The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-20
Durham, N. c., Dec. 10.
STATE AID TO HIGHER DDUCA
TION AGAIN.

Mr.. Editor:-It is we'll to keep history
right. Mr.. l.. T.. Smith, in his speech on
the Conference floor, stated in the outset
that he sympathized fully with every
thing cited in the resolutions; but he OPP
posed their passage. And he opposed
their passage for two reasons simply.
First. the recommendations for taxes to
make the common schools more efficient
went beyond the constitutional limits,
and he offered an amendment to correct
this, which was readily accepted. Second
ly, the resolutions in three lines, appealed
to the Legislature to stop taxes for Tree
tuition at the University. Mr.. Smith
oposed this. And ! understand my friend
DIR. Cy. Thompson to take the same
ground. The point these gentlemen made
was their opposition to the church med
ding with the Legislature IN law-maklng.
But in the main and important points,
they agreed with the resolutions. This
was my understanding. If | ann wrong,
/ am open for correction.
Now. / want to say that in the matter
of the church meddling with politics, /
am in the main with Smith and Thomp-
son. I never have believed that the Leg
islature and civil law were the power or
God unto salvation. But this matter as
sumes the form OF three circles. The
first is the circle of pure politics-curren-
CIV. tariff, etc. The third is the circle OF
pure religion. And between these two.
and overlapping each, more or less, is the
second circle OF morals. Some moral
questions, therefore, claim kin to politics
on the one hand, and with religion on the
other. And at this point the church has
always. or at least frequently, appealed
to the Legislature. Some years ago the
PRESBYTERIAN Synod appointed COM
mission to ask the Legislature to stop the
running of freight trains on Sunday.
They asked our Conference to do the
same thing. We did it, and that law Is
on the statute book and in effect to-day.
The church has memorialized the Legisla-
ture frequently on the subject of prohibi-
ton, asylums, etc, and for taxes for
common schools, etc. These things be-
long to the circle of morals. But am
free to confess that these things ought TO
be done cautiously and but seldom. /
am not in favor of the church meddling
with politics. But what these resolutions
asked Of the Legislature was not any IA
yor or help, but simply not to be injured
by it.
This paper is written because there is,
or seems to be, real misunderstanding
of what was actually done by the Confer
ence. The rumor has gone abroad that
discussion was stifed and a vote forced.
This was not true. Notice was given
that all would be allowed to speak who
desired to do so, and this promise was
kept by the majority in good faith. 1t
has also been stated that the paper was
barely passed, while the majority in fact
was overwhelming.
Lastly, / believe that il the friends of
the University would accept in good faith
the proposition made in the resolutions, 1T
will not be very long before they will dis
cover that that paper was their safety.
The University of Virginia is university
in fact Chapel Hill is not, nor do its
friends even make SUCH claim. If 1t
really was a university the face of the
whole subject would be changed. But
the State is not able to make it such yet.
And for the State to force the great ma
iority-which is composed of Christian
people-to pay taxes to keep up only
college to compete with them, and WOO
away their young men: by the enticements
of free tuition, is loaded down with injus-
tice and absurdity.
Il. A. YATES.