The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1897-08-19
THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1897.
THE SCHOOL TAX FAILED.

THE SCHOOL TAX FAILED.
The election held throughout the
State on Tuesday of last week on the
question Of special local tax for free
schools, failed in every county. Only
one township was carried In Wake
county, and very few townships were
carried for it elsewhere in the State.
There are many reasons whyi failed.
The law as proposed would be very
Objectionable in many respects. One
of the arguments which the white peo-
pie throughout the State made one to
another, though the newspapers said
very little about it, was that they did
not feel called upon to bear further
taxation for the education OF the color
ed race.
The advocates of the measure work.
ed faithfully for it, and we have no
words of blame to cast at them. They
we're honest in their convictions, we
grant, that the principle of local taxa
ton is right but they do not know the
feeling of the white tax payers in the
State.
THE COMMONWEALTH has never de-
sired to be set down as against educa-
ton, and does not propose to be-; so
when it was settled that there would
be no election held in Halifax county,
we gave very little further thought to
the matter.
Now it is over, we propose to make
some observations from time to time
about our school interests, and we do
not propose to say word that will
justify any one in saying that we are
opposed to education. We are not
opposed to education. Would that all
our people we're better educated-not
only partially, but thoroughly educat-
ed. But cover it up as you may, it
will come to the surface after awhile,
that many of the white people of this
country think that enough was done
for the colored race when they we're
set free and given the right of fran
chise, which gave them as much power
at the ballot box az the most intelligent
and patriotic white men who lived in
this country. It has often been said
that the colored race shave destiny"
And many good white people are
ready to answer that declaration by
saying, "Well, let them work it out"
THE COMMONWEALTH believes that
taxation by poll for public schools is
the true system. This done and no
well-deserving, hard wcrking man could
have it to say that he is compelled to
pay taxes on his little savings to educ
ate the children of other trifling men
whose own troops of children are as
numerous as his. And this applies as
much to whites as it does to colored.
Then, as matter OF fact, the public
school interests have been dumped in
to the hands OF persons in many places
totally incompetent from character or
preparation to handle them; and this
has been one great cause for the defeat
of the measure proposed by the election
just held.
The whole thing::has been failure
a farce-and under the circumstances
we must be candid enough to say that
we are pleased with the result and we
trust that the next Legislature will re-
peal the act which authorized the cleo
ton and which coinnels the Same forco
to be gone through with every two
years until it succeeds or is repealed.
Let the act be repealed, and If we must
raise more money for public schools
let us get at it in different way.
ENFIELD NEWS.
to TIE CoAMoNwEALrH.l