The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-28
THE SPECIAL TAX
THE OBJECTIONS TO THE LAW CLEARLY
STATED.
The Editors Reply to Some Of the Objections
and Criticisms.

| ine LuluS hcpiJ W So''o VI wv N"JO
and Criticisms.
To the Editor: When the special
school tax act became a law there was a
mighty flourish of trumpets and beating
of drums on the part of it's advocates. 1t
was the panacea of all our ills-the pool
of Bethesda that was to heal all diseases
politic and make the old State flourish as
the green bay tree. We were "too poor to
vote against it''-for education, so called,
was the wonderful lever of ArchlmedeS
| that was to turn the State over and I'M
prove the condition OIL the negro race III
every aspect Lately, there have been
heard whisperings of the people-the I'M
lettered- people if you VIII
have it so, and 10 the advocates of TINS
scheme to rob the taxpayers for the bene-
| fit of incompetent officials, have lowered
their high heads and now soften their
support with sundry reservations and pro-
yisos. At first, it was altogether good
without spot or blemish, and North
Carolina was ruined, beyond peradvan-
ture, if it failed to carry. The conditions
have not changed in the least They knew,
or ought to have known, that the hybrid
the apprObatiOn of the press-religiOus
and political-wOuld turn out Just as II
has. The bait of n-partisanship' IN
| the schools ought not to have caught
single minnow, though handled so often,
but we must say so bungmgly, by the
head of the public school system of the
State. 1.-THE mountains have been IN LABOR
and a ridiculous mouse, in the shape OF
a ruinous school policy, in large num-
Der of counties, is the product. 1t is TOO
late now to attempt to soften the adVo-
cacy of this tax which at first was par
excellence, with ''ifs," land" and butts
We take out liquor straight and see no
good in it anywhere under existing CIR
conditions. We insist, too, that the adVo-
Gates of it shall take no sugar In theirS,
but stand to their guns and contend tnat
if is right. proper and the one thing need
cd under any and all conditions. Having
Welded to a sentiment, it is now too late
to repair the wrong. and if we. the Igno-
rant, prejudiced and unthinking people
suffer we have to thank those papers TO
which we have been accustomed to look
for Guidance in matters of public policy.
negro preacher in Hartford county
dominates and controls the board of edu-
cation. Two negro school committeeman
in each township in the county are TO
look out for and help select teachers for
the white schools. The men who pay the
taxes and have the intelligence, in every
instance are ignored and scarcely Dem
ocrat named as committeeman III the
county And yet Democrats are told by
the News and Observer that they ought
to vote to increase their taxes to perpe-
tuate this wrong. And yet Baptlsts are
denounced by their organ as being the
enemies of education because they dare
to vote against schools" in August.
confess. Mr.. Editor, that patience mas
ceased to be a virtue and an extorted
ina gination has taken hold of many or
our people. THUS. ID. BooNE.
-FOUR correspondent will look in vain in
the columns of the News and Observer
for any approval of the new school law
as n whole. He will find earnest, hearty
and unreserved approval of the principle
of local taxation. There has not been
daw during the years that this writer has
been an editor when he has not been an
earnest advocate of public education. we
do not believe there is a township IN the
State that ought not to have a good sys-
tenn of public schools. We do not believe
the same amount of money can be used
to so many advantages in any other way.
The experience of the towns and cities
that have tried the graded schools more
than rroves this. If it is good for the
/ large towns and cities to provide good
schools, why is it not good for the VIII
llages and rural districts?
The statement of our correspondent
that ga negro preacher dominates and
controls the Board of Education" two
negro school committeeman in each town
ship in the county are to look and help
select teachers for the white schools;
''the men who pay the taxes and have the
intelligence in every instance are lg-
nored." show that the men in power IN
Hartford county are trying to destroy the
cause of public education in their county.
We do not hesitate to say that we should
vote against the tax in that county and
that it would be a calamity to levy 1t.
While we are too poor not to educate, we
are too mindful of necessary social and
racial safeguards, to believe that educa-
ton secured through such unworthy and
lowering channels can be of value to any
body. 1t is better to tear down the pubic
schools than to permit negro officers TO
have a voice in the selection of white
teachers for white schools. This has been
our position all along, as all readers OF
this paper know.-Editor.
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