The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-19
GroundlesS Fears.

ne UeorRla House voted ABOUT S0OU,OUJ
| for educ1tion at one whack the other day,
AID the Senate is more than likely to concur
| in the action. Georgia wants the world to
know that she is interested in education. If
| people are thinking of coming to this state
they need not stand back for fear the edu-
cational advantages will not be sItisfac-
tory.
TOWNSVILLE, GA, Dec. 17.-Editor
| Morning NelCS: have Just read the
above in your paper of Dec. 16, and fear
you have limited knowledge of what the
world" outside of Georgia, spends for
education. You are making great ado
over the prospect of your legislature
appropriation at "one whack" $780,
coo. The state of New Jersey,
with only two-thIrds the popula-
ton of Georgia votes more than tlcice that
amount at lone whack" ecery year. and
has done 50 for a score of years. and yet she
is surpassed by many other ates. You
will be obliged to invest much more in
education if you wish to attract the atten-
ton of the world.
New Jersey appropriates erery year for
for every child in the state between the
ages of and IS years, and almost every
township and city in the state vote in addi-
ton to that sum from 30 to 100 per cent.
more w, FREEMAN
Mr.. Freeman can safely dismiss the fear
he announces he has, that the MORNING
NEWS knowledge of the amounts appro-
priated by the different states for school
purposes is Limited. the MORNING NEWS
published only few days ago a statement
of the appropriations in many of the states
for public schools, and pointed out how
small the Georgia appropriation was in
comparison with them. But our CORE
spondent, if he is frank, will admit that for
state that hasn't a good public school sys-
tenn, and hasn't dealt with public schools
literally, the appropriation to which the
MORNING News calls attention will do for
beginning, and that it is new departure
AID is sufficient to make the friends of a
good public school system in Georgia feel
very hopeful for the future.
MIR. Freeman's comparison between
Georgia and New Jersey is hardly a just
one. 1t is true that the population OF
Georgia is larger than that of New Jersey,
but Georgia has an immense colored popula-
ton which pays scarcely any taxes. The
white population, although not rich, has to
bear the burden of educating the black as
we'll as the white children.
. And it must not be forgotten that New
Jerseys taxable wealth is about double that
of Georgia. In 1880 in New Jersey $572,
SIS, 361 worth of property was returned for
taxation, while in Georgia the amount re-
turned was only $3.50, 4l2, 500. With a
smaller number of people, the most of
whom are taxpayers. and double the
amount of taxable wealth, is it to wondered
at that New Jersey appropriates more for
her public schools that Georgia. Although
New Jersey gives so much to support her
public schools, her rate of taxation is much
below that of Georgia. r.
Mr.. Freeman has evidently overlooked
some very important facts in his criticism
of the action of the Georgia legislature. 1t
is true that Georgia is behind good many
other states SO far as her public schools are
concerned, but she seems now to be on the
right track, and the MORNING News pro-
poses to do what it can to encourage her to
steadily improve her publicnschool system.
If she keeps to the track she is now on she
will have an excellent public school system
within a few years. n5..