The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-12-19
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10 tEss' 4Ssse. Ciap tdl 90, ol. .lll4
statutes, section Is, subdivision 4 r. You !
Eeah see there >is no parallel bctweeu the
two systems. Under thatssystcm every ri.
habitant had the right to vote at these
meetings. Here they are limited to the
tproperty holders. Aud if there were any
/ disposition on the part of the uon-property
holders to capture meeting L do not sec
fh9w they could possibly do SO. l propose
tHac thE bill shall be so amended as to insert
"ffty property holders" And ]. am will.
ing, if the villages of the State do not desire
the privileges of this bill,Sto restrict its
provisions to towns of fifteen hundred in
inhabitants shall sign tho call. And the
bill gives the power to school trustees, un,
der the auspices and direction of,hcsc meet
ings, to levy this tax. Now, with these
property holders composing the meetings,
kwith Democratic school commissioners and
trustees, and- with 2hree, ,fdnrths of thcsa
IneetIngs, 1un hmit,u5 t.,v provisions OF
the bill to towns of fifteen hundred inhabi-
tants, 1 have no fear that any dire result
will ensu c. IF the property holders Of
any community are not able to protect
themselves they are not the people | take
political meetings will attend these meetings
which propose to touch their pocket nerves
There need be no fear of the coored prop.
crty holders. Th intelligent colorcd man
is anxious to educate his children, and
however much he may differ on political
questions with his white friends, he will
| agree with them on this matter. | have
no fear at all that the class of people who
own nothing but dog apiece will take any
interest in these meetings, and our people
will see that they do not control them
Some of the opponents Of the bill have
| said that it will be unconstitutional to limit
the right to vote to those who hold property
l have examined the constitution on that
point, and cannot find any article prohib-
| itiug property holders from meeting and
| levying a tax, because this is net an election,
and the franchise proposed by the constitu-
ton does not contemplate any action of this
kind. There arc some decisions CT the
Supreme Court of the Uuitcd States that
the power to levy taxes can be delegated to
counties, and the vote be taken sometimes
by land owners aud sometimes by tax. payers,
sometimes by the grand jury and sometimes
by the popular vote. 1t is not consistent
for the opponents Of the bill to object, on
the one hand, to the imposing Of tax by
those who only own little property and
on the other hand to say that it is uncen,
sti,utional to exclude non property holders
from voting for the tax. The objection
; that nonresident property holders will be
taxed under this bill will apply with equal
F force to any other tax. But the objection
that has had more weight with me than
any ether is that it might possibly introduce
! discussion into committees by reason cf
difference Of opinion there. would not
do anything to prevent complete peri
phcry oil the Democratic circle. Bat |
have not been able to sec that this objection
IL well taken. believe that when this bill
is hcdged around so as to take away its
Objectionable features it cannot possibly
produce any discord. 1t has been tried
l successfully in other communities and with
great Oencficcnt effect, AS to its economy,
! suppose man living in town and owning
$4,000 worth Of property. Under the two
, mill tax he would pay so. Add the poll
! tax and the one and nc.half mill tax under
. this bill and that would raise his school tax
to $3.50. Suppose he has two or three
children to educate. What are the three
; months the public school arc open to them
For the other six months he would have to
pay at the rate Of 81 per month on each
child. This would cost twenty -four dollars
. for two children Add to this the poll tax
} and the levy for the three months, and you
will easily perceive which plan is the cheap
est. Private enterprise would come into
play when the children have advanced to
higher branches of study than are now
| taught in the GRADED schools
This bill will compel the property hold.
; ers to help educate the orphans Of those
who fell in our late struggle, and it will
5 gladden. the hearts of their widowed moth
ers, who arc unable to give them that great
and bcncfcent advantage
1t will enable the children of the State
to rise to the measure Of their manhood
! and do honor to the blood that flows in
their veins. 1t will pull into the public
} schools those little waits who otherwise
$ would grow up in ignorance. And when
, you consider the diminution Of crime and
pauperlsm, you must see that it is your du.
ty to do everything in your power to help
educate the people of the State. While
t on this point cannot refrain from reading
5 an extract from a pamphlet which it would
+ pay every Southern man tc read 1t is
entitled Education the Need oftho South, "
7 paper read before tho American Social
l Science Association, at its annual meeting,
held at Saratoga, September, 1877, by
} Dexter A. Hawkins, \. NJ, of New York
, bar.
. 1t says: "The Grand Duchy of Baden
by universal education in seven years re.
duced the number Of crimes fifty per cent.
and the number Of paupcrs twenty-five per