Nevada County picayune., 1888-04-18

sition on the Blair Bill. y As that is a subject of general interest, and as it is no betrayal of confidence, you are at liberty to publish in the Banner, if you see proper to do so.
 Yours, D. l.. kILLGoRE.
 HursE of REFRESHMENTS,
 WAsIuNGToN, D. C..
 March 18th. 1888. HoN. D. L. kILLGoRE,
 Magnolia, Ark,
 My DEAR Srn:-Your letter calling my attention to the change in public opinion in reference to the Blair bill was received some time since, and l have delayed answering, awaiting the action ofthe House Committee on Ed ucation. to whom the Senate bill has been referred. Whether purposely or by accident, this Committee in both this and the last Congresses was and is composed of members. majority of whom were and are, opposed to the bill. In the last Congress it re- fused to report and no consideration could be had It is now generally un- derstood here by all sides, that no re- l, ,l., md ooncil ton had in the present House. For this non-action of these adverse Com mittees. individual Democrats and Republicans are alike responsible. l confess that there is not now the same necessity for the aid that there was when the matter was first agitated. and if It is delayed much longer. l trust that tine condition of the people of Arkansas will be so improved that it will be entirely unnecessary. l have no doubt about the right of Congress to use a part of the surplus for edu- cational purposes. and looking to the welfare of the rising generation. now almost without educational advanta- ges in some parts of the Union, and to whom a large part of our unjust and undue war debt will be handed down for payment, ] have thought it would be both just and wise to so use it instead of spending it for unnec- essary coast defenses and pensions. l fully agree with Burke, that "Edu- cation is the cheap defense of Ma tions." Good government and the perpetuation of our Democratic ln- stitutions. demands the education of the masses. As our children are, so will the voters of the next generation be. The history of the human race in every age and condition shows that freedom cannot be cngrafted on ignorance. To say whether the peo- pie shall be educated is to say wheth- CT they shall be free, for the relation of the one to the other is immediate and indissoluble
 For twenty years the southern people, amid the wreck of the lost cause and the downfall of their hopes, without any income except such as has been derived from cur rent taxes, have done all that could be done toward the education of their children, under the circumstances surrounding them, and yet we still have illiteracy to an alarming extent amongst both white and black.
 If, then, Congress has the right and the will to give the aid, and the people and the States are satisfied with the terms imposed upon them, something ought to be done other wise, not Our legislature, in 1884, by joint resolution, in reference to a similar bill then pending in Congress, declared its passage would be hailed with joy by the State as the ONLY means of educating the mass es. -
 Again in 1885 it asked for the dis 1 irritation of certain moneys among certain States for school purposes. - This resolution was renewed by the legislature of 1887 The National Democratic platform of 1884 declared for the "diffusion of free education ] by common schools so that every child in the land may be taught the rights and duties of citizen ship"
 As a devoted friend to the cause of education, have interpreted these resolutions to mean that our State and our people wanted aid, and the declaration of our party that it in- tended to assist in securing it. If am in error as to either, I stand i ready to be corrected. As long as member of the Democratic party, will abide its decision In nom ] nartilnn mnftnrs 1 Shall tr,. tn rn