The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-02-12
FEDERAL ~! jOH
ICBLIC SCHOOLS.

II is with feelings Of the most pro-
found regret and apprehension that
We read of an effort on the part of
the national educational association,
through some Of it's henchmen, to
revive the Blair educational bill We |
very well remember the gallant fight |
to defeat the measure made by Hon. |
Nj. G. Butler, then our senior Sena-
tor. The same reason for the South's
not accepting federal aid for her
schools, urged and ably argued by
Senator Butler, are now being used
in opposition to the scheme. We de
sire to add our feeble protest, and
| emphatic threshold veto of public
opinion through the press, hoping
through this means to discourage the
So called philanthropic promoters of
the scheme snd their political nuXil-
iaries in their organized efforts to
bring about the subsidizng of public
schools in tho States by Congress.
We are indebted to the Manufact-
ure's Record for the information chat
not long since two Southern cduca-
tors, while in New York, talked ~
the idea of inducing the federal gov
ernment to bestow Il portion of its
great wealth upon the public schools
Of the Southern States. We very
mu III deplore such expressions COM
ing from Southern educator, espe-
cially president Of a Georgia Uni
yersity. That we are likely to hear
Of more discussion on this subject Of
subventions to tho public school sys-
TENS Of the States, there can be no
doubt. Once get the ball Of discus
sion in motion throughout the coun-
try, and it will culminate into action
a petition, memoralizing of Con
gress by societies Of various and
doubtful philantrophy. Tho relic.
by itself, says the Record, might be
welcome enough, but it behooyes the
States very carefully to count the
cost Of it. At present the States
+ maintain and control their schools
. Once let Congress begin to pay ths
5 bills, and it will not be long before
2 the State will find Congress in con
. troll, laying down rules and suggest
ions. When that time comes t1,1
8 decision as to what text bog Saol
: be used Gn the history ns and a
any ohe1nhglhe rnatS po pollsics4 y. c6rnril; Trrl
:, be kept out of the decision of sucl
= matters? We are more than sorrv +
say that already there are being use
in our schools histories that teac
" our children falsehoods and DESIGN
ing perversions Of facts, and such
condition would be far worse if tn
States were at the mercy of Congres
TO dictate and control the test book
ahd school systems. We are glad f.
see some of the intelligent newspa
> psrs beginning to awake to the dan
ger. The Richmond, Va, New
headerremarks: "Ths government
lar8ess would be tremendous powa
In the hands of the administrative,
ana self-seeking politicians in tb.
States"
III is absurd to suppose that tn,
national government would paw out
millions OF dollars and not exercis,
: |
any supervision over it. We can con.
ceive of no greater calamity tba,
could befall the South than to ba
come dependent on the national GOV
ernment for the means of educatipo
our children. The burdens imposeG
ana sacrifices made by the people O,
the south to establish and maintain
their public schools is one of tbe
brightest pages in her HISTORY but
now long would this spirit of self
heipfuiness survive the annual annro.
priations by the federal government
ior the support Of the public schools
we cannot here undertake to enu.
merate the many evils that would
now from such a state of affairs-wo
OF the South would soon be the vic
tims OF unjust discrimination in the
expenditure OF this fund, although IT,
Will be argued that the States will
nave the control of the disbursements
OF this fund, a mere nominal nowor
10 oisburse, for in point Of fact would
DC dictated and controlled bv tho
government TINS tho Cto4o