The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-23

to place it at the end of the first para
graph of the section. The objects of both
amendments were practically the same,
being to make the special county tax
ava liable for school purposes without any
proviso.
The feature of the day was the able
speech of Mr. Watson who opposed the
amendments. and pleaded for the section
as it came f. ON the committee. He aYalled
himself of the opportun.ty TO nIane a
general speech on the negro question, and
it was pronounced by all as one OF the
best yet heard In the convention. AT us
conclusion Mr. Watson was loudly cheered
and he was warmly congratulated by MS
colleagues.
THE DAY IN DETAIL
The convention met at 10 o'clock.
PRAYER was offered by Rev. George Coop
er. Severty-seven members were pres
ent and the Journal of Thursdays pro-
ceedings was read and approved.
Memorials asking for the adoption Of
the Barbour liquor-license resolution
were presented.
Nj. Ayers. chairman of the Committee
on Public Institutions and Prisons, sub
mitted a report from that committee,
which is printed in full in another col
uInn of The Times.
Mr. Withers offered a resolution. pro-
viding for the printing of 200 copies each
of the Employers Liability bill and the
Corporation Commission BILL which was
adopted.
The convention went into Committee
Of the Whole to consider the report Of
the Committee on Education (N1r Parks
presidinsl.
MR.. WATSON EXPLAINS.
local taxation for schools, was taken up
and explained by Mr.. Watson, the patron
of the resolution.
It reads:
Each city. town Gf the same be a
separate school district, county, and
schCo, district is authorized to raise ad-
ditonal sums by a tax on property not to
exceed in the aggregate five mills on the
dollar in any one year, to be apportioned
and expended by the local school authors
ties OF said cities. towns, counties and
districts in establishing and maintaining
such schools as in their judgment the pub
lie welfare may require: provided, tn
such primary schools as shall have been
established shall - maintained at least
four months of each year before any part
of the fund assessed and collected may
be devoted to the establishment of schools
of higher grade. The boards of super
visors of e several countess. and the
common councils of the several cites and
towns Cwhere the same be separate school
districts. shall provide for thelevy and
collection OF the said local school taxes"
FOR ALL ALIKE.
Mr. Watson said under the present law
no discretion whatever was allowed to
county and city officials in distributing
and apportloning The fund that was rails
zrI ii
schools. \ section of TIL new Constitu-
ton. adopted oy the convention Thurs
day, expressly provides that the State
taxes should be >.evoted exclusively for
all oh ldren alike for the support of pri-
mary schools and that no part OF the
local taxes could be used tor higher
schools or could be used IN the discretion
of the local boards until The pr mary
schools had been held for at least four
months in a year. In this way any dis
trict. after see ng that all children had
at least four months primary education,
could proceed 10 have such additional
school facilities as the discretion of the
author ties thought pest.
Mr. Egsteston said there was no pro-
vision whatever made for filing in the
gap between the primary schools and the
colleges.
Nc provision whatever had been made
for the larger bulk OF the chlidTen OF lHe
State until schools OF the primary grades
had run for four months 1t was not fair
TO the citizens of one section not having
he privilege OF high schools until every
negro school in the State had been run
for four months He moved to amend by
striking out the clause Of section seven.
beginning with provided and ending
with grade"
NORMAL AND TRAINING SCHOOLS.
Mr.. Thornton: Section eight. you will
notice provides for high schools, normal
and training schools.
Mr.. Eggleston urged his amendment so
that trustees could establish such schools
as they thought the general welfare re-
quired.
Chairman Mcllwainc read statistics
showing that no, NOR" than ,,ne third of
the children of the Stat, We're getting
any benefit from the scaoo's, AMI there
WIS no hnr> for pros.es5 until more
time and attention was 81 en- to the -pri-
r.aiy schuols.
Eli the Children of the State should
lirst learn 10 read and to wr:ta- II that
We're guaranteed I. them. and secured To
them. they could - on to higher cd a Y
Ton and many Of them would secure 1t
on their own mo.:o 1, The primary courae5