The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-08-10
Ght @essen9er.
THE ELECTION ON 10TH AUGUST

On the 10th instant, next Tuesday,
che election is to be held in all the
townships in North Carolina for the
purpose Of either accepting or reject
ing the proposition to levy an d
t5onal tax in each township for public
schools. The election Is for a special
school tax. It is a question of public
interest. 1t is not an expression, as
some do wrongly and vainly seek to
make appear, Of favoring or oppos-
ing public education, but whether each
township shall vote to levy upon the
tax payers more tax, additional tax for
the public schools Of said township.
The school law is very defective. It is
by no manner Of means an ideal law,
a. satisfactory law. It is some features
a very Objectionable law, a bad law.
The state proposes to give $1,000 il the
counties vote an equal sum for
tiOna1 school tax fund. The cost to
hold the election has been estimated
at $50, 900. The townships that vote for
the additional tax upon themselves
will receive a corresponding sum from
the state. Where the state will get Its
funds does not appear at this writ
ing.
The question is a plain, simple one.
Where a township is strong enough in
its money matters to bea an additional
Lax, and where the voters are fully sat
isfIed that the money will be rightly
used in lettering the schooling, then
said township nay prudently, safely,
richly vote for the special tax. Where
TIL re is one township that is able to
Boar now the burden Of additional
taxes already high, there are perhaps
five hat are not really able to bear
the proposed added burden.
Then there is that abcminable law
concerning imprisonment for debt
that was wiped off the statute books of
the state long years ago-that law to
put delinquent tax payers in Jail who
do not pay at an early lay, and for SIX
months. Who will feel inclined to in
crease his Indebtedness in view of such
a bad, oppressive law, unheard Of in
al the DdSI OIL INOTtH SdIOllIld IlotoI
There are some well-to-do, prosper
GUS townships, where most Of the peo-
pie can afford more taxes and keep out
Of jail-they may vote for the special
tax for schools.
In a great many townships negroes
have been put on school committees. A
pop or a rad is also on. So there is
but one democrat and he can always
be voted down. Then some of the ne
gro committeeman are already, as has
been reported, Dragging of their pur-
pose to visit white schools and give or
ders.
During the last several weeks much
has been said by canvassers and the
public prints about the proposed AK.
Many strong objections have been
pressed against it. 1t has been urged
that it was unconstitutional to vote
money under the form proposed. 1t
has beer insisted that there is irregu-
1arity in the passage of the bill. The
preamble to the law has been attacked
because it contains an incorrect state
ment of a fact. 1t was reported some
weeks ago hat ~eX-Judge Avery had
said that school election law was I'M
constitutional. 1t is plausibly argued
that the new law is a force law-com-
pells action. 1t gives the board Of
county commissioners power to deter
mine the amount Of tax to be voted
upon in each school district. The law
reads:
"But said tax shall be at least 10
cents on every 500 worth of property
and 80 cents upon every poll, and shall
not De repealed within three years Of
the date Of first levying it. After
three years from the date of levying
a special tax for schools, said tax may
be repealed only by a majority vote of
the qualified voters Of the district;
and no election for the repeal of any
special tax shall be held except upon a
written petition to the board of county
commissioners, signed by at least one
third of the qualified voters of the dis
frict."
There nay be much danger hidden
away in that brief statement. The
Messenger weeks ago called attention
TO the lurking danger. You may get
Che extra tax fixed upon you not for
three years, but thirty-three years.
The maximum tax is left altogether,
as you will see from the above quoted
Raw, with the board of county COM
gnissiOners.
AS we understand the matter there
is no money in the state treasury to
carry out in good faith the promises
OF the law. 1t is regarded by many as
an unequal, unjust law in as much
as the townships will be burdened un-
der it if they reject the law. Remem-
herring the vile law commented upon
already-compelling tax payers to pay
their taxes before the first court held
after the first Monday in September