The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1905-01-12

is safe to say, therefore, that the out
standing bonds may be settled at much
less than their face value. 1t ought t.
be an easy matter to settle at a reason
able rate the outstanding bonds.
| EDUCATION.
1 commend to the earnest consider
alton of your honorable body the re-
! port of the Superintendent of Publ
instruction and recommend the adopt
ion OF the suggestion contained there
in. This State is extremely fortunate
In having as Superintendent Of Public
instruction q broad-minded, cultured
and able man, who is pushing her edu-
cational Interests forward at a pace
which commands the admiration OF
our sister State. He has given much
study to the subject upon which his re-
port is based and l can not do better
than to declare that [ concur in his
reasoning and his conclusions. /
greatly depreciate any attempt to
raise the race issue on the question OF
education. There is absolutely no
justification for stirring up the people
on this subject The small sum which
the white people are contributing to
the support of the negro schools cannot
for one moment justify the continued
agitation of the question OF dividing
the school fund according to the sum
paid by each race. Having Invested
the negro OF power it Is manifestly our
duty to make of him tho best citizeD
of which he is capable and this we can
certainly never do by leaving him to
his own devices, nor by Withdrawing
from him the small amount OF taxes
which we devote to his education.
There are three courses open with ref
srence to the negro. The first is to
let him go without any training and
Inevitably drop back into savagery.
When we make up our minds to do
this the aecond plan will at once be
put into effect and that Is for philan-
,hroplc people throughout the world
to take charge of his education and
train him up out Of harmony and in
enmity to the people among whom he
lives. The third plan Is for us to train
him ourselyes-making him more ca
pable, more efficient, more reliable, and
with deeper affection for rs. The
last plan it seems to me commends it.
self both to our eelishness and our
generosity. But apart from our sense
of obligation to this weaker race, am
impressed with the necessity OF ceasing
all agitation which leads to the en-
bltterme nt and estrangement OF the ne
gro, Tor the reason that..as this estrange-
ment and this enlightenment increaeo
large numbers of them Will go out
from among as. The greatest need Of
North Carolina to-day is more labor
1t seems to me the height of FOLLY to
continue to bring abou: conditions
which lessen the amount of labor in
the State. On the contrary every en-
couragement should be given by fair
treatment--even by generous consider
alton, to stop the emigration of this
important part OF our labor. It is USE
less for us to pass laws taxing emigrant
agents, it We deny to the negro the
privilege OF giving to his child a de-
cent public schoo! education.
Provision ought to be made for the
payment o! the expen es of the Super
intendent Of Putl:c Instruction. It Is
absolutely necessary in the perform
ance of his duties for him to travel
throughout the State; indeed, he
ought to visit other States OF the Union
aud learn their methods, views and
plans. To do so will necess!ta tate the
expenditure OF from $500 to $3.50 in
the payment OF railroad fare. Hereto
fore the railroads under a statute per-
hitting it,bave been.granting to the Su-
perlntepdent of Public Instruction
passes over their lines, but for the pact
year or 50 they have refused to do this.
Unless the Legislature is going to re-
quire them to furnish the passes, pro-
VISION certainly ought to he made to
defray these absolutely necessary ex-
penses oil. the superintendent. A State
which so much needs education can
not afford to stint Its Superintendent in
the necessary expenditure of money In
the performance OF the duties OF his
Office in his better equipment Of
that office.
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.
The University of North Carolina
shows gratifying progress and is de-
ing good and thorough work Tor the
higher education OF the youth of the
State. The number of students has
steadily grown and now is about 50
per cent. greater than 1t was four years
ago. The faculty has been enlarged
until it is yearly twice rs numerous as
1T waa at thu Iaoinning of nv aCml MIS-