New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-20
THE NATION'AND THE SCHOOLS
JOHN JAY PLEADS FOR TIE BLAIR BILL

Tofhe Editor ofthe Tribane
Sir: The profound satisfaction with whch the
passage in the Senate of the Blair Dill despite
the nncommonly fierce attacks TO which it had
been subjected, will be hailed by very large pof-
ton of the Republican party, Will be somewhat
,narrcd NV the announcement that while Senators
Ednmnds. Sherman and Evarts headed the Re
pnblican snpporters of the bill. several Repub-
lican Senators. msled, perhaps in regard to tho
real sentiments of the country, are found IN
company with its opponents. In 1884 the Re
publican National Convention in obedience TO
the prevailing sentiments that the National duty
the National interest, and-as the Union League
Club put it in its subsequent Endorsement OF the
Blair bill,-thc National obligation to guarantee
20 each State a. republican form of government
pledged the parry to "a wise and judcious sys-
tenn OF general education by adequate appropri-
alton from the National revenues whenever the
same is needed"
That National pledge was not for new and
untried policy but for in accord with the
counsels of our great statesmen from Washington
to Lincoln. Grant, and Garfield, and with
line of National precedcnts which include
grants of land, land-scrp, and money. The mem
orablc division among the States in $40 OF the
surplus of $4,000 900 allotment fraught
with advantage pronounced and permanent 10
the school system OF the States, and stimulated
the intelligent pride and energy OF the people
in its behalf The Republican pledge was also
in accord with later grant OF moneys amounting
to $4,000 900 to the Frcedmans Bureau, and
still more recently of 100000 to the institute
nj Hampton and Carlisle. That pledge has been
forgotten neither by the country nor by the
Southern States II was sure to be recalled IN
the approaching Presidential canvass; and to
be compared with the action of the party on
this bill 1t certainly seems 1egrctable when
Tho Evening Post" in its ingenious, persistent
and slIlfully arranged assaults upon the bill,
had advised the Northern Republicans to oppose
it, that Republican Senators should have been
led for any reason TO adopt the course so recon-
mended when it brought them into conflict with
the settled policy and the National pledge of
the Republican party.
The Senate bill, as Mr. Evarts showed in his
recent mastery argument. accords in its character
and in the wisdom and regulation of its methods
with the judicous and successful scheme of the
Peabody fund. 1t has had the advantage OF
a singularly thorough scrutiny and revision by
the most accomplished statesmen OF all sections
and of both parties in the Senate, and of educa-
fional experts throughout the land. 1t stands
as tbs perfected embodiment of the Republican
pledge to all sections Of the Republic. IL was
pledged first to the South, which is appealing for
National assistance against the illiteracy result
n National danger by cur conversion of the slaves
into citizens with sovereign power. Next, 1t was
n pledge TO the North, East and West, which
are viewing with solictude rising sometimes
almost to dismay the multitude of foreign IL
lterates representing inferior forms of cviliza-
ton which, with the vicious and un-Amencan
heresics based on ignorance despOtism, and super
sttion and defying American principles laws
and constitutions, threaten TO vitmte and under
mine the American civilization which Mr. OreStes
A. Brownson pronounced ." the farthest point
in advanc. as yet reached by any age or nation"
In the great Christian Conference held at
Washington. in December, representing millions
Of our most intelligent far-sighted and thought
full citizens rativc and natura,zed, no opinion
was hailed with more perfect unanimity than
that our prevailing illiteracy and ignorance,
whether alien or domestic unless corrected, puri-
fed and Americanzed in the children by our
common schools will convert the suffrage itself
into the most dangerous weapon with which
the foes Of American liberty. who are now so
desperately attacking our common school system,
can undermine our press and our Institutions, and
overthrow our civil and religious freedom
The pledge Of the Republican party to favor
on adequate appropriation from the National
revenue had but one condition. Whenever the
same was needed" and that that time had come
part Of January. by proofs of which it would
seem as if the learned and distinguished college
presidents had never been advised, for their
Arguments seemed to proceed on the assumption
that the South in no need of assistance and
only required to be left alone, TO educate every
body by self-help. Every suggestion and opinion
in favor of the ability of the South to cope with
iliteracy alone and among them was the rather
guarded opinion CT General Armstrong as to " the
.L;l ynfco llCHh rlo a Ill
cate not at the present time but in reasonable
time. all their children" were completely an
swcred and swept away by the testimony Of the
highest educational experts and the most intelli-
gent and well-informed citizens throughout the
Southern States. This testimony was confirmed
by the frightful statistics OF the last census,
showing that illiteracy instead Of being arrested
had increased and was increasing. and that South
ern States with their best efforts pushed to the
extreme limit OF ability could not stay the pro
gress of illitcracy and Of the barbarsm which at
tends it without the aid of the National Govern
ment.
The Charleston Is. c. News and Courier
December, SS7, says of the Blair bill:
Every day shows more and more the need Of
some such law Every year that is lost means
so many more ignorant and dangerous voters VINO
have passed beyond hope of redemption or I'M
proyement.
Dr. Curry long distinguished the agent OF
the Peabody School Fund and now our Minister
10 SPAIN who may rank as the very highest au-
thority on the subject says and he is speaking
Of the children not Of the adults:
Nearly onc-haif OF the white children and more
than one half of the cclored growing up with
out educational advantages The resources OF
fhe South are wholly inadequate TO meet the heavy
burden which is upon her. In her present Imam,
cial condition universal education without Federal
AID is irnnossiblo The South had in 1870
4Is9072 llliterates and in $50 1,74l i73, an
increase OF over one-half million in spite OF the
educatjonai activities Of the intermediate ten
ycaIs The total number Of males Of voting
age IN The South in 1899 was Al 9,9Oo: and OF
these 1863 S44 were ilIiterate Thrty-three ana
onc-tenth per cent Of the voters in the South are
illitcIatr OF the iterate 60 3 per cent are col
.x-lif 4 lS