The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-31
EXPRESSES NEED
 OF LOCAL TAXATION Willingham Presents Some
 Stratling Figures ALABAMA IS FAR BEHIND Forty-four States Ahead of This State in Percentage of Whole Revenue
 From Local Taxes Devoted
 to School Purposes
IS FAR BEHIND
BY BERRYMAN G. BETTY

B1 BEHH VIVIAN G. BETTY
 Montgomery, January 30.-(Special.) Facts and figures which have been compiled by the Alabama educational committee through Superintendent of Education Harry J. willingham show that only two states of the United States are below Alabama in the per centage of the whole revenue for pub lie school purposes derived from local taxes. Capital Is made of the condi- ton to impress upon the people of the common wealth at the present time the great need of local taxation for public schools in the interest of which the unique pamphlet has been issued.
 The percentage of the whole public school revenue In Alabama. which was derived from local taxes in the year 1s07-S was only 1895. Massachusetts led the list with percentage of e4.39, and Mississippi footed the list with a percentage of 10.s6. Forty-four states are shown to be ahead of Alabama in such taxes.
 Throughout the 20 pages of facts Alabama Is shown to be almost at the bottom of all the statistics. First it is shown that the whole amount of money raised for each person of school age in Alabama during the 1907-S session was $3.S0, as opposed to the showing of $62.S6 in Nevada which heads the list. South Carolina, next to the bottom, raised $s.2s and Mississippi. at the bottom, raised $321.
 The average daily expenditure per pupil, based on average attendance, is sh own to have been 9.3 cencs for Ala bama, Ns opposed to 46.5 cents for Ne vada, and 5.7 cents for Mississippi. In this respect the states of North Car olina, Georgia, Tennessee, South Car olina and Mississippi were below Ala bama. as
 The per cent of illiterates among the native white adult males in 1900 was 13.S for Alabama. the forty third state in the list. and 236 for New Mex ico, the forty eighth, or bottom state. Then the state of Washington is sh own to have been freer of illiteracy 10 years ago than any other state, the percent age being only .5.
 Alabama foots the list of those states in the average number of days at tendance for every child of school age, based on figures compiled in 1907-S. The average for Alabama was 40.7, as op- posed to 147.6 in the state of Wash ington. The amount of money expend- ed per capita of total population In 1907-S in Alabama was $1.26, with the states of South Carolina, $1.07, and Mississippi 9S cents, footing the list.
 
 Superintendent Willingham says in re- gard to the figures:
 My purpose in arranging these tables and in publishing this pamphlet (without any expense to the state) is to try to con- vince any one who may not already be convinced that the people of Alabama are entitled to have the privilege of sup porting their own schools through local taxation by districts and by an increased country rate.
 "The pages in the latter part of this pamphlet showing the basis of taxation for the public schools in each of the sev- eral states of the union are correct down to date of January 15, 1911. It will be seen that Alabama is in a class almost by itself in denying to the people the right of supporting local schools with To- cal money. Surely the voting privilege in Alabama is reposed in as safe hands as 1t IS In the other states. IT there are counties and districts which do not need any additional revenue for their schools they would not be required to have it. Those counties and districts which do need this relief ought to be allowed to have it.
 Let the people have the chance of saying, in the regular election in Novem- Der, 1912, whether they are willing to trust themselves with local taxing powers to ct tba af a in nd main tenance of their own public schools"