Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1900-01-04
4 Wan, s..lr.l or..,..a.

Most question. have nt least two
sides. but the distrihution ~ the public
school fund ha. half doscn or more.
The state Teachers Association. At
lie meeting in April last. resolved that
section scd Of the constitution should
be amended ~ a. to provide for a morc
equitable distribution. ~ present u
must b. distributed among the several
coaEtics AMI separate -rhool districts
In proportion 10 the number ~ cduca-
bic children in each The association
failed To- suggest what would be a more
equitable modc. Some have expressed
the opinion that the distribution should
he based on enroilmsa, cr actual at
tendance. thus reducing the fund 10
the black counties. where a large per
cent of the cducahlcs Ito not attend
school. and increasing to the white coun-
ties. In which the per ccu'age 81 attend
aucc y greater. On the other hand,
several papers ia the hill counties have
said that they are very well satisfied
with the present arrangement Some
sngges, the state appropriation should
be reduced 10 stOo, 90. leaving to coun.
tie. 10 supply the balance and increase
or re luce the term. In their discretion
senator Rowan. of Copiah. has been an
earnest and persistent advocate ~ the
idea that the school fund should be
distributed to the races ia proportion
to the taxes they pay. Aud the other
side ~ that proposition is thus forcibly
presented by Hon. ". u. Gibbs, Of
| lakoo:
There are plenty of poor white pco-
pie in this State who depend upon that
| system To preserve their children from
| ignorance aud disfranchiscm who
will look after that, Free education.
TO = certain extent, is now the common
law Of the United states. Enlightened
public opinion In Mississippi will toler-
ate no policy in this matter that keeps
the word OF promise 10 the ear aud
breaks IL To the hope.
| There are some inequalities that
need correction, but the system l. not
'diabolical.' IL has proved great
blessing to the state. and in it, effects
j. LAYING broad aud deep foundations
/ for a structure Of wealth and intelll-
/ gcnce in the future. The white people
/ have undisputed control Of the State
/ aud it, dcstinics. and there fore Ne
should Justify that supremacy by con
tinuing 10 make it the rule of justice
and generosity in regard to that race
that i among us, though not Of Us,
whose fate Is interviewer with ours. by
no act or desire of it, own.
.When consider that the negro
makes thrre-fourths OF the cotton aud
state: that his labor Is converting our
timber into wealth: that the In.rssc,
value of these products Of his lat,or
will amount 10 at lcas, SIS. O0o. 600 this
year: that he has to this extent con
tr.buted 10 the debt and ;ax-paying Ca
pacity OF tho State; that millions OF
this money Is now finding IT. way
through other hands into the Federal.
state and county treasures. ! am per-
suaded that the negro also has his bur
dens' a. well as the laboring white
man, and that IL IL, becomes white-line
Democrats like senator Rowan and
myself To attcmp, to deny him his four
months schools, which i pretty much
all he gets GU; of the State. When the
negro was freed aud invested with ci,i-
zenship the propriety Of his education
became n closed question. We must
simply recognize the fact. and act upon
1t, without stopping to discuss probable
I