But the office was exceedingly
unpopular, not only with the old Democrats and the Strict
Constructionists, who insisted on leaving such things to the
States, but with a large class of Republicans. A very zealous
attack was made on the Bureau, led by Mr. Farnsworth of Illinois,
and by Cadwallader C. Washburn, a very able and influential
Republican from Wisconsin. The Committee on Appropriations,
of which my colleague, Mr. Dawes, was Chairman, reported
a provision for abolishing this Bureau. Mr. Dawes, himself,
however, dissented. The Republicans on the Committee of Education
and Labor took up the cudgels for the Bureau. We beat the
Committee of Appropriations. The result of the strife was
that the Bureau was put on a firmer footing with a more liberal
provision, and it has since been, under General Eaton and
Dr. Harris, the accomplished and devoted Commissioners, of
very great and valuable service to the country.
That led me to give special study to the matter of National
education. I introduced a bill for establishing an education
system by National authority in States which failed to do
it themselves.
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