The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-12
EIGHT GOVERNORS OF ALABAMA
1874-1901
No. 70--The Blair Bill
Thomas Sea Y, Governor
1374-1eOI

, receive s5ooveo annually aid for her
schools under the Blair bill
At that time the negro was in posses
sion OF the ballot In Ala bama The en-
franchisement of the race was a political
resort of Senator Blair's. party, intended
TO work to the subjugation of the south
At that time SO uncertain were political
conditions In the south that the later or
sanization, the United Confederate Vet
erans' had not appeared.
AT that time the history of the United
States required by the Blair bill to oe
taught in all schools was distinctively a
Justification of facts as to the part of the
southern states in life of the republic.
Senator Blair himself had come out OF
the great war MANNED veteran, believ-
ing in his heart he had done his share
toward conquering a vicious "insurreo-
tion." The confirmed opinions of the
author of the bin could not be taught In
the public schools of Alabama with safety
to society, to peace and prosperity here.
Senator Morgan took no heed of the
'instructions' sent to him by the legis-
laters. Representatives Oates and David
son declined the request of the legsa
ture. T hey would do nothing tending to
increase the liability of the state to fall
under the influence of the government at
Washington.
The Blair bill was pending in the House
at Washington, having been passed by the
Senate where Morgan and Pugh voted
against each other. Morgan was one of
four senators from the entire south In op
position. Vance from North Carolina,
Wade hampton from South Carolina, Col
quit from Georgia, Pugh from Alabama,
George from Mississippi; everyone a Con-
federate veteran, had supported the bill
on Its passage through the House.
While the bill was thus pending in
-. l.. tlx.x
lower branch of the Alabama legislature
fayoring its passage. The temporary
speaker at the opening of the session,
Colonel Sam Will Join took the floor IN
resisting it's passage. He spoke with great
animation, denouncing the innovation pro-
posed In broadest terms. Alabama was
both able and willing to maintain her sys-
tenn of public education when she had i'm
posed upon her no more than her share
of the federal government. The state
could not be bought at 35 cents head
of population
Representative Hundley from Madison
considered the Blair bill the Trojan. horse.
Representative G. w. Hewitt from Jeffer-
son led in defense of the resolution. The
Trojan horse in the case, he said, was
full of the wise democrats of the times
come to help Alabama outgrow the dis
asters of recent years. Speaker Jones
called Mr.. Willett to the chair and took
the floor against the resolution indorsing
the Blair bill. He proposed a substitute.
The government yet held a great body of
land In Alabama, in trust for the state
Let this public land be devoted to the
cause of public education under state con-
troll. There was In his eyes great DIFF
ference between the surrender of this trust
to the state for the specific purposes and
the direct appropriation of the taxes of
the whole people to that purpose. Mr..
Hewitt, champion of the resolution, con-
tended that the government at Washing
ton having unloaded upon Alabama the
negro vote, was bound to educate the ne
gro voter. Opponents of the resolution
thought If the United States would re-
turn the cotton tax illegally held in the
treasury. Alabama would receive three
times as much spot cash from that source
as the Blair bill offered her In 1o-year
payments.
The resolution carried by 20 ma jority iii
the Alabama house.
In Congress 1t was lost by adverse ac-
ton of the lower branches. The Birming-
ham dailies and the Montgomery Adver-
tiser warmly supported the measure in all
it's phases.
In his eloquent inaugural Governor Seay
said: There has never been an hour in
our history when the rights and immuni-
ties of every citizen in this state has been
SO well assured to him. as now. The
governor made at the same time an ar
dent appeal for aid to the Ladies' Monu-
ment association of Montgomery.
The world" he said, 'is more than
the resting place of what we call man;
it is great tablet on which his achieve
ments inscribe themselves with the stylus
of impartial history The house voted
$4,000 to the splendid Confederate monu-
ment of the ladies' erection. The senate
by vote of Is to 13 refused to concur and
this senate action created great excite
ment in the state. Governor Foraker of
Ohio had recently urged upon the legisla-
ture of that state to take the graves of
Confederate soldiers buried there under
state care. Alabama had done nothing to
the same end.
The incoming governor dwelt upon the
importance of public road improvement.
He declared this vital end could not be
reached by longer dependence upon way
side farm labor Good road hands were
necessary. Road hands must be trained
In the art and to train the hands there
must be revolution made in the system
The pig iron output of the state for the
boom year, 1886 was 2SSS59 tons
JOHN WITHERSPOON DIIROSF