The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-12-12
Important Recommendations

Important Recommendations.
We had only space last week for
brief outline of the Presidents Message /
We present to-day several paragraphs
conveying the Executives views on sal
lent and important points, especially to
Virginia. The clear-cut utterances in
favor of the repeal of the internal reve-
nue. tax on tobacco, and in behalf of
National aid to popular education. are
attestation of the promises of the Repub-
licans of this State, in the canvass which
resulted in the election of Harrison and
come directly to the homes of our peo-
pie. The one, if concurred in by Con-
gress, would relieve an important indus
try of unjust burdens and emancipate
the toilers in the soil from unnecessary
and harassing exactions. 1t would re-
lieve a worthy class of our people from
expressions under which they are res
tive, and from. excuses which they
ought not to bear. 1t would at the
same time simplify legislation, as it
relates to vital and pregnant question,
and relieve the country of an immense
amount of talk and figures on the tariff.
10 repeal the tobacco tax and the tax
on spirits used in manufactures, &c.,
would, in short, remove an unjust dis
elimination from the tobacco industry
and settle the tariff issue.
Popular education is a great desider-
alton with the people of the South.
They have manifested their deep con-
Germ on this subject in way that at
tests their ealnestness. From their i'm
proviShed resources they have annually
set apart over $3,00O,000 to educate the
rising generation Of both races, and yet
have not done what they would like to
do and the public welfare demands
should be done, in this respect. They
have, however, done all they are able to
do. While not approving a general
policy of government benefactions, such
as might be implied by the adoption of
the Blair or some similar educational
BILL yet where there are exceptional
conditions, such as exist in the South,
the general welfare demands exceptional
acti IN ON the part of the government.
AS the President well says, the policy
has been recognized by Congress of Civ
ing aid to popular education, in the
grants to States and Territories of pub
lie llnds for that purpose. The differ
ence would be only in form, and not in
substance, to appropriate directly from
the Treasury moneys to assist in educat-
ing those upon whom, in a few years.
will rest the responsibilities of govern
ment.
Both of these recommendations of the
President will meet the hearty approval
of the people of Virginia, as well as
avouch the sincerity of those who sup
ported the Republican ticket a year ago
last November in the promises they
made to the country.
This is the first time that Pr eeident
has in positive terms in a formal mes
sage declared for a measure for tie aid
of popular education, and one to req cal
the tobacco tax.
Several other matters are discussed in
paragraphs we take from the message.
They are the uses made of the surplus
in the Treasury by the last administra-
ton in deoo sitting in favored banks
without interest; and the duty of the
government to encourage our mercha MT
marine by adequate appropriations fl r
ocean mail service in American steam. ers.
The recommendation of the President
on thsse two topics as well as those as
to trusts and the protection Ct railroad
men, and the other subjects to which
we have adverted, will strike the popu-
lar intelligence as wise, practical and
earnestly to be desired.
The message, throughout, is an intel
ligent, instructive and able paper, with
out any pretentious sentences or fiorid
rhetoric. 1t is business paper, pre-
pared with care, and after patient re-
search; Il compendium of current history,
arranged so as to be useful to Congress
and instructive to the country.