The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1891-07-14
THE EDUCATIONAL q N
SOUTH cARoLlnA,s SHARE OF 1T
STILL HUNG UP.

Further Correspondence on the Subject
Governor TilIman and the Sec
rotary of Ia InterIor-No Agreement
Reacbod.
COLUMBIA S. g., July 5~.--Several
httrs OF general interest have passed
rrHohtly between Governor Tillman and
Secretary OF the Interior Noble, in re
gard to the acceptance by this State of
the $4,000 appropriation made by Con-
gress, to be increased by $1,000 annual
ly until breaches $25, 1000. All the cor
r~espondence has been published. and
some timo ago Governor Tillman fatty
refused to accept the money on the basis
offered by Secretary Noble. That the
Governor supposed had ended the mat
ter, but he on Friday received the fol-
lowing letter, which, with his reply found
below, he made public yesterday:
WASHINGTON, July l, 1891.
Hon. BENZ. Tillman, Governor of South
Carolina, Columbia, S. c.:
SIR have the honor to call your
attention to the interest of your State in
the provisions of the act of Congress
approved Aug. 80, 1890, for the support
of agricultural and mechanical colleges.
Early in the administration ofthis law |
found that it would be necessary to adopt
some definite and uniform basis of APP
~portionment in carrying out the provi-
sion of the statute requiring an ''e1uita-
BILE division" of the funds in all States
where white and colored students are
educated in sepGrate institutions. 1t
seemed to me that basis which would be
in line with both the letter and the spirit
Of the statute, and at the same time,
perhaps, prove the most satisfactory to
the States interest, would be the ratio
of the school population as ascertained
by the States themselves. l according
ly adopted that basis and have substan-
TALLY adhered to it with all the States
though some of them have, elected to
take the last U. S. census as a basis,
which in tho Gbsence of a late school
census may be considered equitable. In
South Carolina there has not been any
State ccosus of school children, so far
as the reports of this department show,
except in the years 1875 and 1877, when
the State enrolment was reported under
tae head of 'lSevised returns of County
School Commissioners" In 1875 the
enrolment was returned by said County
School Commissioners as GA per cent.
colored, and $3.50 per cent. white. In
1877 the colorcd were returned as 3G.6
per cent. According to the U. S. Cen
sus of 1880 the ratio of colored pol.ula-
ton to white population is given as
G0.7O per cent. as against 1929 per
cent. OF white. that is to say, about 81
colored to 80 white. According to the
Census just taken for 1890, the ratio of
colored is G0.lG per cent. and white
1892 per cent.
That an equal division of The fund for
agricultural and mechanical colleges is
not an equitable one, will appear from
the fact that Missouri, West Virginia,
Delaware and Kentucky have less than
20 per cent. of colored pcople-far more
than their share.
In those States, Texas, Tennessee and
Maryland have less than 25 per cent. of
colored; North Carolina, Virginia and
Arkansas, from 25 to 40 per cent. of
colored. Only Mississippi (51.9S per
cent? and South Carolina (G0.16 per
cent? have a colored population gre lter
than one-half. Objection would be
iittNtC, Nv oDJCCGlOh HAS DCcu n1uuG. OH
the part of the Southern States which
nave a small colored population, to such
a division as gives to the colored popu-
lation more than they are entitled to,
pro rata. TO adopt one basis o fdivision
in one Southern State, and another basis
OF division in another is obviously not
equitable and would seriously embarrass
the department in the administration OF
this fund.
1t is presumed that the State Of South
Carolina does not desire and does not
ask for n special basis of division of the
fund different from that adopted for the
other Southern States, and that it would
be unwilling to accept a basis of divis-
ion, which, if adopted for all the South
crn States, would work injustice to the
white population in all excepting two
States. All the Southern States except
South Carolina and Louisiana have al
ready substantially agreed to this basis
OF division.
In view of these facts, and desiring, as
L do, that the State of South Carolina
shall receive and enjoy her apportion-
ment Of these funds, 1 sincerely hope
that the proposed basis of distribution
may yet be accepted at an early day.
Very respectfully,
JOHN w. NOBLE, Secretary.
The governors reply to this letter
was written yesterday and is as follows:
Hon. John w. Noble. Secretary of In
terror. Washington. d. g.
SIR: Your letter of July l in refer
ence to the appropriation by Congress
of money for the support of agricultural
and mechanical colleges received. 1
have carefully read the arguments you
advance III support of your position, but
must beg again to disagree with you.
The terms of the act approved August
30, 1890, where it says '.Section l. The
Legislature of SUCH State may propose
and report to the Secretary OF the Inter-
ior a just and equitable division of the
fund to be received under this act be-
tween one college tor white students and
one institution for color,d students es-
tabllshed as aforesaid which shall be di.
vided into two parts and paid according
ly;' make it very clear to my mind that
| IN Ffn. N N 40 ps.,. "a H.