Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1890-02-28
Washington Letter.
February "a, 1890.

past week to a speech by Senator
Blair, on what is best known to the
country as the "Blair Educational
Bill" The cultured New Eng
land Senator hns this session,
dressed his favorite in n new
garment, and it appears on the
record under the cognomen OF ga
Bill to Aid Common Schools, )"
but it is the same "Blair Educa-
ton Bill" that has experienced
Legislative life, death and resurrec-
ton for several sessions past.
The Senator may be said to
have made an able speech, and
without ioubt furnished convinc-
ing proof that the country would
be greatly benefited by adopting
his measure, but he is unfortu-
nate in being compelled to use an
argument with the South which
will never find favor with this
proud and sensitive people. He
lays before them their own de-
plorable condition of ignorance,
as compared with educated New
England. He exposes by figures
that do not lie the fact that there
is more illiteracy in the ratio of
population in the sunny land OF
Dixie than in any other given
area of free America. His apti-
tule for comparisons, proportions
and intricate calculations wherein
he rivals Gladstone himself, has
shown the educational problem in
every view, and Invariably with
the worst side towards the South
and this he puts TO. tn as an ar.
gument why she should accep,
the benefits proposed by his bill
The southern members, on the
other hand are equally ingenious
in their reasons for rejecting it
And we are presented for the frs
time, perhaps, in the history Of
legislation with an instance where
the benefciaries under an act re.
ject the appropriation to be made
in their behalf. Another reason
for this seeming strange conduc
on the part of the south is the
suspicion they entertain of the
good intentions of the framer.
and suppor ers of the measure
They do not believe that their Do
litical adversaries are SO forgetfu
of party interests as to sacrific,
them entirely to motives of pur,
philanthropy. They think the7
see at the bottom of it all tn,
question of negro supremacy
and declare that though the medi
cine be sugar coated they will no
swallow the bitter dose.
The committee on the civil ser
vice in the House has had befor
it during the past week an inves
tigation of alleged irregularitle
of the Civil Service Commission
here. The serious charge is lait
at the door of the Commission b,
Mr.. Frank Hatton. of the Wash
ington Post that Messrs Campbell
and LYMAN have been in the habi
of selling Civil Service question:
with answers to aspirants of Gov
ernment positions who had NOR,
money than book learning, ant
were willing to substitute the for
mer for the latter. 1t has SO fa
developed little more than a con
troversy between local papers. il
which the Evening Star ha
sought to put its adversary, th,
Post, in the unenviable position
of the London Times. in that it
editor has preferred charge
which he cannot prove
Mr.. Hatton comes back with
statement arraigning the Star will
seeking to cover mp a scandal, ant
newpaper circles here are as mucl
wrought up over the result as i
the population of a Texas tow
ever the quarrel of rival editor
with pistols instead of pens fo
instruments of warfare.
| The President and Cabinet hav
been very much scattered the pas
week, and have devoted them
selves for the time to other thai
executive business. Secretar,
Noble has been for some time alb
sent in Detroit. and will not re
turn until Wednesday. TIL
President and Mr.. Blaine hav
Just returned from Pittsburg, Pa
where they went to be present a
the endowment of the Carnegi
Free Library.
Appropos of the liberality of thi
friend of Mr.. Blaine, it is said h,
has given orders for a banquet t.
the Pan-Ampricans here mex
week which will far surpass an,
thing of it's Find ever witnessed il
America. Mr.. Curtis, of the Stat
Department has been requested
to spare no expense in the prepara
tion for this feast, and we ma,
look forward to gorgeous nffai
Indeed.
1t looks as if we would shortl,
have another territory of Oklaho
ma. which when interprete,
means "beautiful land" and whicl
with Cherokee Strip added vii