The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-02
CONGRESSMAN BOWIE ON
 ALABAMA LEGISLATION

taught in every neighborhood free of tuition nine months in the year. A five or six-months free school is a good thing, but nine-months free school will abolish illiteracy. and that is the goal to which every believer in public education as- pires.
 The imposition of a tax of one mill on every dollar of property in the state will not be a burden upon any citizen. The tax rate for general purposes was re- duced one mill, but the constitution pro- vides that the people themselves of any particular county could re-impose thIs tax by a three-ffths vote at an election held for the purpose. in which case the amount derived therefrom should go ex- clusively to the support of the public schools of the county where levied. The laying of the tax in any county would not operate to increase the present taxes by a single cent; but 't would add a very substantial increase to the school fund, and schools which are now con- ducted free of tuition five months in the year could be made free of any charges whatever for six or seven months in the year, and a great beauty of the system would be that the people who paid the tax would get it's benefit.
 In nearly all the towns and cities of the state we have already nine months school free or practically free of tuition. Until recently three months free schools were all that could be taught in the coun- try. Now the limit has been raised to four or five months, but all who are &C., quainted with the situation know that it Is frequently impossible to put the law requiring a five-months free school in full effect in many localities of the state. As an almost inevitable result the incen- tive for ambitious young men and women to adopt teaching as life profession has been very slight. Most of them. especially those who go into the country, take it up merely as temporary affair. It is inn possible to attain the best results under such circumstances, either from teacher or pupil
 Much progress undoubtedly has been made in recent years, but the present situation is far from being ideal or sat isfactory.
 One of the main reasons for the exodus of many of the best people in the country to the towns of the state. is this lack of proper educational facilities. Poll the men who have moved frorl their farms to the towns and cities of the state and a majority of them will say that they wanted better school advantages for their children.
 This is an unhealthy sign of the times and is not as it should be.
 Tho y,oef 1aorrorf,11 corractiua of fhie tendency will be to bring the schools of an advanced type taught by teachers who expect to follow it as a profession and who have, therefore, properly equip ped themselves, into the country neigh borhoods and make them free as the town schools in most instances are al- ready
 This one mill tax may not accomplish everything, but undoubtedly it will ac- complish much.
 When the law is passed a movement should be inaugurated to hold elections under it in every county of the state. It cannot take effect unless 1t receives a three-fifth vote of the qualified elec- tors participating in the election, and-is.. the people impose it upon themselves, who has a right to complain?
 Of course there may be counties in thls state where such a tax may be un- necessary or where local conditions may make it undesirable, but I cannot but believe that in a large majority of the counties if the people are given an op- portunity, it will be levied and cheer fully paid.
 No other subject, 1t seems to me- more yitally affects the welfare of the state.
 SYDNEY J. BOWIE.