The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-01-14

| Would pay II cheerfully III tney cOuiu U
spared the oppressive and vexatiou;
methods and machinery of its coilec
tions. 1t was not a question, as wal
often so triumphantly stated, of choics
between free whisky and free blankets
because the duty on blankets was now
practically prohibitory and they would
not be any cheaper if the excise on
| whisky was removed
Mr.. Vance proceeded with much
detail to illustrate many of the
inconsistencies in the tariff, particularly
as bearing against articles consumed by
the poor in favor of those consumed by the
rich. He declared that the central theory
ofthe tariff was iniquity, and that he was
| opposed to the whole thing out and out
He should not vote to put anything on
the free list the tax on which was pure
revenue. He should strive earnestly to
reduce taxation on the necessaries OF
life, and he should discriminate in moth
ing except against luxuries and in favor
of the helpless and unprotected.
DEBATE ON THE BLAIR BILL.
The esolution was laid aside, and the
Blair Education bill was taken up and
a constitutional argument made against IT
by Mr.. Gray.
Proceeding the criticise some details
of the bill, he pointed out that provision
which requests copies of school books to
be filed with the Interior Department.
Mr.. George stated that he had opposed
the insertion of that provision, and MIR.
Blair stated that it had beer. inserted on
motion not of friend, but of an enemy
of the bill, the Senator from Kansas
Plumb.
Mr. Gray said that it was sufficient
for his purpose that that provision was
in the bill which was proposed to be
passed. and which was advocated by the
Senators from Mississippi and New
Hampshire George and Blair. What
action, he asked, should be taken by
Congress when the Secretary of the In
terror reported that the history of the
United States used in Alabama or in
Texas described with the warmth and
national affection which the people
of those States have for their
kith and kin the great struggle
through which they had passed a quar-
ter of century ago, and did not refuse
the need of praise which all the world
was willing to pay to brave men fight
ing for mistaken cause. WOuld the
Senator from New Hampshire sit quiet
and content, willing for the youth of the
70, hat hA
lesson which it intended to teach? Or
if one of those lately rebellious States
discarded book which ascribed the as
sassination of President Lincoln to the
so-caIled rebel leaders (as he had seen it
ascribed in a school book in common
use through the States of the North,
would such State receive the commen-
dation of the Senator from New Hamp-
shire. That was one of those questions
which could be thrown into Congress by
a report of the Secretary of the Interior
and the waves of sectional debate would
run high on just such questions if this
bill became a law.
Mr. George said he had found it to be
a safe rule of conduct all his life never
To cross bridge till he came to it, and
not to trouble himself about difficulties
which had not arisen. Whenever an
improper school book was attempted to
be forced on the people of Mississippi
under this or any other bill it would be
time enough to meet that attempt.
Mr.. Gray-Oh, no, That is Just the
point to which / will direct the attention
of the Senators. One year or two years
hence, when the poison of this bill has
| been instilled into the veins of the peo-
pie who have received this money, it
will be too late to take a backward step.
In the course of his argument Mr..
Gray asked what truth had been SO
clearly established during the last CEN
liberty and highest type of citizenship
| and civilization had been achieved and
| maintained by local self-government.
This was an educational influence which
| this bill ignored and tended to destroy
The common school system itself was the
product of self-government. He>quo-
| ted an episode in the school history of
| Connecticut, as cited in the New York
Erening Post pamphlet, to show the de-
moralizing influence of outside school
funds. He appealed to the Southern
Senators, and asked them whether their
knowledge of human nature and their
experience IN life instructed them that
there was any reasonable hope that the
people of their States, after eight
years of demoraiizing dependence on
this golden stream from the national
treasury, would again declare for their
independence, and would thrust away
| the hand still held out to feed them. He
asked them whether Senator Blair's
claim of power in this matter would not
grow and grow until it overshadowed all
other things. Even the Senator from
Massachusetts (Hoar) had declared that
he supported the bill on the ground that
ignorance was danger and that it was
within the power of the general govern
ment to meet and overthrow IT. What
he asked, did such language mean? Did
it not clearly set up that great higher
law to which the Senator from Massa-
chusetts would have Southern Senators
bow?
Mr.. George remarked that he repudi
ated Hoar's claim.
Mr.. Gray said he knew that the Sena
tor from Mississippi did repudiate it, but
such claim of pcsEer would grow anC
grow. until the South would be unable
to extricate itself from its maIign infiu-