The news & observer., 1897-04-18
AGAINST STATE AID.
The Elon College Society Settles the De-
bated Question.

E,on College, N. c., April 17.-(SpeciaD
Yesterday evening the sixth annual
debate between the Philologian and Cl:o
Societies was given in the large coliege
chapel. The query was: "Resoived, Inat
the present system Of State aid 10 hlsher
institutions Of learning in North Caro-
line is just" 1t was debated IN the al
firmative by Messrs. W. Il. McClenny
and Jno. w. Spence, OF the Clio Society
and the negative by Messr. r. -. Sum-
mers and C. l.. Graeber. Of the PIN So
ciety. Those who have heard all the pub
lie debates given by these societies, say
the one yesterday evening was the best
they have ever given. The affirmative
made a very able argument, but the mega
tive won the question. The alternatives
argued that the State constitution pro-
yides for the establishment and mainten-
ance of the three schoOls-Universlty,
A. and NJ. College and the Normal and
Industrial schOol-nOw receiving appro-
priations from the State. The negatives
argued, on the other hand, that the laws
of the State say public schools shall be
run four months a year in every district
in the State. II this law is not carried
out. since the public school term is only
about IL weeks, why insist on the provi-
sions of the constitution being carried
out, and neglect the law for the public
schOols? Thus the main argument
hinged mainly on which provision for
schools in the State could with more
Justice be neglected, since one is being
neglected. The negative held that it is
wiser to begin at the bottom and educate
upwards; thus using all school money
on the public schools and trust to pri-
yate philanthropy to offer means or
higher education, since experience has
shown that it is upon schools OF higher
education that such philanthropy Is be-
slowed. This argument was met by the
affirmative in demonstrating th9pinciple
! that il State has a right to tax her cti-
zens to maintain her army, navy, and Of
fcers she has right to tax her citizens
to secure through higher education that
protection and safeguard which comes
through the highly educated intellect
! in church, statesmanship, ana govern
ment. They argued wurther that taxation
without representation, as We have II IN
case Of aid to higher institutions, Is gener-
ally conceded to be unjust. These argu-
ments were opposed by the negative with
the popular belief that there is more or
less OF cliquery and party politics in the
appropriations to the higher institutions.
and that il the people were allowed to
settle it without being influenced by these
cliques and politicians, majority would
in all probability be against State aid
In this way it is plain that those whom
the State has offered and who have ac-
cepted State aid, in many cases do not
prove a blessing and a protection as the
army and navy are supposed to do but
really prove a tyranny and an oppres-
| sion.
The argument was mainly on princi-
| nles as will be seen from the above and
on principles that are not without
weight ON either side. The judges We're:
| MeSsrs. Odell, Secretary and Treasurer,
Odell Manufacturing Co., of Concord, n.
| c.; Mayor McClaim, of Burlington, and
| Prof. Separk, of Burlington. Many vis-
tors and friends are here from this State
and Virginia.