The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1890-02-19
BY TELEGRAPH.
TIE LATESTNEWSBY WIRE
HE SAYS THE PRESS II IN
LEAGUE AGAINST HIM.
\ strange statement Made by sen.
atOr Blair-Thc senate Listens To
His Speech-what the House
Did Yesterday.


Did Yesterday.
WASHINGTON, February lS.-SENATE
AT the close ui the morning business
the senate at l.2J, on motion oi Mr..
Sherman proceeded to the consideration
OF executive business.
The doors were rcopencd at half past
three. The educational bill came up as
unfinished business, and Mr.. Blair pro.
ccedcd with his opening. Having read
some extracts from the report of Dawson,
former commissioner of education, he
said he would like to call attention to
those extracts. particularly attention OF
the bureau of mendacity in the Office OF
the New York Evening Post, which Iurn.
ishcd material tor many ialsehoods with
which the bill was assailed, throughout
the country by new spapcrs generally.
Incidentally to an extract which he had
read from lot of Robert ID. Winthrop
OF Massachusetts. Mr.. Blair remarked
that the hill had not originated III the
fact that there was surplus in the treas
ury. II had originated before there was
u surplus, and it would continue to bc
pressed whether there was surplus or
whether it would be necessary to obtain
funds BY additional taxation by the issue
of bonds or in some other way. But the
fact that there was full treasury left
congress without the slightest excuse in
the matter. Among the numerous ex-
tracts which he read was one from the
recent report OF the school superintendent
of the State OF Texas to the effect that IN
many counties of that State the value OF
the county Jail was greater than that OF
all the school property in that county.
lie repeated that statement with empha-
sis. and asked special attention of the
senator from Massachusetts, dawes L"
il. He did not suppose the said, that
any notice of that remarkable statement
would appear in the newspapers. One
would suppose, he said, that the press
was under bonds to keep the people in
ignorance of such facts as he had been
bringing before the senate. He vcnturcd
To say that OF all which he had laid before
the senate, as to these terrible facts indie
ative of approaching ruin, the false press
of this land had not circulated to the
pcople to the amount oi half u column.
That faithlcssncss on the part at the
American press indicated corruption and
danger of the deepest dye To the people oi
the country. lie believed that the press
was in icagut-a corrupt league-to pre-
vent the spread of facts which hc laid be
fore the senate. and he WAS not wholly
he declared, without evidence To Justify
his belief. There were agencies III this
country at the bottom ot that tell and III
crnal work.
At 3 o'clock Mr.. Cullom suggested
that il was about time for adjournment :,
but Mr.. blair replied playiully that he had
"A good deal of matter still tn lay before
the senate and which the senators ap'
pcarcd Ia bc most anxious Ia hear. He
also inquired in the same tone of bad.
image whether the presiding officer would
ascertain il there WAS quorum present.
He did, however. yield the floor.
Mr.. Hale. from the conference commit
tee on the bill to require the supcrintcnd'
cnt Of the census to ascertain the mum.
her of people who own their farms and
homes and the amount OF mortgage in
dcbtcdness thereon. made report re-
commenting that the house amendment
be agreed To.
Mr.. Platt inquired whether the hill
made all farmers and Others who should
bc called upon To answer questions rs 10
their debts subject to hnc and imprison-
mcnt il hey refused to answer?
Mr.. Hale answered that all census qucs'
tions were placed in the same category.
hut the penalty did not include iniprisoi''
mcut. II only extended tn a fine oi 500.
The conference committee did not think
il wise to make u discrimination between
different classes oi questions.
Mr.. Piatt remarked that to him il
seemed harsh To extend provisions OF the