The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-20
LET IT BE KILLED.

The proposition is again being discussed to get the general government to go into the educational business. In other words 1t is proposed that Congress "should vote money out of the federal treasury, year by year for the schooling of the boys and girls in the States of the South" We agree thoroughly with The Hartford Cou- rant when 1t says: ..a. What is needed in 1904, as it seems to us. Is instant, vigilant uncompromising resistance to any and all new schemes of the sort, no matter from what quarter their promoters. Dreadful mischief has been done before now in this very com plex world by excellent men, actuated by admirable motives, but not seeing and understanding what they were really about.
 And the same paper has this:
 The sacrifices which the States of the South have cheerfully imposed on them selves to establish and maintain their public schools make one of the brightest, most honorable chapters in their history. How long would that Self-helpful spirit survive annual rains of federal gold upon the public schools?
 No worse misfortune could Overtake our section than to become dependent on the government for the means of educating our children. To say nothing of the un- just favoritism of expending public money only for one section of the country, such an appropriation would be wholly ener- vating and hurtful in it's influence and effects. It would reduce the South to a condition of dependence which no true fv4s.v.A nF hfo sBy degree Of satisfaction. There was d time when the States of the South were wholly unable to educate their children That time has passed. and. tkouxh we may not now do all that we could wish, 1t is certainly fact that there need be no more illiterates fin this section
 And there is another feature connected with this prOpositi7n which should not be overlooked. True. as it $ now bsins dis cussed. the originators of the plan pro- pose that the government shall do the paying and the several States do the con- trolling, but how long would that last? Does any one suppose that the national government would pay out millions and millions of dollars annually and not have any supervision over 1t? The idea is ab- surd on the face of it. It simply means that the government shall hand over i'm mense sums of money and let the States use it in their own way. That is not the governments method of doing business. It is not going to constitute itself the nursing mother of the Southern people and they are not mendicants to ask or receive it.
 And 1t seems singular to us that learned men like some of those who are reputed to be behind this movement cannot see that such use of the public money would be partial. unjust and unconstitutional. Congress has no more right to give money to educate the children of any State than it has to provide them with clothing or food-no more right. in fact, than 1t has to supply the farmer or mechanic with tools. The proposition is paternallsm run mad and it loses none of its objectionable features merely because it is for educa- tional purposes. Honor and independence and self-respect are of more value than to be thus sold for public money. The project should die in its infancy. as should all other efforts to interfere with the ex. elusive affairs of State.