platform committed to tn
measure, and las for its candidate maj
who has been consistent friend to pOpu
lar education and of the bill in question.
On the other side is party which ha
thrice constituted the educational com
mittee in the House, so that it wonlc
stillt every effort to even secure a vote OF
the Blair bill. Faithfully has that com
mite carried out the purpose designed t,
be effected by its appointmenf. The Edu
cational Committee of Democratic
tffec;ually smothered the bill by refusing
to even consider it, thereby preventing III,
Republican minority from presenting an,
report, and the House from taking aci iol
thereon. In consouance with this recor(
is the platform of the party, and the wei
known views of the party's candidate fo
president.
These are the facts which the friends Of
popular education will he called upon tC
weigh in the pending CANVASS. And wher
it is remembered that $3.50 900. 900 of the
$4,000 900 appropriated by the Blair bill
would come into the South to vitalIze oul
school system and Lift the children of the
pc N TO higher plane of intellectual light
the verdict of the people need not be
feared.
Kids and Mossbacks.
Last Monday was the Kids day in Har
risonburg. 1t WAS the time fixed severa
months ago for the reorganization of The
Democratic County Committee. The pur
pose of the Mossbacks was to take posses.
sion of the organization by ousting II. Y
Strayer, Esq and substituting DR.. E. IL
Herring as chairman. The Kids prepared
themselves for the encounter as they were
| not at the March COurt Hon Rarny X aayIe