The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1906-04-26

8a rgK LIZ
less TO remedy this inequality That
is true only In part. BY cutting the
common school appropriation to 81,
600, 900 and leaving the counties that
wished to maintain schools more than
four months to collect the necessary
tax at home, the state treasury would
have been relieved to the extent OF one
million dollars during the four years.
term of the present legislature, and
without in any way crippling the
schools. It is true. the counties that
now contribute nothing to the state
would be compelled to assist in main
tanning their own schools, or be con.
tent with four months. The other
counties would save the excess now
paid to those counties.
For the increase of $500 inaug-
urated by the present legislature the
counties of Jones, Lamar, Perry and
all others of the south Mississippi
named. pay from one and a half to two
dollars to the state for each dollar
they get back for schools. To raise
the same amount, and maintain
schools for given time, it is de-
cidedly to the interest of 43 out of 76
counties to make the state appropria.
tion as small as possible and leave
the remainder to the counties.
When state bonds are issued the
first $130, 600 must 60 to make up four
years deficit from counties that con-
tribute nothing to support the state
government and as matters now stand
will contribute nothing towards the
payment of principal and interest on
such bonds.
Opposing the present method OF
raising and disbursing the school fund
must not be construed as opposition to
extending aid to the weaker counties.
AS the constitution now reads it is con-
Trajectory and impossible to execute.
A sufficient amount to maintain
schools four months and no more,
must be taken from the state treasury.
1t must then he distributed among the
coanties and districts according to the
educable children in each. In this
apportionmentH some counties get
enough to run seven months while
others barely get enough for three
months. The superintendent's report
for 1905 shows that without any ad-
ditional tax, schools were maintained
as follows: Adams and Claiborne
eight months each; Lowndes, Noxubee
and Wilkinson, seven months each !.
Coahoma and Monroe six and half
months each. Benton. Chickasaw.
DeSoto Issquena, Madison. Marshall,
Tate, Tippah aud Union SIX months
each. Only thrs of these counties
have white majoritles and their fund
is suppl mented by the Chickasaw
school fund
While the above named counties and
many othfrs, receive from the state
sufficient funds for q term of from
five to eight months, some others do
not get enough for four months La
mar had 80 days school during the
year. The county received from the
state $3,514, and collected by a county
levy $5, ,701 The state distribution
with the polls only ran the schools
two months. Pearl River Jared as
badly. Received from the state So. :
403, and collected at home $5, 867.
Perry received from the state $7.211
and collected at home 80, 1870. With
this heavy county tax, school could
only be maintained in Perry 10 days
-18 days less than Monroe with no
county tax.
To make the appropriation large
enough to have the distributive share
of Lamar, Pearl River and Perry
maintain their schools four months,
would require over $4,000, 900. Is it
not time to call a halt? Why
penalize these counties for the absence
of plcaninnies to grab the school
fund.
The increase from 81, 900. 900 to ST., !.
$50, 900 for schools, requires one mill
tax on all assessed property. Under
one mill tax collected and distributed
few counties fare as follows:
Greene ST., $40 1900
Lamar $3.50 75O
Marion 2,131 1900
Jones s5,085 3,4S7
Perry 6,511 2,14o
We have the disease, what is the
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