The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-08-07

MONEY WASTED WOULD HAVE
PIECED OUT SCHOOL FUND.
A FOUR MONTHS TERM is ENOUGH
The Conditional Promise Of Legislature to Each
County Would Requires if Necessary,
: .:... $500, 900 to $500, OO0-- State Board
Has no Power to Lend.

There prevails 10 some extent at least,
in this State, a sentiment to this effect:
That all friends of education and public
spirited citizens generally ought to sup
port the special tax for schools.
In fact all who oppose it, land their
name is legion"-are regarded, by some
few, as public enemies too ignorant to
see the light of new dawn, and too
narrow to take in through their limited
vision the widening scope of the coming
progress.
But the truth is if a broader view were
taken of this whole subject, many who
are now enthusiastic for the tax, would
become earnest opposers of it.
| claim to be a friend of education and
Of the public schools and have given this
matter careful study and serious consid-
Grafton. l have tried to view it, as all
public matters should be considered, from
the standpoint of the public good, and
my conviction of duty is clear to vote
against the tax, and | do not hesitate to
advise others to do likewise.
We must first consider this question
in connection with the history of taxa
ton in this State for the past few years.
The tendency has been to increase
both the State and the school tax at the
expense of the county tax, and the re-
suit is that there is not enough revenue
left for the counties TO pay their neces-
sary expenses: and at the present rate, it
will not be long before all the people will
be sufficiently amused with special taxes,
in order to pay the debts and the neces-
sary expenses of their counties, without
this special tax for schools.
If certain sections of the revenue act
of 1897. had not been declared unconsti-
tutional and invalid by the Supreme
court, the revenue for the counties since
1893 would have been reduced S111,000
on property alone. not saying anything
about the polls and unlisted taxables.
But even under the act of 1895, there
is not enough revenue provided for the
counties. Already more than forty coun-
ties have applied for the privilege of
levying a special tax to pay their neces-
sary expenses, and most of those that
have not, are now out of money, and
win have to apply to the next Legisla-
ture for that privilege. But if instead
Of reducing the county revenues, below
a living rate, while increasing the SUBJ
jects of taxation, little economy had
been exercised in State appropriations
and expenditures, and the amount thus
saved added to the school fund, there
would be no apparent need Of this special
tax for schools.
In plain terms, the money wasted by
the Legislature in the past few. years in
unnecessary and extravagant appropria-
tions added TO the school fund would
be ample to operate all the schools in the
State at least four months in the year,
and many Of them for longer period.
The Constitution requires four
months term per year, and no longer
term can be utilized by all the people of
the State.
Tn the rural districts IT is utterly i'm
practicable for all the children between
the ages Of 6 and 81 to attend the schools
for longer period than four months per
year.
1t is just as necessary for some Of the
people to learn TO work as it is for all to
learn TO read and write; and any system
of education supported by general taxa
ton that does not give an equal oppor-
tunity TO every child in the State is de-
fectiye on the same principle that it is
wrong to tax all the people fer the bene-
fit of a few.
Instead of calling upon the people for
more taxes, we ought rather to utilize
the facilities that we now have. Let
the schools be efficient and induce the
children to attend. The length Of our
school term has nothing to do with the
charge OF illiteracy against the State.
The child that will not acquire the
elements of an education in four months
for fifteen successive years, would not
do so in a life time.
The schools we now have, if attended,
would wipe out the charge of illiteracy,
against the State.
But while the Constitution requires a
four months term, it also, las was prop
erly held in "Barksdale VS.. Commissions
ers,o limits taxation for all purposes
including schools to &C % cents ON the
500 worth Of property. and 50 on the
poll. It is therefore the duty of the
Legislature to provide out of this tax
a sufficient revenue to run the schools
four months in every year, which as
above stated could have been
done by cutting down those
expenditures and appropriations not abso
Ilutely required by the constitution.
But the legislature wasted in useless
extravaganza money, money from the
people that ought to have gone to in.
crease the school fund, and now ask the
people to supply the deficiency by addi
tional taxation; and every man thai
votes for the tax directly or Indirectly ap.
proves the cause Of the legislature in that
particular
For one, I protest against it.
But the main objection is to the act it
self, which I regard as one of the most
Objectionable laws ever placed upon oul
statute books. First by deception, then by
coaxing, then in turn by threats, it pro
poses to deal with the people as foolis'
father would attempt to govern his chill
dren. 1t in fact assumes that the peo
Iple are lot Of ignorant underlings in ser
vile submission to some superior power
and it is therefore an insult to the intel
ligence and sovereignty of the citizen.
With only $4,000 appropriated and
ly,n{ ;yor in e;n 10 To oil QE0T