The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1908-12-10
THE EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN


yeloped into a real Cyclone" and the
reports resolved from over on hun
DIRE. counties in the State, give ev-
cry indica, ion that It viii DC exceed
iugiy destructive to llliteracy and 10
/ ignorance. The interest aud onthu-
siasm throughout the State has sur
passed all expectations and the camp
align bids fair to surpass any of the
campaigns recently held in any of the
Southern states A statement sent
out by Stat Supt Crabbe on the
campaign Gays:
THE real problem before the peo-
pie of Kentucky is an Improvement
OF our citizenship. This can only be
done through better schools and more
churches.
I'VE have taken relatively too much
interest in matters Of national con-
Germ, such as the tariff. trusts, etc.
and too little interest in matters Cf
home concern, such as good schools,
good roads and the enforcement OF
our laws which really are of vital con-
Germ and toaoh every citizen alike.
The purpose is to get before the
public some realization of the de-
pluoble condition Of our common
schools in Kentucky and Of our il
llteracy and some understanding Of
the purpose ard scope of the laws
passed by the last General Assembly,
and also the fact shat any defects in
these laws proven by experience will
be remedied.'
The mos. important questions be-
fore the people OF Kentucky today are
the enforcement Of the laws. the bet
terment Of the schools. the improve
ment of tho roads and the change in
our system Of taxation. These Ques-
tlons are of much more immediate
concern TO the citizens Of Kentucky
than any questions relating 10 the
tariff. to the national banking laws
or the trusts.
Kentucky can live under any tariff
under which any other State can
prosper: Kentucky can conduct her
business with any barking system IN
der which any other State can con-
duct its business; Kentuckians can
exis. and make r livelihood under any
system o. trusts or aggregation q
capital, no matter how much they
may rob under the domination tf
which the citizens Of other States can
earn a living. But Kentucky must
enforce its own laws, improve It's own
school system. build its own roads,
create its own tex laws, and they are
the questions which are the most vital
to Kentuckys prosperity and growth
Public e1ucation has become an
immense business problem In every
community and in every Common
wealth More money is paid out TO
support oar public school system than
Is necessary for the maintenance of
the State Government in all it's other
including the salaries of
judges and OF State officers; proseeu-
ton Of criminals and the supporting
of the unfortunates confined in our
peral and charitable institutions.
The ad yelorem tax for State pur-
poses in Kentucky is soc on every
500 of taxable property, and more
than one-half of this is expended
yearly for the support of the COM
mon school system and educational
Institutions. We are now expanding
annually the large sum of nearly 49,.
600, 900 in Kentucky for this purpose
alone. Kentucky. as a State. stands
near the head OF the list in the per
capita paid out of the State Treasury
for the education of her children,
but in actual returns for this large
OF money she stands
near the bottom.
The federal census shows land there
IS no reason 20 doubt its accuracy .
that of the 50 States aud Territories
now constituting the American I'm
ion. on the basis of the number Of
white voters of native white
parentage, Kentucky is 40, leaving
the white of North Carolina. Louis
lana and New Mexico alone lower
in the scale OF education than the
white people of Kentucky.
There are more white native IL
in Kentucky in proportion TO 7
population than any of the Southern
States, except those mentioned. not
outstanding the fact mat most of
them lost more in life and property. |
proportionately, in the Civil War than
Kentucky and in addition. millions of .
dollsrs of debts were saddled upon
theri during the reconstruction period
and which debts in the main still re-
main unpaid. while Kentucky is out #
dent