Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1897-04-10

Warren county, vs. Stone Auditor, q,
Miss r. ? S7s the Supreme Court
speaking 0. sps. and f~osteitures, SAYS
Formerly they constituted par, @: the
tla1 10 Be distributed pro rata among
lie e?1cablz children Q: the State but
bv section 81 0. the Constitution they
beloug e the c91n:y-
Section g q the bill IS clearly in viola
lion @. sasaoa aJs q the Constitution.
aoi j. a. follows
The poll ;sI shall be retained by the
c5zzaes respectively ii which the! are
collected = Be used to- the maintenance
q TIE county and separate school dis
r-ic-s 8. Z PSF; Of the common school
fund @. .ae STATE, bat the State shall
no. be credited 10 tie county charged
with the same in the Distribution Of the
cou,noa school fund
Se,doa 20 0. the Constitution Is II
these words
There shall Be = commor school
tuai, which shall consist Of the poll
tax 70 b4 retained in me counties where
the same j. collected AMI AZ additional
sum from the general fund il the treas
nv which together shall be suaciel, 70
maintain the common schools tor the
..-m Of four month. II each scholastic
year. But any county Or separate school
district may levy an additional tax to
maintain its schools tor s longer time
than the term Of four months.
The common school fund shall be dis
t-ibu.ei among the several counties and
separate school districts in proportion
to the number Of eiucable children in
e.ch TO be determined from data coilec-
ted through the Office Of the State Su-
p~efintcndent o: Ei1cation in the man
ner prescribed BY Law.
Now, II will be observed that the
common school fund il the above sec
ton is a state fund Composed Of VIVA:
The poll tax and an additional SUN from
the general fund in the treasury which.
together, shall be sufficient 20 maintai.
the common schools four months in each
year. What i: 10 b. done with,his com
mon school fund
1t is 10 be distributed among the sew
eral counties and sera-ate school districts
in proportion TO tn eiucable child-ra u
each. This is clear Vow then, how
can this common school fund which in
c,uies the poll tax, be distributed as
absve required unless !, i. charged up
to the counties and credited to the state
in the distribution
The question to M mind, is too plain
for argument. Wish we could retain
the poll tax without having !; charged
to the county LzuderiAls county
would be the gamer b. several thor-and
dollars bat i: cauno; be done without
a plain violation Of the Constitution and
the law would be a u1H:ty.
Section 20 q the constitution fre. a
uniform poll tax Of " dollar. 70 ~
usei III ai1G the common schools. bQ,
this = CLEARLY a Sta.= tax. because the
saIe ssc.i0n authorizes the Board o.
Supervisors q any county 70 increase
the poll tax 70. the p1rpose Of aiding
the oonTsSH achools IL TIA. county, By.
in 70 cas- can they lery mgre than one
dollar in addition to the two dollar
fxed by the constitution.
The mo-, maryelou. part 0. tie Coz
e1nors financial scheme fyr the relief o.
tie State Treasury remains, 10 be stated.
TIE preentraFe u taxation i. 8 mill.
Cndsr hi. rate vs are tod there Is !
dsfci, Of slA o9l and ye, the Til o. tn.
Wars sni Means oonuigee rei7ce. tnii
rate 20 IL mile. but doe. 10. red7c.
expense Sow q half levy i. equal u
sbOu. 50. ~ which adisd TO sis4. ~
wouh inzAss the defG, 70 sz74 90
Tha, IL the way il sYpeSs 70 ne. ",
financial sense y 10 o1tnse 10 see hon
yo1 can raise m3usy 70 pay sdefct o
slsi, 0)0 By dscreasiuz the rate II taxa
ton half a mill and Within. borr0win,
none? OF reducing exfeq@.
a careful reading Of se.:on oue
> however. dscloses TIE fac. thu. the jan
distribution d the eshool fuad il pre
terniised and The schooi teachers a
Wer the state are 70 be the sufferer
The four rnon;hs school u xssz.e gsho,
provided for AID nz.u.zinsi By the ssa.
y and contracts hays already BEN mad
. with the teachers, and in mary irstsr
ces the feryIce has BEN resdsrs5.
ne State to ~repsdixse thsse eoutrscts
Take this county for instance. We Ia,
q received u January distribution +,
t~wo-thirdz. amounting to b. sz Z,
Now. If tbs Governors sche,ne ss 81,
bodied in the bill Of the War. "a
Means committee il adopted we viii L.
|, the other third which we are entitled
: on June LIST. which amounts to a. ~
n IN