Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-03-08
Mr.. Barbour's Speech.

Mr. BARBouk's speech in favor OF the
BLAIR bill is spoken of as follows by the
Washington correspondent Of the Alexan-
dria CARTE
1T was delivered without notes, con-
tanned oil that could be SAID IN favor OF the
hill, and was listened to with marked Mt
tention. Senator Colqutt. in talking with
the GdzetGs correspondent about thes speech
to-day, said II presented all the points OF
the bill in their most favorable light
Mr.. BARBOUR represents State in which
both of the great parties last year incor-
porated into their platforms declarations
in favor OF the speedy passage of the BLAIR
bill. Buff only the Democratic party had
put such plank into its platform MIR. BAR
poUB would nevertheless have right TO
claim that by a majority of more than
forty thousand of the voters of Virginia he
had been instructed TO support that bill.
Mr.. BAEBoUR's judgment IN such matters
is, rs we have heretofore SAID. almost inil-
lihle. He does not keep his finger upon
the public pulse. He has no need to do
so. He knows intuitivcly what the people
desire him TO DO. and If he can conscien-
tiously comply with Their wishes he does so.
And yet We consider him one OF the most
independent party leaders we ever knew.
He is so decided in maintaining his position
when once he has taken 1t that he might
even be called obstinate without dong
him great injustice.
But has there not been a change in the
public mind in Virginia as to the dcsira-
bilitv of the PASSAGE of the BLAIR
bill? We suppose that the people
have become wearied in well dong.
Their patience has been exhausted
Hope deferred maketh the heart sick"
For this reason. if for no other, the voters
of this State, and no doubt those of other
States, have ceased TO press the BLAIR bill
upon the attention of their representatives
in Congress. We are confident that for the
reason stated Virginia congressman
might infer that his constituents had
ceased TO wish him to trouble himself
further in regard to the BLAIR bill; but he
would expect a congressman acting upon
that theory to find the BLAIR bill live
issue next fall when he presents himself
before the voters as candidate for To-
election.
We are sure that hopes have been ex-
cited by the expectation that the BLAIR
bill would become a law which will never
be realized. Its purport and the intention
Of the chief advocates of the measure have
been misapprehended. The immense adj
vantages which so many persons expect to
see result from it's operations will never be
so apparent as its Jealous advocates hope
they Will be.
Nevertheless, in this State the BLAIR bill
retains most of its popularity. There are
thousands Of superintendent,
principals, and teachers-who hope that our
whole State school system will profit by
the enactment Of the BLAIR bill into law.
There are tens of thousands of children III
Virginia whose parents expect them to be
enabled under the operation of the pro-
posed law TO attend school more than five
~ six months in the year. We in Virginia
have right to boast of what we have done
IN the matter of education; but we must
also concede that If We had been able to
do 1t we ought to have done much more.
We have wandered from the considera-
ton Of MIR. BARBoUB's speech TO the con-
sideration of the BLAIR bill. We may add
that we do not expect that bill to become
law this year.