The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1910-12-22


prospects Tor success Of car children.
and also means 50 much for the fa-
ture Of our Stale and country and the
stability Of our institutions.
While the people should them
selves have complete control OF all of
their local affairs. without the per
mission OF any king or political boss
or ring. yet II Is more important that
the fathers and mothers Of the State
should be able TO direct the use OF
this public school fund than TO exer-
else any other right of local seif-gov-
eminent. IL the Democratic machine
In North Carolina must have its thirst
for more power and Office, gratified by
robbing the people OF some measure
OF local self government. then I say,
in Heavens name. let's turn over to
them the appointment of the sheriff
OF your county. let the machine ap-
point the clerk and your register OF
deeds, or indeed. II necessary. let
them appoint every county officer, IL
they will only yield to the people
the fathers and mothers of the State
the right TO select the men TO man
age this great public school fund. that
means everything to the poor boys
and girls of the State.
To-day, you are denied that right
| The Democratic State machine, In
its thirst for power, has put its greed
dy, polluted fingers upon this great
| sacred trust fund. They appoint the
officers who shall handle this money
| which shall control the destinies of
our children. This is wrong in prin-
| ciple, even IL the school fund was
| wisely handled by such machine ap-
pointees. But let us see what has
been the result of such machine man
agement.
Party Records on Public Schools
Contrasted.
| when the fusion Legislature was
elected in 1894, what did we find?
We found that the Democratic ma
chine which has never at heart been
truly friendly to public education,
had, during the ten years preceding,
increased the taxes for public schools
at least so per cent, and it was also
| found that during those ten years
the Democratic party had so manged
the public school system that every
dollar of this increased so per cent
taxation had been eaten up in salaries
and other expenses, and that at the
end of the ten years the public
school term was two days shorter
than it was ten years before.
THAT fusion Legislature, which
was made up of men who had always
been the true friends of public ed
ucation, set to work to remedy the
defects and to reform and re-adjust
the whole public school system. That
Legislature devised the best law and
the best system for the public schools
that the State has ever seen. 1t not
only reduced expenses, but re-organ.
lied the system SO as to make it eco.
nomical and effective, including the
esta bliShment of the great township
school system, and coupled with il
the provision for special tax schoo
districts. That one act did more fol
public education in North Caroline
than any act of any, or all, Democrat
ic legislatures before.
What was the result? The very
next year the length of the terms O.
public schools in North Carolina wa!
increased two and one-half weeks
without an additional dollar of taxa
ton, but with exactly the sam,
amount of money.
when the Democratic machine
again got in power. they started il
blindly to repeal the law and teal
down the whole fabric built up BY
the fusion Legislature. The leading
educators of the State rushed to Raj
eigh and warned the Democratic ma
chine bosses that if they repealed the
law it would kill the Democratic
party in North Carolina. This fright
ened the Democratic bosses SO tina
they paused, but their greed fol
power was such that while they dit
not dare to abolish the township sys
tenn and other great features of tn,
law, yet they did rob the people o
the right to elect their school ofici
ais and control the destinies of thei
children.
To-day, the Democratic party is us
ing the public school system as g
. political football and as a part o.
their political machinery. Today the
children of the State are suffering al
! result of such a partisan machine
management. Today the Democratic
party is spending three times as much
money for expenses as was spent un.
der this school system devised by
the fusion Legislature. Today but
little more than half Of this great
public school fund ever gets to the
children of the State It is dissipated
in salaries and expenses.
Free Text Books.
1.-THE Republican platform not only
declares for restoring to the people
the right to manage the great COM