The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-08-19

Therefore I wish to call upon every
subscriber Of The CAUCASIAN and
every friend of the reforms for which
the forty Populist members of the leg
islature stood with unilinching cour-
age IN the last legislature to at once
exert themselves to put The CAUCA-
SIAN or some good Populist paper into
every household in the State il posi-
BILE. Yours for the right and in the
fight,
MARION BUTLER.
TRYING To SHIFT RESPONSIBILITY.
We find the following in the editorial
columns of a recent issue OF the News
and Observer.
ave have received several commune
cations reviewing the school tax fight.
It Is rs dead q 81 door mail, and We can
not devote space to controversy about
differences. The attempt in certain
quarters to make it appear that those
who fought it are not friends Of public
schools is unworthy. The defeat was
due solely to three causes:
l. Determination to kill anything
passed by the mob that called itself the
Legislature.
2. The giving to negro committeeman
voice in the control of white schools.
3. The uuwillingness to bear an addi-
ti0nal tax ut this time, particularly in
view of the law sending all men to Jail
who do not pay taxes by the first court
after September.
The News and Observer is one Of the
papers that pretended to be in favor Of
of the special school tax, but at the
same time did all it could or dared to
DO in an indirect way to defeat it.
That paper and others could not come
out aud openly oppose the only
method for improving our public
schools, but it evidently wanted the
proposition defeated. 1t knew that
the system, if adopted. would work
we'll and that the people would be
pleased with it. The News and OBJ
server evidently feared that the Peo-
pies Party would get the credit for it,
and rather than this, it seemed to pre-
fer that the boys and girls of the State
should be doomed to ignorance. We
regret to believe this, but what other
conclusion can fair minded man ar
rive at?
The Peoples Party has never stopped
to such partisan littleness--it has new.
er sacrificed the interests of the State
for party advantage. The Peoples Par.
ty has always given its support to every
good measure no matter who put i
forward.
The News and Observer should hav,
been actuated by such high and nobl,
motives as those which prompt sucl
men as Prof. Alderman and DIR. Nc
liver and other educators who Away
give credit and lend their help to an,
man or party who is trying to uplif
and better the educational system o
the State.
The News and Observer is very mucl
mistaken when it says that the schoo
tax question is "dead rs door nail.
There is more life in the question to
day than there was on the day Of tn
election. This school tax question viii
grow until it is adopted in every count
in the State, and will not wait till thos
who sacrificed the schools on the alte
of miserable partisan prejudice, get il
power to do 80 either.
The News and Observer gives thre
reasons why the school tax was vote
down. We will refer to them in the or
der given above:
l. The CAUCASIAN is no defender @
the last legislature. This school bill
was one of the very few good measure
passed. But how unworthy" in th
News and Observer to oppose a goo
measure Zone that would be of tn
greatest benefit to the State) simpl
because that legislature passed it.
il shameless confession.
Now what were the bad things don
by that legislature They are man,
but every one Of them, every bad mea:
urs passed was adopted bv . combins
tion Of Democratic and Republics
votes or by q combination of Republ
cans and boilers, while every Populis
vote was cast solidly against every bs
measure passed. Every great reforl
measure defeated by the last legisl,
ture was defeated by a majority of tt
Democratic members combining e
fusing, II you please) with maj. rit
Of the Republican members. Did II
Democratic caucus expel their men
bers who betrayed the people? No.
2. The CAUCASIAN does not defeu
or apologize for any improper scho
committeeman that may have been a
pointed, il such is the case in any l,
cality, but why not be fair and tell IL
truth? When the negro school con
mittees we're abolished and all ii
white and cOlored schools in tow
ship put under the management
one cnmmittes, and where q colort
man has been put on, 1t wss done
he could look after ths interests Of Il
coicrpd schools Of the tn~nship.
The News and Observer knows tn,
there is not . white school In Mort
Carolina under the ''cODtr0l Of
negro board. Why not tell the truth
When man Or paper attempts I