Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-04
1AREE MEASURES DISCUSSED.
PostaI-Savings Bank, MANUAL or
Schools, and Reciprocity.
To The Eiifor Of the Dispatch:

10 me EluOT OF btS DtSDutCts
The bills that have been recently pre-
sented in Congress bearing indirectly upon
the southern question have been nlet with
Recommendations and upon aquestlon so
vital to all the people of the South l ask
your courtesy and space for full state
ment.
think we are warranted in the belief
that in the fullness of the period of re-
construction we may turn TO .reconcllia-
ton to-day and TO benehcent legislation.
With the South solidly Democratic IN
every State aud district with. the apparent
policy of the Republican leaders to leave
Il uncontested and take advantage Of the
sectional argument in the fight for
the greater North, we, may, dis
cuss economic questions with calmness
heretofore impossible.
Twice | havo notably antagoniZed my
Republican friends upon the forco bill OF
twenty years ago and the elections bill OF
yesterday.
IL is now suggested that the way to re-
move the peril and secure the prosperity
of the South is through three measures:
The establishment of postal-savings banks,
of manual labor schools, and of reciprocity
TO open the ports and the ways southwark
and give us the only market of the world
where we may come with advantage, and
colonies for our surplus colored people.
These measures are now before Congress,
two of them in bills of my own writing.
THE POSTAL SAVINGS BANK.
The postal savings bank as presented IN
the Evans bill Is prepared to meet the con-
ditions of our people. Stamps will be
placed on sale at the post-ofiices of the de-
nomination OF ten cents and one dollar
and cards divided into ten squares issued.
As fast as the one-dollar cards are filed
one dollar-stamps will be given, and
when the ten-dollar card is covered a
coupon five-year bond, bearing 2 4-l0 per
cent. or two cents month interest and
the name of the person to whom issued.
The money will be loaned to the
national banks of the States in which de-
rived at not less than 3 per cent. upon
condition that they redeem the certificates
when presented, whether due or not. BY
this simple means all accounting, except a
stamp record, is avoided. An increasing
obligation that the most ignorant can
understand encourages rivalry and thrift;
new fractional currency Is created and a
new basis of loans, that together within a
few years would grow TO hundreds of mil
lions. At the same time money is not
drawn 10 the great centres and the public
debt is not increased.
The school system is simply this: A fund
commencing with one million and IN
creasing to eight million annually is dis
tributed to the States upon an absolute
per capita basis. The States must furnish
land and buildings and appoint school
board of five members. of which the Gov
ernor must be chairman, two being of the
minority party, thus in the South securing
Democratic boards. The general dis
| tributlng board would consist of the Secre-
cretary of the Interior, the Commissioner
Of Education, and the Commissioner of
Labor.
TO BE ExPERnENTkL.
This fund would give ~ each congress
slonal district the first year $4,000. and
| afterward $4,000 annually, which ought
TO support four schools. The schools are
to be experimental, each having its black
| smith-shop, carpenter-shop, shoe-shop, &C..
and miILmachinery, each student being
put to manual labor. The profit Of these
| works should go to scholars for their sup
port. If each school should turn out fifty
| men every six months, the army of skilled
| laborers entering the fields OF the South
| would be 10000 year, and If half of these
remained in the fields and secured an in
| crease of one dollar day over their pres
ent wages, there would be added to the
| earning-power Of our own labor, within
| five years. $50. 900 year lin Virginia
| alone $6,0OO,0OO year,, with an increasing
ratio.
can conceive of nothing so encouraging
and far-reaching as this suggestion. To
| say nothing OF the colored people, who
would share In this increase, the children
| of our poor white people would find new
| opportunities The tide of emigration
that for quarter OF q century has taken
one sixth of all the persons born in Vir.
| GINA beyond her borders would be check.
ed. The vicious foreign immigration
| would not flood our mines and mills. The
grandest birthright ever given people,
| that of profitable employment, would be
secured. Our new cities would be filled
| with our own young men. and scattered
| families and abandoned homes. with all
these heart-breakings, would be fewer in
our land. III we can then open the doors
| southwark for our surplus products VINO
| can measure the majesty of the rising tide
| or estimate thetribute OF our mills or the
tonnage Of our ports? Many hav.
come 10 tell us of our iInmenss
| stock of ore and our shofeles,
seams of coal, but our greatest wealth
lies in our labor. II it's earning. power car
be increased 800. 200, 900 year, and Il /
considerable part OF this can be saved anl
sent INTO safe circulation our aggregate