New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-11
ADVOCATING THE BLAIR BILL.
MR. HIGGINS MAKES IT THE OCCASION OF HIS

Washington. March 10 (speciaD.-NIr. Higgins. of
Delaware. the first Republican who has ever sat In
the senate for the former pocket borough OF the
Dayar,s and the Sausburys, took the Blair bill TINS
afternoon as the topic for his first set speech ana Ill
that rather worn and familiar subject matter found In
snlration enough for one Of the most attractive aud
striking arguments yet made I'm advocacy OF the New
,InIh,r. senator's long suffering measure. Mr..
Higgins has both ease and hucncy In debate; his
ideas are clear and logical and what he says comes to
the nearer with the added effect Of slightly aggressive
il not cOmbative, manner. lie spoke WITHOUT ho'es'
although pages of memoranda lay on the o'Hh
before him. and his argument never lost the freshness
and interest Of cxtcmpOre speaking. THIS VIII be Mr.
uiycn,.s first chance to vote the Blair bill, and
the senator whom he succeeded. Mr.. salisbury, OPP
poscd the measure that his accession to the forces
in II, favor Is doubly welcome. 1t must be added That
to the advocacy Of the measure he brought to-day
good many OF the telling qualities in debate which,
durug the present session. at least, have been largely
nonopolizcd by Mr.. Blar's opponents
Mr. Higgins said that the two questions which lay
AT the bottom Of the discussion for and against the
bill were simply these: Was there an alarming degree
,f uIiterarv AT the southl And the South able,
ont of her own resources 10 overcome IL Both tHc'c
hc Thought. should be answered I'm the affirmative.
lie wonld except from the south. for the purposes Of
this hil Delaware Maryland. West Virginia. Missouri.
Texas Florida Eastern Tennessee, Northern Alabama
and few other portions OF southern states. ihey
no lonrer presented the same conditions "a thc oiu
.lnvc he dlng agricultural communities; stll purely
AGRICULTURAL and far than the other portions 81
the SOUTH borne down by the weight OF an llitcrao
negro popnlntion. This south could indulge III mono
II the dreams Of prosperity pictured for the "lher
sections. II was poor. II was crainpcd ana crppNu
bv the burdens already upon it, II could DO no more ior
education than 1t had done; and the question was
simply whether the other states richer ana more iorlu
nate should relieve these ovcrburdcnc1 and Struggling
communities, and help them solve by education thc
problem Of political equality between th' VIII" an"
black races. , - .,o ,r,,,ncn.
r,d AGAINST the BILL that il would stihc the -rili "i
f,,l effort IN the south. and turned II "-ali-l VD
.rti,. who had use. Il. The Western >tntt' ne 'tu'
lad leen enabled 10 establish their systems "i p"ni
,hoo, only rs means of extensive lalG Srah'' 9" III
mo- case where aid had been given by tHr ''N,'d Wv
,rrf1cut had the eject been anithiAs pl' mum, ~
and beneficial ~ the oon>tfutOnahtN 'i i't hi''
m. had no doubt himself hut he went back t"i""H" l'
h.fnry If Federal legislation To show thN l'If Han
c.,, many -iincc. Of grants of money - -ta''r 49,
senator Ionr.. Of Arkansas. spoke uT'"f AZ '
fii lie paid senator Blair many Alth CmpnlneIt'
and tlcn -ald that he bad voted FOR ti, llt 49,
i,o lc.tf.r the Arkansas Legislature had ln-'Fu' ,'
MIN 4, DO .o and would vote against 10 now because ''
legislature had reversed It's instructions.