The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-18
AGAINST THE PUBLIC SCHOOL
TAX.

Raleigh y. e., july II, 1891.
TO the Editor: There appears in the
Charlotte Observer of the 18th inst,
communication signed Teacher" advO-
eating the special school tax. VIII you
kindly allow US space in your columns
to notice a few things therein contain
ed. Teacher" makes Il very earnest
and pathetic appeal to the people to sus-
tain this measure at the polls and on the
canvass, but does not adduce one single
argument to satisfy them why they ought
to do it. A column and a half of eX-
hOrtation and not a word of argument.
We admire his zeal and enthusiasm for
the schools, and do not impute to him
any selfish motives, but his article GER
tainly has well defined earmarkS Of
"Teacher' hunting a job at a better sal
airy, or looking forward to a snug fee
as Canvasser. ''Teacher' speaks OF
the honest opponents of this measure, as
enemies to the schools enemies to
popular education" when he well knows.
that no such a monster in the shape of
humanity exist in North Carolina. He
applies this side epithet to others stint
ply because they differ with him in opin-
ion. Oh, no, my brother; that kind of
splatter wont do, take those ugly cords
down from your bulletin board, for it is
but a miserable subterfuge, vinegar
don't catches any flies"
claim the honor of being a pelagOsue,
having taught in the common schools for
thirty odd years, and / believe l am
friend to education, but | take DECIDED
grounds against the special fax, ander
the bill passed by the late Legislature,
because it can never be made operative
according to the provisions of this bill.
How can North Carolina pay an obliga-
ton of 100000 with only $4,000, which
she Will have to do if this election is
carried throughout the State, or else pay
to the township the petty sum OF 500, or
SO, to set against the $500, raised by
taxation. This will raise a cry of dissat-
isfaction and discomfort, and instead of
this being starting point and acting as
q stimulus to future action it will act
as a freeze out to any further special tax
aid for the schools, for the people will
say, and justly too, you deceived us bad
ly once and we will trust you no more.
You drew us into this net once before
and left us with the bag to hold, and
now we are not in it any more. All, but
they say that it was only expected that
enough townships would vote for the
tax to consume or exhaust the $4,000;
if this is so then it is az farce and
fraud and ought to be voted down.
Teacher" would have the people and es-
pecially the college bred men to believe
that it is their duty not only to resuscitate
this still-born mass Of deformity, but to
nurse and nourish it tenderly. There is
too much good horse sense among the
people to believe this, and as to the coll
lege bred men know a thing or two
anyhow, especially when they see it, and
no doubt many of them have groaned in
the spirit over this blunder of our So
Ions. Well brother, we are not going to
"Stone the old man Stephen" in August,
but with few we'll selected pebbles we
are going to STAY Goligh and cut off his
head with his own sword, and we will
not ask the college bred" men to hold
our garments, for we will not be put to
the necessity of even pulling off our
coats" Now brotheF, when you start
out on the canvass, 3ell the people the
square thing, don't Try to cover up any
thing; because if you do, when the light
is turned on and the people are unde-
ceived, your predicted accused" will
fall with crashing force upon your own
head.
e. NJ. WADDILL.