The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-07-20

cover 1t sooner than those who are re-
CURED to run 1t. If teachers do not Gre
ate public sentiment on school matters the
question comes not who viii. but who
can?
THE highest and most responsible office
held in Georgia Is not found in the man
who makes the law, the judge who tries
the criminal nor in the governor who
simply administers the affairs of state,
but in the man who controls the schools
<s,at make the citizen who deposits the
ballot that makes or unmakes the COM
| monwealth.
Some Suffrage Statistics
MAY I now call your attention to some
results from our present system that has
beer i. operation more than a quarter Of
a century. The census taken for 1900 re-
ports the white population for this state
to De Isl. 294. OF these there are 1Ol ,264
above 10 years of age who can neither
read nor write-over II per cent; 4907S
males and SO fS6 females. The census fur
Their reports 270,S19 white voters for the
same year, 81, 0S2 of whom could not read
the ballot they deposited. Twelve coun-
ties in the state furnished twenty voters
out of every 100 WHO did not know wheth-
er they held their ballots upside down or
right side up. every four men who de-
posted an intelligent ballot were accom-
panied by one man who could not for the
; life of him, tell for whom he voted. These
conditions present q spectacle at this late
day in our civilza ton that should arouse
to thought and action every patriotic citi-
zen of the state. Thirtytwo thousand il
literate white voters armed with the
power to snake or unmake the state. Put
along with\%hese white voters l25,6IS il
literate negiO voters and there is cause
for alarm tor the security of our institu-
lions. | shall leave to some one else to
say what shall be done with negro voters
| am discussing now the future of the
state from the standpoint of the white
man.
There seems to be inefficiency in our
system somewhere and | shall venture to
submit to you some criticisms for your
consideration.
My frs: criticism is that the general
assembly has not provided thorough
system of common schools for the edu-
cation of the children required in
the fundamental law of the state. The
system fails first. In its organization,
and second, in the lack of funds to
maintain it. Let it be distinctly under
stood that. in this criticism, l do not
intend any reflection whatever upon the
officers connected with the organizations
My criticism is not upon the officers, but
upon the system.
Faculty School System.
The first provision of the system ere
ates a board of education composed Of
the governor, attorney general, secretary
of state. the comptroller general and the
state school commissioner. This provi-
sion is made not for the efficiency Of
the system, but it is tried as an eXpe-
dent to save money rather than make
citizens. Not a single member of this
board except the commissioner was
made a state officer because of his fit
ness to become member of the state
board
submit. if the state needs a commits
sion to regulate railroads so as to Sc
cure for us reasonable rates for the
transportation of our cotton bales TO
market surely The minds and the morals
Of our children are entitled to equal
consideration and money Investment by
the state. If our children are entitled to
special commission to furnish guards
and enforce penalties and impose stripes
when they are guilty of violation of law,
surely, surely they are entitled to equal
consideration and money investment by
the state to prevent lawessness and
make them citizens worthy of the state.
Why should we have a commission to
study railroads and make rates and de-
cline to have a special commission to
study school systems and make citizens?
If education prevents crime, why should
tHtGt De Il cO1llulSSIOn TO PUNISH CAIHc
and not a commission to prevent crime
by the proper enlightenment OF the fu-
ture citizen? Without going further into
criticism of the system originally con-
Structed. it is sufficient to say it has
been amended from time to time great /
~ to the detriment of the schools, until
il has become a mass of contradictions
and unconstitutional irregularities.
The bill, As | understand it, now be-
fore the general assembly will not, in
nv demands a
case and certainly not the needs that
am now discussing. The bill, as | am
Informed. proposes a commission TO be
made of a limited number of sena tors
and representatives, to determine certain
specific phases of the school question I
am proposing a commission. to be made
permanent whose business it shall be to
study the whole question and formulate
a system adapted to our peculiar condi-
tons and remain in office after the sys-
tenn shall have BEEN enacted into law
and through the state school commits
sioner administer the system and apply