The Van Buren press., 1904-10-08
The school Taxes.
From the Ratesvnle Nuara.


faxes between the whites and
blacks, according to the amount
paid 10y each race. 1t were well
if Arkansas might escape the hurt
ful agitation that Gov, Nardeman
has precipitated in Mississippi on
this subject, for no good result
can possibly come Of it. So good
q lawyer as Chancellor Wallace of
RusSellville holds that such Il diyi
sion of the school taxes cannot be
made under the constitution Of the
8 ate, and Mr.. John Fletcher, a
leading attorney Of Little Rock,
not only agrees with this opinion,
in an able article recently con-
tainiug contributed to the Arkan-
sas Gazette, but further declares
such a division would he in con.
Aict with the amendment to the
constitution of the United States,
As perfect equality between Cjti-
ZeRs, "withOut regard to race,
color or previous condition Of
seryitnde," in the collection and
disbursement Of taxes as in every,
thing else, is one of the very basic
principles of the organic law, the
proposed division of the school
taxes according to race and color
is confronted with an insurmOunt-
able obstacle at the very begin
ming af its agitation. The obstacle
is insurmOuntable because the
favorable action of two.thirds of
the states is required TO amend
The Federal constitution, and, with
only two or three Southern states
interested in this subject, it is
absurd to suppose that favorable
action can be had on "a PROPOSE.
ton to injecta recognized djstinc.
ton between citizens, on the line
of race aud color, into the Federal
constitution.
This opinion, SO far as We can
learn, is generally accepted as
correct by the best lawyers in the
country, and it is not disputed by
any having recognized standing
at the bar, Snch a summary dis.
position Of the matter is not to be
regretted, for, aside from its Illegal.
ty, il is without the support Of
either necessity or good policy,
The Arkansas Democrat, which,
much to general surprise and re-
gret, is disposed to favor segrcga.
iion, suggests that the effect of
negro schools is TO deprive white
children of school privileges. This
cannot be true, The whites, as n
general thing are making good
pses Of their school privileges ;
but they are not by any mcaUs us
ing them to tue limit Scarcely
more than hallthe school districts
in the state vote the full hyemIls
tax, and in every community there
are families whose children do not
attend regularly even though the
terms Of school be short and In.
frequent 70 Such an extent is
this true that the teachers are
largely supporting a movement
for compulsory school law, to
require the attendance Of children
during at least u reasonable part
Of the term, Here is Mdcpcu.
drnce county, which is ut least
quite up to the average in cducu.
tion0l affairs, we have n school
population Of $40, aud an enroll
menl Of bat jjOO| while the aver.
age attendance is much less than
that Scarcely half the children
of the county attend school wgu,
lnrlN, even when they may And
they might attend regularly with
out either increasing the rate OF
taxation, or dcprJyiug the negroes
Oi the small amount that goes Ia
the support Of their schools,
Segregation is IN direct cOullOct
with the very principle upon which
the public school system Is based
The only Justification that The
slnic can offer for taxing one m
for the eduraiuu Of molhcI'S
children ls that It promotes intel
ligcuor, rIrNlcs and improve,
rltllcushipWd contributes Dhru
universal education to the public
good IN cNrN puNs0blp way And
ps every mu pays the mN, MOI
according to his race or rOlW.
bat according 20 the NHlup Of h0s
property, ~ ought some general
prnclplr apply To all alike IN the
expenditure OF lhp WN, off
negro wants TO odumJp himself
rAclnmE hu udyowDo Of rrgrcsu
iiou, "lel him do 30 bl thp eVuuD
uf bis own Wrc,' 'iHpu, If the
white man wants 10 educate him
self or his children, why sbould
he nol uIsu d0 80 "bv The Hwmi ol
bis own mep' instead of with Dbo
taxes Of his ucighbor' or course
lhepublIc school system the Pride
pud dependence OF NIL cvlilcd
pntious, would s0ou dleuppuaru. Il
ednealiop lus,tod Of being, bs