The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1884-03-05

should like 10 call the attention OF tho
doing in this respect, to a brief comparison OF
the taxes collected for the d~iHcfcnt purposes
in South Carolina. The whole or ime Sth.e
tax. In round numbers, Is Si29.OO. Inc PIP
making n total Of nearly :! ,5N,OU. The pro-
rceds of the school and pol taxes, according
to the last return OF the rOmptr0ller,,ecne!Al.
were Si'5 NO.. In other words, the srl'"'i INK
of south Carolina i ubout ole.third Of NIL the
other taxes TINT nrc collected IN the Sta.e.
The asSc.scss'al school tax was S.63.Vm. ~
course the actual amount collected was Il III
tic less Than that. being about Sl21.Oo), be'alHsc
there were Il good many delinquent taxes.
In addition to This, the State now makes an
appropriation Of sl,oUo for the Iniftrsi'S oi
South Carolina, That univ erslly mas Two
. branches, the old South Carolina COLLEGE NJ
Columbia. for the white, and the CIn1llh OIL
! lrge mt Urlnseburg, Tor the c"!or"d. Ile
Clhfiin College is partly supported from
North: but these two institutions 1"r the
higher education OF white AMI clio ell ,'re
maintained hy the State ut M annual Cost %!
ni'nut s24 900. In both these institutions ~.
struciion Is free no charge whatever Is made
for tuition. In the Clntin school nj Orange
burg we have Il normal department for teach
ers. which is each year turning on successive
bodies OF skilled and trained t'arhers,, VINO
are doing cstimablc work fer The color"d. IN
; addition to this, the Stale has recently made
provision for the rr-cstabli>hincnt ~ us mi'l-
t;lFN ;lCitleinN, pI1TOpTlaIl TID NV tlia SS"i
for that purpose. In this military academy
there will he supported now ~ before the
war. two cadets from each county. VINO pay
nothing whatever. They are SUPPORTED In
full by the SinIe. and they are required 10
teach two years ln.tl.c public schools OF INC
State after their graduation. There Will be
another class OF young men In the institution
known MS pay %cndrts. who viii, pay moderate
tuition for themselves. and Will not ue rcq,llr'
ell to render any service. They will rny their
way through the institution. Besides that.
we have the Normal Institute. supported ky
tho State. this year an appropriation Of 5! .o0o
having he en- made for that purpose.
You will observe, therefore,, gentlemen:
TINT we are npprOpriating now about Slo? 0N
and IL little over $40 90 for higher education.
making Il total of more than hal q million
dollars which South Carolina Is devnting TO
this purpose, with NJ assessed valuation or
properly u: hut S!3> ,0O) 900.
| shOu'd Ike 10 call the attention Of tile
committee to another comparison. The whole
c:spci,se Of The Site government or south
est on The public debt. was s33s,j75. The tx
pen>r for ihr maintenance ui The charitable
institutions. there being but two. nm asylum
were Sll6,16I. Therefor the expense Of public
schools aud OF charitable institutions was
s5Sl .lGi. Tor these purposes south Cnr0lina
uppropriaIcs two and a half times a. much
us she does for the whole expenses Of her
State government For public schools alone
she npproprla,cs twice rs much nS she does
for all the ey pcnses of the State government
I mention these facts In support Of the posi-.
ton which I take TINT the State is doing all
that she can do for the maintenance Of her
public schuolS.
now desire to call The attention Of the COM
Inittcr TO the second point / make, which Is
that the State OF South CHrolinl Is unable
because Of her Impoverished condition 20 give
proper instruction to all CLASSES OF her people.
dren bel ten and sixteen years Of age
as made hy the returns OF the county school
commissioners In 1875 II have been unable to
get the returns of the census, which are more
accurate. and doubt moi will show even
larger figures than tiicSel. was, whites Sj.G78.
colOrcd 152,23, innklng II total of 23I,97l chill
dren. The school attendance In South Caro-
lima for the year ls>0-'al was whites 81 .a&39, col
Ored l2,llg. making II total Of 73,4"S nj the pub
lie schools. Tie expenditure per capita OF
school population Is s.. 81. the eXrcndilure per
rapltn OF school attendance $3.50. ! call the
attention Of the committee 10 the fact that
while these schools are free und open 10 NIL
aud no distinction Is made on account OF race
nr color, according TO these returns (Which are
inaccurate, because l believe they are below
the TRUTH, we have 10000 children In the
State OF South Carolina whom we are unable
TO cluratc for the want Of larger means. The
numbrr Of pubic schools in the State last
year was 3.0j7, the number OF white teachers
2,G!G, The nlInb"r Of culored teachers .223
making the total number Of teachers 3.l+9.
Taking the illi:crury OF South Carolina.
shown by the return of the last census, which
l hal an opportunity Of observing last night,
the ratio OF while illitcrntes TO The whole
population Is III per cent; the ratio OF CT.
Ored illiterary to the whole population is 80 on.
I maintain that aS FIR as cnntrO ling the white
IIlitrrnry In the State il concerned, South
Carolina j. able, ready and willing 10 control
IL and that she Is equally ready and willing
to c0ntro. the colOre'l ilIit2rary, but that 1t Is
beyond her POWER to do 81. 1t Is from this
class OF our citizens, u class to whom | claim
that the state q ,vernInpnt ni South Carolina
IN all It's departments has done full and ample
justice. that The trouble comes. l believe
speak the sentiment Of the majority Of the
people OF III" state when | shy that we In
South Carolina feel that the safety and pros
rcrity of the STATE depend upon the educa-
speak To You. gentlemen of the cltninitters.
OF the limited opportunities that the colored
people Fave had heretofore for education, hut
! you know that the absolute nee1 for II now II
does not hold out Il helplug hand to us Mt this
time, we shall continue to send forth each
year illi:eratc voters By thousands.
Bear In mind, gentlemen, tlnt one genera
the opportunities Of education. This genera
iiun has got now the fathers anrl mothers OF
another ern"ratlon cunning along. 1t Is n
wcll-e.tabliS!icd 'nci, n principle recognized
by MI, that TO appreciate cllicatiOn Is Il con
seq Icmre of education Itself. 1t Is Necessary,
tlirrcinre, for the State and the General Gov.
INT to come to the front ut this time and
to make South carolina and the other South.
| ETH sltltS WlltG i W. lIlblJlC vi Hue
States desire that they shall b., thoroughly
educated.
wall call the attention Of tho committee tn
/ the Iart that there IRE now in the southern
States about five million children ready aud
n~eeling the opportunities If education. The
expenditures Of the Southern States under
this heal are about s7,INO.IO, but little more
than a dollar II head. II would take at the
lowest calculation so. 0OD.0N to fui nish the
opportunities of education to our cnildrrn IN
the South. Gentlemen. | sty. MS one know
ing the spirit Of The people and knowing their
limited resources, that we have not the
means to furnish This education.
/ do not propose TO dciain the committee
with any argument As to the right OF the
Gelernl Government to furnish The means
for which we ask. ! desire to say for my
State, md | am sure that | speak the senti.
ment or other States. that we Ito not CONE
here ~ mcEdlcautS In ihIs matter. We do
not come. her asking for charity. We :have
put our own shoulders to the wheel We are
using oil the efforts In our power. and ~
simply ask OF this great Government TINT II
Will come 10 our aid now In the time Of our
great necessity, 'becnusc If this aid il withheld
now, II 1t is not granted Now. rs l have
shown, there arc thousands of child Ell whom
We nrc unable to educlte, and who need this
Assistance ut this very moment, who Will moi
be educated.
| was told this morning, since l entered this
room, by II gentleman 10 whom ] was intro
duccd, that South carolina always liked To be
In The front. AS Of old, South Carolina wan. +
~ III III I"C oit III III WI TuOltC Cutl
Gallon. 1t Is Tor that rca>on we have come
here, brctusc we have not the means. rs ]
have stated. to furnish this education our,
selves. / believe IL is but u few moment.
ago when some gentlemen from this side were
called before q c0mtniliee OF the House OF
Representatives Of Congress with regard to the
deepening OF the harhOr ut Charleston, and
tho improvement of that harbor. That great
work Is now going on under The charge OF q
distinguished engineer. q Distinguished sol
dier. Whose duty il was during the war to
leave more impcri>hable mark, upon the city
OF Charleston. He II there now In the quiet
pursuits of peace, deepening that llarDor, and
giving to South larOinu an outlet fi her
trade and her commerce which size has So
lung needed but. gent emcn, there III Il need
thai south aroma has, hot SECOND even tU
the dee peting of The harnor of her great me
trOpoliS. Great rs are her resources, wonder
full us her puwrr Ii when fully developed. the
tru" suurce Of her strength and Of her power
Ii ~ the brains OF her people. 1t Is tor that
purpose we are here to ak the Government
10 give her the MEALS OF devcl, ping the brains
of her people, and We do ask that we may
have an opportunity of coming TO The front
and staying there us one of the states vi the
Union, contributing our share to the ~civiIiZa.
ton and The progress OF This great country,
and making South Caro.inn HS one OF the
State. OF the Union, contributing her quota to
make the people of this Whole country once
more free, prosperous, happy, and united.