The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-03-12

49, member that copy for a
change of a6. MUST be IN
this Office by Saturday Noon IN order tc
insure publication the following week
THE ONE MILL FOR SCHOOL PURPOSES
Since the Act providing an
addition levy of one mill for the
rural free schools there has been
considerable comment, many not
understanding what the original
Intention was to have the one
mill levy; in order to understand
it we might say there are mum,
Der of counties in this State
which cannot raise enough funds
to conduct their rural schools
more than three or four months
in the year, and many more
which are unable to run more
than FIVE months, therefore the
purpose was to help such coun-
ties. There are a number OF
counties which have a sufficient
property because of manufacur-
ing industries and railroads, a
d:spensary and other means OF
raising money to put. into their
treasures more than enough
money than is needed for school
purposes, and in order to get
help from such counties to help
the weak ones the one mill levy
was asked for. not only by the
Governor but by the State Sup
erintendent of Education, and
the several county superinten-
dents of the State. A Bill was
introduced but on investigation
it was thought that for the pres
ent, it would be well to allow
from this one mill levy the
amounts already provided for by
the Acts OF 1910, II, - and the
rest to go into the treasury to
be discussed by the counties IN
such schools as are in need Tor
school houses, the extending OF
the school term, and to aid the
high schools in rural towns
where the population does not
exceed $500 The bill passed
the House as the Mitchell Bill
o.: n the Senate it was amend
sd II such e manner that the
oa:pose for which it was orlgl-
nai::v intended was robbed of its
effect, and instead of the weak
counties getting any aid as was
contemplated. the, only aid they
can get is from the tax levied
upon them by the one mill, not
one cent do they get from. the
strong counties. As it is, so per
cent Of the levy collected in a
county remains in the county,
and the other so per cent goes
towards paying what it can to
meet the provisions of the Acts
of 1910, IL, II. Therefore it
will be seen how the Governor
and the State Superintendent
are disappointed by the action
of the legislature, and why 1t
was that His Excellencv would
not approve the Act. The veto
message was read and when it
came to say whether or not it
should be passed over his veto
several Senators admitted they
were not getting VIII t was Want
ed and some acknowledged they
had made mistake. bat mas
much as the appropriation Bill
had already passed they were
afraid to sustain the Governor
because it might have the effect
of making the provisions of the
Acts 1910, II, y, Ineffective, and
there would be nolhing avai'a
BILE this year for the high schools
ETC., therefore under the circum-
stances they would vote the Act
over the veto, Notwithstanding
they agree with him that the
Act does not do what they had
hoped, or give the relief from
the rich counties so sadly needed.
The following is the Gov
ernor's message:
MESSAGE NO. 81.
The State of South Carolina, Ex-
ecutive Department.
Gentlemen of the House of Rep
resentatives:
I return to you herewith, with
out my signature, Act No. 237
{H. B. 233, S. 5o4) "To levy and
collect a one. mill State tax for
the free public schools and pro-
vide for the distribution of the
same -
Gentlemen, L nave seen a great
many abortions in legislation,
but this is the worse of them all
this is the chief all the sinners
yet born. Section l is beautiful.
but it is a deceiver Of deceivers:
and, after we pass it, God save
the mark and the name of the
title.
In the first place, any county.
yea, even any school district,
can now vote itself a special
school levy, without the consent
Of your highnesses and that of
your lord chiefs at the other end
of the capitol. Therefore, the
half of the one mill levy for the
county board fund is of absolute
~ no consequence and of no ser