The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-03-27
THE BLAIR BILL KILLED.
Rejected by the Senate by a Vote of 8! to
31-The South Carolina Senators
Support the Measure.

catlonal bill was taken up as unfinished
! business.
! Blair resented the motion as an in.
reference (without reference to him.
self or any consultation whaterer) "by
one who was not in charge Of the un.
finished ':nsiness." He said that he
'would take notice thereof and govern
himself accordingly"
| Bate alluded to some remarks ofBlair
in bis opening speech Oh the bill that
reflected on the State Of Tennessee as a
laggard in regard to her educational
interests, and asserted that Tennessee
was not a lagyard, and did not stand
in the rear, but occupied place in the
front rank, abreast not only of the
times, but.of her sisters in the Union.
He said that he had listened patiently
to Blair's speech for five or six days,
but that he had grown weary and
sought refuge in the House of Repre-
sentatives, and that it was then that
the remarks to which he took eXcep-
ton were made. His colleague (Har-
ris) had also retired to the cloak room.
That was the explanation of the re-
marks not being replied to at the time.
He went on to refute the statement
! made by Blair, and to show the liberal
provision which the State of Tennessee
had made for common school education
and for colleges and universities. In
the course of his remarks he spoke of
the letter of School Superintendent
Moses. of North Carolina, Ton which
Blair had relief for his statement) as
untrue and standerous. Continuing
to speak of the bill itself, he opposed it
because it would cause the people to
reply on the Federal treasury for
the support and management of
the public schools. The head of
the Interior Department would, he
said, dispense national funds un-
der national laws, and having
the keys of 100000 school. houses
hanging at his girdle, that girdle would
become as potent in politics as the
sceptre of any crowned head. School
patronage would be used in the politi-
cal campaigns of partisan demagogues.
The tendency of the bill was dangerous.
1t fascinated and charmed, but it de-
stroyed. It wooed to destruction, as a
syren of Capri. 1t would lead to des-
potism. 1t was dagger behind smile
"a serpent coiled beneath rose.
Blair rose to close the debate. He
apoligized to ingalls, for the heated re-
mark which he had made to-day when
that Senator submitted a motion which
was unusual; but he now understood
that motion had not been made from
an unfriendly feeling to him (Blair) or
to the bill. He did not desire to avail
himself of the agreemeet that be was to
occupy an hour in closing the debate,
but was willing to submit the matter
without further discussion. He desired
that the question, which was one be-
tween the children of the country and
the country itself, should be decided on
its merits. He asked for vote on the
bill and the pending amendments.
Hawley suggested that Senators had
expected that the debate was not to
close till 3 o'clock, and that, therefore,
the vote should not he taken before
that hour.
Blair recognized the propriety Of the
suggestion, and set to work to fill I'd
the time by reading an essay which he
had prepared on the general subject OF
the bill.
Having finished the reading of the
paper evidently a lecture delivered to
a colored audience) some ten minutes
before 3 o'clock, Blair occupied that
ten minutes in ex tempore remarks.
The Senate then proceeded to vote
on the bill and amendments. The first
vote was on the three amendments of.
fered by Moody of South Dakota to the
effect that illiterates among the In
dians shall be included in the calcula-
| tions.
Blair said that there was no objec.
ton to the amendment.
| Moody's amendment was agreed
| to.
Plumb offered an amendment to dis.
tribute the fund among the States in
proportion to the population between
10 and p years of age. Rejected.
The Senate then proceeded to vote
on the third reading and engrossment
of the bill. When the vote was con
cluded. and it was known that it haC
resulted against the bill, Blair changed
his vote from aye to no, SO as to make
a motion to reconsider.
! THE VOTE.
The result was then announced as
yeas 81, nays 81, as follows:
Yeas-Republicans: Allen, Allison
Chandler, Cullom, Dawes, Dolph. Ed
munds, Eva.ts, Higgins, Hoar, McMil
Ian, Marderson, Mitchell, Moody, Nor
rill, Pettigrew, Platt, Squires Stanford
Stewart, Stockbridge, Teller, Wilson
of Iowa. Democrats: Barbour, Col
quit, Daniel, George, Hampton
Hearst, Pasco, Pugh.-3l.
Nays-Republicans: Aldrich, Blair
| Davis, Dixon, Farweil, Frye, Hale
Hawley, Hiscock, Ingalls,, Jones o
Nevada, Pierce, Plumb, Sawyer, Sher
man, Spooner, Walcott. Democrats
Bate, Berry, Blackburn, Blodgett
Cockrell, Coke, Faulkner, German
Gray, Harris, Jones of Arkansas
Kenna. Morgan, Payne, Regan, Turpie