Huntsville gazette., 1888-12-01
threshold of the same great duty.


cannot write; and that there are
. within the border of this State in a
total population of 1862, 900 souls
about 371 900 over the age Of ten
years who cannot read.
This burden of illiteracv, which we
have been STOPPING under, was large
ly imposed by the Federal Govern
ment, which by paramount force
debased our suffrage and destroyed
our property. This edictmore than
quadrupled the il'itteracy of our citi-
zenship and reduced our property
from the grand to tai Of $3.50. .0O0,-
600 90, The fu'iher immediate ef-
feet is felt by division Of the tax
money from this narrow fund be-
tween the children Cf the two races in
the State. Therefore it remains clear
to me that the Federal Government
should at lest divide the burden which
has been imposed. But in the mean
time we should continue the path
which our predecessors have so brave
ly followed, and we should make an
additional appropriation from the
State Treasury to the public schools
Of the State.
The pubic schools of the State
during the last scholastic year were
opened about seventy five days in
the year, and the fund expended for
each child in the State was SO cents.
The average p a y ofthe Superirten
dents of Education in the State has
been S210, 10 per year, and this con-
dition demands that the economy of
the past be continued in the interest
Of public education.
1t is not claimed that this policy
should be pursued merely because it
comports with the dictates Of enigh
tened philanthropy, though certainly
it sh uld be no cause of chaleeuge to
its expediency that it is in harmony
with it.
That ''the Prussian school master
won the battle of Sadowa, is the opin
ion of one who is neither a sentimen.
talist nor a humanitaria n but
Grandee and Prince. sevely prac-
teal soldier and an intense aristo-
crat.
The triumph of the favored races
is inevita bic, and if Alaba ma would
maintain her present pace AID reach
the first place in the list of States
which is her right. she must throw her
coming generation for t ennobling
and inspiring struggle for industrial
and commercial supremacy.
1t is u"safe for Us, however, to
rely either Fe leral on aid, which will
probably be temporary, or on an ap-
preparation from the general funds
in the State Treasury.
The intelligent tax payer does not
complain 50 much at the rate of tax
alton as at the mode of expenditure
of the tax money. Where the tax
is a local one, and is raised and ex-
pended in the immediate view of the
tax payer and for a local purpose
that he deems valuable for his com
munity, it is paid readily and with
alacrity.
The principle announced by our
Supreme Court, in Schulks VS. Eber
ly, 50 Alabama Rep. 242 forbids the
levy of sufficient local tax for school
purposes under the consti ution as it
stands,
/ recommend that the General AS
sembly propose to the people an
amendment to the constitution which
will authorize the Legislature to con-
fer on school districts the authority
to levy and collect loca' tax solely
for school purposes.
Such a change in our law would
not compel the tax iu any event, but
would clothe the law making power
with discretion to delegate the au>
thority where it appeared to be the
will of the tax payers Of the particu'
lar district to be affected by the i'm
position of the tax.
Peter jackson, the only colored