Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-03-13
snNATon HraarNs, pnBur.
The Senator'S Hthterest In the SOUTH
erners They Must be Helped 10
solve the Vknce Problem Whether
They Desire Ard or Not. .gu

erners They Must be Helped 10
solve the knce Problem Whether
They Desire Ard or Not.
WAsHINaToN, March Ex-senator Hig-
gins OF Delaware addressed the Senate
this afternoon, speaking in 'avor OF the
Blair Educational bill. The sentiment
and line OF argument OF the senator's
speech was as follows:
The educational bill Etill, he thought,
held it's place at tho fore. The conclusion
was forced upon him from time to time
that while this was nation, composed OF
many states, the people were Ia many
and in distressing respects two peo les.
The social structlre of the north has
been founded on white free labor; that OF
the south on black slave labor; and the
divergencies between the two sections
thus organizd has remained and CON
tinued till the present day.
He regarded the measure az one pecu-
liarly within the scope OF the national
government as tending to the finai eradi-
cation of those differences between the
two sections and to the making them not
merely one nation, but one people. The
two sections were living To-day in differ
ent moral atmospheres, ali growing out
of those divergenoies which were laid at
And it seemed to him that they would
not become one people until they became
in ell respects ogenous-identioh in
character and in Characterization. Until
that came to pass there would continue
J TO be- those continual conflicts in which
| the country was seriously concerned.
| II seemed to him that whether con-
| sciousy or not the south, when the re-
| LII In.,, .,,l rIn a
| stroyed, had turned its back upon its
past and had turned its face to new
future. This it had done involuntarily
| by force or higher power, by the law of
via major imposed upon il by the act OF
1 the nation.
After suffrage had been conferred upon
| the blacks the south, as we'll as the north,
was committed to the task aud the duty
of educating all ito citizens. Then the
south had taken tho first long stride
toward the establishment OF its pcsitioL
side by side with the moth in the de.
yelopment of its industries in tie enamel
patton OF its people from oil the incident.
that had been the CONSEQUENCES and con
ccmitents OF slavery. There was urged
to-day against the bill as the stronges
arr u ent that could be made against il
/
bad 80 steadily made. Its mines, it
manufactures, its railways. its banks, it
agriculture, even it's schools, were III
Brought up in the Senate In order t
ahow that the south had 80 far progressed
that il no longer needed any aid whateve
from the nation. He did not conced
that to be the ogae. In the agriculture
state OF Virginia there was great distress
|, | ha IN n,
,, same was the ceHe in North Caroline
south Carolina and in the agriculture
portions OF Georgia and Alabama
Throughout them all, throughout tn
south proper, which was called upon
solve the problem of education, the pee
pie had 10 depend upon the outcome Of
he would not say the uncertain but til
certain weakness of agricultural supper
alone. 1t seemed 20 him that if th
actual condition Of those states was con
: pared with the condition OF the othe
states of the south that we were enjoyin
!. ths benefits of the development OF til
manufactures and commerce Ito 40
nothing of comparing it with the gret
North) the enormous disadvantage woul
; be seen under which they rested in NEE
ing the problem Ut the education of Il
tain of illiteraoy. ...-
The bill went upon two great facts
that the illiteracy existed, and that d
south was not possessed of the meai
adequate to meet it.
. Mr. Higgins went on to reply to IL
q argument that one effect of the bi
/, would be to destroy the spirit Of Il
/. southern people, to take away from the
a their natural force and to EN- sculate Il
!. south of its strength and vigor. /
Q showed that eIpar ence did not bear O
q that argument, and pointed to thu IA
o that localities received state aid FOR COZ
mon schools and that the states theI
selves bad received large aid in publ
!. lands from tho general government wit
g out any such bad effect following.
y that argument were seriously urge
- then in order to be loyal and candid
"a became incumbent ON every state to gi
i. up its school fund, aud TO lea
ii the support Of the common s1hoo
" 90 local taxation alone. As to 4
IS question Of constitutionality he had i
~ trouble about that. From the nor,hweste
n ordinance of 1879 to the present tis
a, public lands and the proceeds OF publ
ia lands were granted to the new stGtSs
K educational purposes. The South.
said, had right 10 ask of New Engla,
children if they had gone back on
cause of education. The South was I
is least responsible for the problem. 4
40 South hRd eaid Keep the black man
u slavery" After the black man was Fl
~ the South had still said: Keep him
~ the subqrdination OF fraedmanism. b
as tho nation had said: mo We are goi
IT'S to make the blacks free. We will q
ID them civil rights. We will give them
suffrage in your mids and help to ma
them govern you" And SO the VIII,
9. problem had been forced upon the Son
az by the power of the general governmej
~ by the national will and wcrd.
=. seemed 10 him, that liz tho light OF su
81 facts there was the largest equity on
.ts side OF tho south in saying that Il
". should be helpe 10 aosve th4 probl
rs; which has Eern forced against tuoiE 0
OF will and by tbs will OF the nation.
ssayrosVn's EsT0nchIlli ErOcacs''
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