The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-07-15
Cor. of The Progressive Farmer.

OI DIODO2CA LHRA0AG14NA0 r.
lie schools. Better schools, longer
terms, etc., we all want. The praise
worthy efforts which are being made
in this direction by Governor Aycock,
Superintendent Joyner and other
State officials, should give us all fresh
courage to take hold with determined
efforts and not only talk but work
with renewed energy till u schools
are thoroughly efficient.
THE PROBLEM BEFORE Us
There are many reasons why the
people at large should be thoroughly
awakened to the Importance of the
subject, and cooperate with their
leaders in bringing about such i'm
provements in the schools as may be
necessary to render them efficient in
educating the masses. That the edu-
cation of the masses is absolutely nee
essary to the welfare of a democratic
government is a question that admits
of no controversy. IF the govern
ment is lodged with the people, the
people must know how to take care of
IT, if all power is placed in their hands
they must be taught to use that pow
er for the good of all, else enarchy
and misrule will be the final conse-
quence. The education, enlighten-
ment and general elevation of the peo-
pie st large are absolutely necessary
to real prosperity and good govern
ment. Hence the real question of
greatest Importance in our State and
nation is: How shall we educate the
.masses7
PRIVATE SCHOOLS CANNOT DO THE
WORK.
That all cannot he educated in pri-
vate schools is patent To every one
who will take the trouble to think
about it. There are many, alas! a
great majority of our people who are
not financially able to educate their
children in private schools. Our pub
lie schools as they are, and as they
have been in the past, are inefficient
because they fail to accomplish that
for which they were ipaended-the
education of the entire people. Then,
what is the remedy? The answer, the
only answer, is a thoroughly organ
lied and efficient working system of
public schools system supported by
a more liberal taxation.
MORE TAXES MPERATIvELY NEEDED
Here, upon the very threshold of
our inquiry, we meet the chief diff
Guilty. We cannot have public schools
without money; we cannot have mon
ey without taxing the people to raise
it,-and, at the very mention of more
taxes a howl goes up long, loud and
piteous from all the chronic grumblers
In the land. "We are too poor; we
cannot afford to pay any more school
tax" Is hat true? Is our poverty
any excuse? Let US examine the mat
ter and see if there is anything in it.
Statistical figures are not at hand,
but it is safe to say, that we expend
enough each year for tobacco and
liquor to run our schools at least five
years. The amount we expend an
nually for these two articles, would
build a $500 school house in each dis
trict in the State, carry on the schools
for the months, and then leave a sur
plus at the close of the year. The
amount so expended, if collected for
school purposes and placed at inter
est, would, in five years, amount to a
fund the interest of which would be
amply sufficient to run our schools
for ten months in the year.
Now, if we can afford to expend
such sum for such indulgences, are
we still too poor to pay for schools ?
True enough we are poor, very poor,
far too poor to do without good
schools. If we were all wealthy, we
could educate our people at good pri-
vate schools and colleges and could
get along very well without the pub
lie schools. The very fact of our pow
erty makes the public school an i'm
perative necessity.
THE JUSTICE OF TAXING ALL TO MAIN.
TAIN SCHOOLS
But there are those that claim that
there is nc justice in taxing the peo-
pie for free schools. "You have no
right" says one of these back-number
citizens, "to take my money to edu-
cate another mans children: there is