Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-02-21
FOR THE COMMON SCHOOLS
Probable Serious Friction over the One
Mill Levy.

Probable Serious Friction over the One
Mill Levy.
The fight Of the session between the
governor and the anti-administration
forces, If 1t comes at all, will II the de-
velopments Of the past few days are to
be taken as an indication, be over the
governors demand for the levy of one
mill for the common schools Of the
state.
Things went on with apparent
smoothness until Monday, when there
was substituted for the straight levy OF
one mill for the common schools, bill
providing for such q levy; but speci-
flying that the money should be appor-
toned out for the various purposes
heretofore provided for out Of the now
exhausted fund resulting from the
winding up Of the state dispensary,
including the following: the high
schools, the rural graded schools, leng-
thening school terms, erecting school
buildings, school Libraries, state board
Of teachers examiners and so on.
While the bill was under discussion
the bill that was substituted for q
straight one mill levy-the house re-
ceived from the governor the follow
ing special message:
Message No. 81.
Gentlemen Of the General Assembly:
You will remember, in my annual mes
sage, that 1 asked you for one mil:
levy for the free public schools, to be
disbursed by the state board Of educa-
tion.
1 notice this morning, on page "a,
House Journal, a bill, which l presume
Is a substitute for that recommends
tion.
In order to keep down any friction,
l beg leave to advise that I positively
will not sign that bill. 1t Is subter-
fuge on its face, giving to the high
schools and graded schools and to pub
lie libraries the money which was in
tended, at least my recommendations
so intended, should go strictly to the
needy free public schools. This bill
does not suit the free schools Of the
state; will be of very little assistance to
the country schools, and think 1t my
duty now to say to you that l will not
approve it, in order that 1t may be
changed or that you may make In the
general appropriation bill provision for
the free public schools.
You will find on page 26, same Jour-
nal, under the heading, Reasons for
Voting" substitute offered by Mr..
Mitchum, which Is in exact keeping
with my recommendation to the gener-
al assembly, and which now request
you once again to either pass, as a
separate bill or incorporate in your ap-
preparation bill.
I am trying, gentlemen, to keep down
any friction; I do not desire to make
any threat, but positively I am going
to stand by my message, and II you do
not fix this one-mill levy for the free
schools, 1t will take two-thirds vote OF
each of your two houses to put through
the appropriations which you have
made for your state colleges.
We are not children, gentlemen; we
are men, and there is no use for dilly-
dallying between u.s. I believe that my
friends in the house and senate will
stand by me in this fight, and am here
to make 1t, and I propose to make 1t
for the little children in the country
schools, who are being so wilfully and
woefully neglected in behalf Of the
higher institutions Of learning. where
only favored few receive the bene-
fits.
hope you understand my position. l
have endeavored to make 1t plain, and
can do no more.
Very respectfully,
Cole L. Blease Governor.
Columbia, s. c., February Is, 1913.