Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-03-29
The Blair Bill.

Ed. Register-The main substance
of the Blair bill, as drawn up and in
PRODUCED by Senator Blair of New
Hampshier, is, that congress shall APP
propria te seventy-seven million d 1llars
to be expended toward the support of
the common schools of the various
states and territories-the distribution
to be made according to the illiteracy.
The author of this bill has at last sue
ceeded in getting it through the Senate,
but when it reached the lower house,
Representative Grain of Texas, chair
man of the com mittee on education,
saw fit to deposit it in one OF the pig
eon-holes of his desk, where it yet re-
mains: 1t is to be hoped, however,
that this bill will be brought before the
House of Representatives, in order 10
give that honora BILE body an opportun-
ity to defeat it. Occasionally we hear
the cries of the advocates of this meas
ure. They say we need more educa-
tional advantages, and that the gov
Now sir, every rational person holds
that education is one of our greatest
blessings. 1t tends to enlighten man.
kind and elevate the standard of NOR
ality. But, taking all this into consid-
Grafton, we are stepping out of our
sphere, when we ask the general gov
eminent to come in and render aid to-
ward the support of our common
schools. This is not In accordance with
the Jeffersonian doctrine of State
rights. Thomas Jefferson held, that,
in this government, each state should
have its own organizations, institu-
tious, etc. Let Us have education, but
let each state appropriate and expend
its own money.
Were Thomas Jefferson living to-day,
he wonld scorn at the idea of national
aid for education. But the advocates
of this measure will say they want to
educate the iiliterates of the South.
Every person, who has acquired any
information on this subject, knows the
majority of illiterates are in the south
ern states. Now as the number of
colored people in the south is almost
equal to the number of whites in that
section, it goes to show that illteracy
is principally among the colored peo-
pie. Accordingly to the census of 1880,
seventy per cent. of the colored people
of the United States were unable to
write. Again, this plainly shows US
that the Blair bill is only scheme for
the government to appropriate heavy
sums of money to educate the negro.
We say let the negro be educated.
Give him an opportunity to become
a better citizen, but let his state attend
to it for him, just as we want our state
to do for us. Because Ohio has good
school system, and because her people
have taken advantage ofthe emporium
ity afforded them, she, as state, must
see heavy sums of this government
money pass her door going to Georgia
and other southern states to be distrib-
uted according to the number of Hitter
. ates, who have refused to take advant-
age of the opportunities that have been
offered them in the way of education.
Are not the southern states, with their
wealth in sugar and cotton plantations
and with their booming industries,
able to maintain a common school sys-
tenn? Is not Texas( aboundingi in wealth
as 1T does) financially able to maintain
a common school? Yet illiterates are
there in thousands. Let US examine
now some of the statistics of 1885 and
1886, and see the condition of the pub
lie schools of the south. Alabama,
with its school population of 450, 800
enrolled in its public schools 252, 1872.
while the expenses to run these schools
amounted to $3.50, 900. Arkansas, with
its school population of 35s 600 enrolled
10000 only and paid out 1867 900.
Georgia, with it's school population of
sos, 722, enrolled 319,724 and expended
$4,000. Mississippi, out of its school
population of 100000, enrolled 305, 900
and expended Ss5O,OOO. Texas out of
331, 474 enrolled 261 ,121 and expended
$2,167 900.
Now. sir, the foregoing statistics of
enrolment and expenditures have
reference to public schools only. Be-
sides these sums, there is also fund
known as the Pea body fund, used to
help support the schools of the south.
1t is true some of these states do not
expend very heavy sums, but if the
people of a state will not take advant-
age of a $3.50, 900 educational system
and free themselves from illiteracy, we
are to infer that they would not rake
advantage of 2 Sl0,O00,OOO educational
system were such afforded them.
Again, if Arkansas expends only $685.
600 for public schools, and if we want
better advantages we can just simply
cross into Texas which expends over
two millions of dollars. Before pro-
ceedlng farther, let's look at our condi-
ton, Missouri has illiterates, but not
so many as other states have. We
have some illiterates all around us in
every school district. Now, sir, pre-
sumo that Missouri, with its school
incubation of S12, 425 and with its