The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-01-13
Wednesday, Jan. Is, 1892.

WeOneSOay, jail. Id, 1cSS.
Let us talk about the proposed tax for lone
or more school houses"
In the first place, we don't need any more
school houses. We already have school hous-
es enough, If they were repaired.
The colored people have recently put up at
their own expense two splendid structures.
They don't need any more, and we are In
clined to the opinion that they are going to
get a very small share of the $4,000. At any
rate the parents CT the colored school chill
dren have not attempted to levy any tax on
us for their special benefit.
If it is intended to give the negroes any of
the school houses, we should say how many.
Under the proposed colossal arrangement
whereby an indefinate number Of houses may
be built, the tax will be, something like this
Constitutional 2 Mills.
Additional levy for teachers.........". 2 Mills.
Additional levy for interest or rent of
school house, and retirement Of
$500 bono q little less than. ....... .... 2 Mills.
Approximating a total for schools. 6 Mills.
If to this is added the two mills which are
now levied by the town council In their sup
ply bill, our town tax will be eight mills, or
S. annually on every thousand dollars. Are
our people ready to take or the new tax.
At present the whole State tax, including
the schools, Is only 9A mills.
Some OF the older citizens remember some
thing OF the good old times when a public
meeting levied five mills for one year. They
also remember that five mills were hard to
pay.
This tax of more than 81 mills is not
for one year, but 1t is for five years, with the
certainty that the interest and debt will not
be fully paid In less than thirty years.
A majority Of parents have only a few years
In which to pay tuition, but this enormous
tax will be continued. even until the school
children Of to-day have become old men and
women, who in turn will have to take up the
burden OF their own education. when they
are gray-headed, and when their parents have
passed away.
Under this heavy levy there are few houses
that will not pay more taxes under this plan
than the cost Of tuition would be. The tut
ton Is for only a few years. The tax is for
ever, so far as this generation is concerned
Apubiic school is intended primarily as s
charity to give the poor ar English educa
ton, but are not those b may desire to pu'
on fancy airs at the expense Of their neigh
bors. making all abuse Of that which was In
ended as a public charity to people who may
be in needy circumstances.
The public interests may be advanced
and no doubt are advanced, by the encour
agement of every child to learn to read ant
-.i,o vi, ooothort op0,o hut tho pt,hlic N a,th
er demands of nor expects theindustrious apc
thrifty citizen, to contribute to the erection o
zone or more school houses or colleges. ir
which his n%eighbors may avoid the response
bility Of educating their own children in the
higher branches.
The public good isis not conserved by tax
ing the homes and the goods of the struggling
poor people, in order that the rich may avoic
the expense of giving their children instruc
ton in music, Greek, Latin and French.
But the dangerous proposition threaten,
to be a reality, for the simple reason tina,
those who pay little or no taxes nearly a
ways vote for IAN appropriation"
The property holders Of this town, have
some rights under q normal conditions OF af
fairs but under the Alliance rule we seem tc
have none
In this instance, the .pr~operty-owners
are not consulted at all.
Nearly all information has been withheld,
The law and the propositions. as far MS a bill
of particulars Is concerned, is q sealed instru.
ment to this people.
The lie w being so large. in the absence Of
nearly all facts, ought TO prevent many of our
citizens from lending their vote to the
scheme.
We learn, among other things. that the tax
payers themselves will not hereafter be al
lowed even the poor privilege Of again vot
ing for trustees unless they attend
a meeting. No future election Is TO be held,
SO we hear, though we have not seen the
law.
Is there any reason for allowing non-pror.
erty holders 10 vote away our money, with
out the consent Of at least a portion Of those
who pay the taxes.
And since the days of new methods and
new things, even since the inauguration OF a
rule Of equal rights to all, and special privi].
eyes to none,' there has not been in our opln-
ion, so great q violation OF our personal
RICH Is and our personal property as this prop
osition to build zone or more school houses"
with sl2, 900 forcibly aiken from our pockets.
This editor knows something Of the disad.
vantages OF starting life without an educa
ton, and for this reason he would be willing
to vote a reasonable sum for the support OF a
town school, "a school which may be con-
trolled by the town, and not by a faction
where each Individual citizen may vote
for trustees-but he is unalterably opposed TO
this most extraordinary proposition to levy
$4,000 for a school house, the rent or interest
of which would be $40 a year, or about half
enough to teach every child in the village
the English branches.
AS evidence that the editor Of this paper is
not averse to any educational proposition
which appeals to his reason, he would cite
the fact that he was a member Of the school
association which existed here several years
ago, and. until its dissolution, paid his full
share OF the expense, which is certainly as
much as any advocate for this measure has
done.
Distinct Proposition.
At intervals for the last ten years this town
49, Loo, or;totod ON IN q cphiocf IF voting q