The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1912-07-11
MIR CAMLIN ON TAXES.
How They Should be Distributed
Among Schools.

she County Record as to cutting the
money in twain that is allowed
Clemson college and some of the
other higher institutions of learning
in our State. Clemson is using
enough money, if it were evenly d.
yded with our rural schools, to add
quite a nice little sum to the poor
farmers boys and girls. This money
is paid in to Clemson by some poor
farmers, but as to their boys going
to Clemson it is an utter impossible
ity, for Clemson will charge the poor
farmer boy more cash money, dare
say nearly double, what he can send
his son to a UNCONVENTIONAL college
for. Now in the face of this, I'VE have
quite a number of our people that
are not able to send their children
to college at all, but would be glad
to have them attend a good rural
school at home, because those chill
dren, while going to school can help
their parents at home.
If half of the large appropriations
that are made annually to those
State colleges and the guano tax
that goes to Clemson were evenly
divided with our common schools, in
less than five years you would not
find child fifteen years old that
could not write his or her name. No
real poor mans child can or ever
will attend one of those State COL
leges, yet we are all called upon to
pay taxes for this education of the
rich and well-to-do children. 1would
like to know when one. poor or or
phan child ever entered one of those
colleges. If he or she ever learns to
read and write it is in the old field
school with a dirt chimney and
sometimes a dirt floor. The first
school the writer attended was seal
ed between the logs with dirt and
we sat on logs hewed fiat for seats
and benches,a and some of our smart
est men got their education in
some of those humble school huts.
don't want to be put down as
opposing higher institutions of learn
ing in our State, but | am opposed
to having our common schools Grip
pied and our poor children raised in
utter ignorance to uphold colleges
and educate only the children whose
parents are fully able to educate
them independent of the State or its
aid. This l call making the poor
people pay for what they can't af-
ford. Every farmer in South Caro-
lima is paying taxes to Clemson col
lege. Can one-fourth of those farm
ers afford to send their sons there?
No, because they can send them to a
Sanominational college for less.
Why, then, should the farmers mo-
ney be given to this school? Old Mr.
Clemson donated money to start this
college and why can't it be self-sup-
porting, just as all other independent
colleges are? l favor cutting out
the guano tax, giving Clemson a
small appropriation and distributing
the fertilizer tax all over the State
to the common schools, also making
them liberal State appropriation.
Then we shall all get our equal
share of the guano tax.
Give 20% of the guano tax with
liberal appropriation from the State
to the worthy Confederate soldiers
and widows of South Carolina. Make
the same sufficient to give every
worthy old soldier or widow at least
$50 to S100 per year, according to
his or her condition. The writer has
no kindred whatever who is drawing
pension, but l do think that our
coming Legislature should do some
thing for our worthy old soldiers.
We should take care of our old and
oo~a oe orI