The Grenada sentinel., 1903-01-17
IMPORTANT VIEWS
OF Judge Critz as to Certain State Issues.

NoOAu OO1lOIuOA, Iuo SOuSSAhlAS WILL NAA
they are entitled to know what arc
| my views.
I In my canvass four years ago 1
earnestly urged that such change
should be made in the school laws as
would give better school advantages
to the white children Of the white
counties of the State; and suggested
as one remedy for the inequality of
school privileges between the white
and black counties an amendment to
the constitution providing that the poll
tax Of each county be applied to it's
own schools, instead OF paying it into
common school fund for per capita
distribution throughout the State.
This constitutional amendment has
since been adopted, and will be made
etfectual by it's insertion in the con-
stitution by the next legislature. In
addition to the poll tax, each county
is to have it's per capita distribution
from the state school fund. The ad-
vantage thus secured to the white
counties is on account OF the fact that
the poll tax is paid by a very large per
cent. of the whites and by very
small per cent. of the blacks.
The philosophy of the school law is
that education is a public necessity
and should be secured at public ex-
penSe. Hence, it follows that the
rich must help educate the poor, and
the richer counties must contribute
something to the school funds of the
schools would be practical failures in
the poorer copaties.
II. Four4years ago advocated the
passage of aflaw providing for uni
form system Of school books for the
entire State; and time and the expert
ment in other States have but deepen
ed my conviction that such law would
bea great blessing to the tax payers
and school children of the State. And
there should be such amendment to
the law as to make it impossible to
change school books as often as they
are changed under the present system.
III. 1t matters not what our per-
sonal views upon that subject may be,
SO long as we have public schools at
all, we are forced to provide schools
for the negro; and it is not within our
power to limit negro schools to the
taxes paid by the blacks. The first
section of the 14th amendment to the
constitution Of the United States pro-
vides that no state shall 'deny to any
person within it's juisdiction the equal
protection of the laws" So no law
can be enforced that discriminates
against the negro. This is the decis-
ion of the Supreme Court of Mississ-
ippi, the Supreme Court of the United
States, and OF every court in the Un-
ion that has passed upon this question.
And law that seeks to take from the
negro the school privileges given by
law to the whites would be in viola.
tiOn of this section of the 14th amend.
ment, and void: and any law which
!; requires the taxes paid by the whites
to be applied to the education OF their
children, and the taxes paid by the
negroes to be applied to the education
Of their children, would be uncO1Sti'
, tutional and void.
If it were left to my choice I would
modify the law as to negro education
but 1 have no such choice; therefore
; il I should be elected governor,
, could not favor the plain violation o
the constitution of the United States
which constitution every governor
must swear he will faithfully support
before he can entersintO Office. Un
der these conditions, it is unfortunate
, for the race issue or the question Of
negro education to be raised in thi:
canvass.
". The matters of the greatest
, importance'in the coming state cleo
, tions are the moral, educational anc
business Interests of the State. We
should have rigid enforcement o.
the Federal and State constitution
l and the laws; and we should exten(
= and improve our public schools ant
colleges as we advance in tinancia
prosperity. The executive and tht
entire state government should do al
E intheir power for the advancement O.
I agriculture, commerce, manufacture:
! and transportation: and should do al
:, in their power for any and every linz
fOf business advancement ans: interna
improvement.
V. / favor a law providing for ;
"COmmissioner of Agriculture, Man
ufactories Fisheries and Imigration;'
. making this new department. in ou
l state government.
4 VI. I am opposed to the exemp
: tion of corporations from taxation
Let the burdens of government b.
: borne by all in proportion to thei
ability to pay and in proportion tt
: the relative amount of benefit received
q Taxation shall be uniform and equa