North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-10-25
From the Wilmington Journal.]
EDUCATION-N 4.

From the Wilmington Journal.
, EDUCATION-No. 4.
4 Mr. EpIroR.: promised few suggestions upon
the proposed change in the manner of distributing
the School Fund. The law of 1925 creating this
fund.- provided for its distribution according Uhite
population. The law of 1910, under which our Com
Schools commenced, repealed this clause in the
law of 1925, and provided for the distribution of the
fund according to federal population. Much section
al feeling was exhibited in settling this question. IL
is known that the particular species of property most
ly taxed in North Carolina, and upon which the
Treasury is mainly dependent for moneys to carry
on the legitimate operations of the State Govern
ment, is chiefly owned in the Eastern portion OF the
State, while the Western portion contains the larger
white population. The East, therefore, commended
for its distribution according trafion, which would
secure larger appropriation to this section; Whiie
the West wished it distributed according to white
| population. Between these extreme opinions and
opposing interests it was very difficult for the Legls-
ature to devise any plan for the amicable settlement
of the question. 1t was compromised, however, by
choosing the mean between these extremes, which dis
tributes the fund according to federalnumbe Under
this compromise has the fund been distributed up to
the present time. Efforts being made in the
Western section of the State to disturb this compro-
mise,-to awaken the old controversy between the
East and West,-and to secure for that section an
appropriation of the fund according to white PoPula-
ton. The message of Gov. Manly to the last Legis-
ature gave countenance and encouragement to these
efforts. bill for the repeal of the present law was
rejected but by very few votes. If by an succee-
ding Legislature a similar act should be passed, the
East may bid adeu anything like just and equal
share in the proceeds of this fund. The West con-
tends very pausbly that the federal method of dis
tributon, enumeraes threehfth OF the saue popuia-
ton while another clause in laws prohibits these
from being educated, it consequently was only con-
templated by the trainers of the Free School law to
educate the white children; and that distribution
of the School Fund according to white population
is the only just plan to obtain this desirable end It
is also commended that the Literary Fund is not raised
by tax this species of property, and therefore
the East does not bear more than her proportion of
Ill lu hot he nF INIo
fund are Withdrawn from the public revenue-the
Treasury suffers deficit to the amount of that with
drawn-that a certain amount by taxation has an
nuay 10 be raised to sustain our finances, and con-
sequently, by dverting the sources of the Literary
Fund from the Public Treasury, necessarily increases
the tax on land and polls, and affects Indirectly
this species ofproperty. Again the amount received
from the General Government was distributed accor-
ding to federal population, and if ever the State
should be called upon refund this money, in like
will it have to be raised. If the amount re-
the other sources of the Literary Fund, thrown
into the State Treasury, we in the East would have
to pay very little, no tax on our slave property.
Very few apprised OF the great inequality of tax
alton in North Carolina. New Hanover county, tho
small, pays more taxes than any other county in the
State. She pays into the State Treasury nearly five
thousand dollars, while come Western counties OF
equal size and population, do not pay that many
hundreds, and some not suffciency to pay the per
diem of their members to the Legislature. 1 have
an estimate made up from the Treasurer's report,
ties in the West only pay into the State Treasury
$4,000, while an equal number in the East pay
$65, 1877. have also statement made, in speech
before the last Legislature, by the Hon. W. b. Shep-
ard, showing that twenty-three Western counties,
viz Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Chero-
kee, Cleaveland, Davidson, Davia, Guilford, Hay
wood, Henderson, Iredell, Macon, Mcdowell, Mont
yomery, Moore, Randolph Rutherford Stany, Stokes,
Suny, Wilkes and Yancy, paid into the Public
Treasury in 1850 only S27 957 and received during
he same year from the School Fund, S3I ,373 Here
hen is twentythree Western counties receiving from
he Common School Fund ,-excusive of the expense
If Judges, members of Assembly, &c.-over 80 900
more than they pay for State purposes According
o this showing, have Western friends any right
Fund endeavor to disturb the present equta-
lie mode of distribution This question. together
With another Of kindred nature, is exciting great
eaI of interest in Western North Carolina. The
ublic presses are loud in their complaints against
What they consider abuses. Constitutional reform is
platforms are being erected re-
uiring the adhesion of all candidates, from Cover
or down. Conventions being held to arouse the \
eople to the importance of these sectional issues
nd declarations made that man shall receive the !
otes of that section, unless pledged to carry out
hese so-caled reforms. This, in my opinion, is II
ortunate for the interest of the whole State II con-
titutes the greatest barrier TO the perfection of
common School laws. Let any valuable amendment d
proposed in the Legislature, and it is Immediately
elected, and the mover consoed by being told we
ad better not touch the subject for fear of awaken
,g this old sectional spirit. Unfortunately, the
Geographical position OF our State, we'll as the e.
itherto do-nothng policy of her Legislature, has "
realty assisted in augmenng these sectional divis
ms. There has been identity of interest, or SYM
athy between the Eastern and Western sections
assimilation of feeling, pride and sociaty among
he people. Each section have striven for egisa- So
preponderanee, without turning that, when it
blamed, to any good. We of the East know more n,
Pennsylvania and Newly ork, and of their capital r
s and resources, than we do of the great mineral
nd agricultural wealth of Western North Carolina. N
N: brighter day is dawning upon US. Let the ia
reat works of internal improvements in pro- IN
ress be completed, and be assured we will hear no
of Eastern and Western North Carolina of Y
le distracting questions at issue between them.
quarrel about the basis of representation,
the distribution of the School Fund.- any other 81
1estion for sectional aggrandisement; but lend
oblest efforts to make North CGrohnG-the 1chole oe
tate-the pride and glory of her Let US be ps
,-workers in the great cause of improvement, en-
.avoring to bind together the selfsame sheaf in p
e great harvest of wealth, of glory, and of State
ide.
LONG CREEK. o
August I'd, 1851.
SENATOR DOUGLAS. This gentleman, during his TO
h in maid tai