The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1900-01-26
SchOOlS.

choice.
Schools.
There is no danger so great to the affairs OK
any republic as an ignorant, factiOus citizen
ship. whose tendencies have always been to
o%verturn social order, political system, liberty,
justice, and right. Mississippis greatest relief
from this source of evil has been for many years
found in the efficiency of her free schools and
her colleges. The liberality, therefore, of the
legislatures in the past in providing funds for
their proper maintenance has been both wise
and patriotic, and l heartily commend the con-
tinuation OF the same liberal spirit toward all
the States educational interests and institu-
tionS. The free school fund is now distributed
among the counties per capita of the educabls
children in each county. The relative attend
ance upon the free schools in the white is much
greater than in the black counties. and hence
by reason of the fewer schools required for the
accommodation OF the attending pupils in tho
black counties affords those counties the use of
funds set apart to the non attending children
therein; hence those counties are enabled from
said fund to extend the terms of their schools
taught and TO pay teachers better salaries than
can the white counties, where the larger pro-
portion of the children attend the schools.
Since the manifest purpose of the law is to
favor equat educational facilities to ali of the
children of the State alike, l would mmen
to the legislature the submission OF an amend
ment to section POS of the constitution, so as to
lt1ullt liS cbdiC ~ Slioo IUiiu u Dc ulS-
tributed among the counties according to the
actual attendance upen the schools rather than
per capita. There has been some urgent insist
ence for the submission by this legislature of an
amendment to the State constitution to provide
for the distribution of the free school funds be-
tween the white and negro schools of the State,
SO as to give the benefits thereof to each race in
proportion to the school taxes which 1t pays.
Though it may seem a little outside of the
governors expected prerogatlve to speak
of the matter here in advance of legiSla-
tive action on the subject, | shall nevertheless.
at the risk of being considered meddIesOme,
venture to express the hope that no such
amendment will find approval at the hands of
the legislature. Without stopping here to dis
cuss the constitutional conflicts which would be
brought about between the State and Federal
constitutions. or If it be admitted that there
would be no constitutional vice in such amend
ment because of its class or race distinction, its
effect. which would be to take school benefits
largely from the negro children, would be con-
trary to that broad and deep philanthropic spirit
that has always moved the great common heart
of Christian man and womanhood in Mississippi
to a love OF justice and fair play toward the
weak and needy whoever OF wherever they are.
1t must be borne in mind that the negro is our
n~eighbor and is here to stay; that he is the de-
pendence largely of the white people for labor;
that it is also in a great measure due to that
LABOR llldL IN the past TIE SoutH ) COTTON, sugar
! and rice industries have brought the sections
greatest wealth and given it a commercial i'm
portance in every land and country where the
Nations flag protects the American shipping.
Besides, he is of our citizenship. and being of a
weaker race becomes a ward of the white peo-
pie of the State, ana they should not violate
the trust by taking from him the benign infiu-
ence of education which help tc make him a
better man, a better citizen and a better
Christian.
Now, with sincere gratitude to the people of
Mississippi for their Kindness to me-, and with
cordial good WILL to all, l am ready to take the
oath of office.
McLaurin anA Sullivan Elected Senator's.
The Legislature today in joint con-
vention elecNd Gov. McLaurin United
States senaur for the long term and
| Hon. w. Y. s llivan for the short term.