The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-21
HR MATTER OF STATE AID
CORRESPONDENT c. NJ. 3. WRITES
FRO TIE NEWS AND COURIER.
His Story Sets Forth What Purports TO
be a Correct Analysis of the
Situation.


&c. N. b." sends to the Charleston News
and Courier the following, under the date
OF the 18th inst, in which, however, be
makes an incorrect statement in the first
paragraph, there having been sent out no
message on this subject by the Associated
Press agent at Raleigh. 1t was some 9th
or agent.
1.-The Associated Press agent here hav
ing sent out few days ago an item to the
effect that the 'Bapists of North Carolina
would control the next Legislature and
withhold all State appropriations to the
University and other colleges affording
higher education, the representative OF
the News and Courier asked Editor ].
w. Bailey, of the Biblical Recorder, of
this city. the State organ of the Baptists
about this matter.
Mr.. Bailey said the item sent out was
manifestly incorrect. In the first place
he did not know and did not suppose that
anyone else did, as yet, whether the ma
jor portion Of the members Of the next
General Assembly (which meets here in
january, belonged to one church; that
every Baptist church in the land is tub
which stands on its own bottom "a sep
arate and distinct organized body from
every other Baptist church, with no CON
ventiOn, association, conference or synod
to control them collectively; chat the res
olution adopted a few days ago at the
Baptist State Convention at M0rganton,
giving expression simply to the views Of
the delegates present and binding no one
else in the world was recommendations
only OF the Individual action of each Bap-
tist that the resolution does not bind
and does not seek to bind, any Baptist
church or number of Baptist churches
could not do so-and every individual
member Of Baptist churches in the State,
who is n member Of the Legislature or
otherwise, is as free to advocate and vote
for State aid to higher education, if he
believes in that principle and is disposed
to do so. as any other citizen.
So that if the Legislature, which meets
here this winter, withdraws the annual
appropriations to the University and
other colleges supported wholly or in
part by the State, it will not be done
through the votes OF the Baptists who
happen to be members OF the General
Assembly and consider themselves bound
or instructed in any way to so vote, but
ns citizens who think the principle a
wrong one and who will act entirely a
side and independent of any denomina-
tional convention.
1t is a fact, however, that there are
very few Baptists in this State who are
not opposed ION principle" to the appro-
priati0n of State funds raised by taxa
tiOn to the support OF higher education.
The Baptists of North Car0lina-as in
dividual churches or what not-have
been agitating this matter for years, and
are very earnest and determined in their
effort to have these appropriations with
drawn, and it is not improbable that if
majority Of the recently elected Legisla-
ture are members of the Baptist churches
it will be done.
Two Of the chief arguments they make
in defending their position are these:
First, that the common schools need
every dollar that the State can raise by
taxation. in order to increase their num-
ber, which is n0toriously too small; keep
them open longer and make them more
efficient by the employment Of better and
consequently higher priced teachers, in
order thereby that the children of all the
people OF the State, particularly the poor,
may receive the benefits of the money
raised by taxation for school purposes,
and thus reduce the percentage of illit-
cracy in this State and give a larger pro
portion Of its citizens a good common
school education, instead of confining it
to the sons Of the rich, as the opponents
of State aid claim, and few others, in
touche Of a higher education"
Second. That by making the large ap-
pr0priaUons ID now does to the State
University the State does what it has no
right to do, viz: Cripple the dem9nina-
tienal universities Of the State, of which
there are now three, Wake Forest tBap
tist), Trinity (Methodist). and Davidson
presbyterian. as the State University
is enabled by the funds received from tle
State to offer better accommoGa tons at
cheaper rates and employ superior fac
ulty. This is said by the friends OF the
State University to be the real ground
OF the Baptist opposition, which, however
is not shared by the Methodists and
Presbyterians, who are almost a unit
for the continuation OF State aid to
higher education.
But while this is so the Baptist churches
constitute the largest, by far, and the
most influential religious body of people
in this State, outnumbereing the Metho-
dists (the next larges0 and the Presby-
terians both, and probably numbering
about as many communicates and adher-
ents as all the denominations outside OF
the Baptists in the State, having over
100000 church members, white and
black.
There is little doubt that he matter Of
Withdrawing the appropriation to the
State University at least viii come up.
In fact it viii be compelled to come to
the front, as each Legislature is required
to make the appropriation for the next
two years, and that lively and most IN
teresting fight viii result there is no rea-
son to doubt G. N. B.
FOR NUMBERING HIS NEPHEW. /