The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-03-26

receive attention.
40 Communication OF personal character
viii be published except rs an adVertSemeHt.
Entered az the Postotace at Manning as Sec
oEd Glass matter.
THE FREE SCHOOL PROBLEM.
One of the most serious sub
iects at this time, is the matter
of funds for the rural public
schools, most of the large cities,
and the counties that have dis
pensaries, are well provided with
the necessary money to- their
schools the full term, but ~ the
other counties the situation is
different. At the last session OF
the legislature an Act was passed
that we have already commented
on, but the more it is looked
into the more confusing does 1t
become, and unless something
is done by those s'higher up"
We fear. very much there will be
a closing up of the rural schools
for this year. The trouble has
come about by the effort to Sc,
cure the passage of the one mill
tax levy solely for the aid OF the
weak rural schools. Governor
Blease did all in his power to
have such a measure enacted
into law, he even sent special
messages to the general assem-
bly, pleading with the members
to give the people this aid, so
the country schools can have
the means to run a decent length
OF time, but they would not, and
now we are up against 9, per-
picking proposition.
An Act was passed authorizing
the Governor, State Treasurer
and the Comptroller General to
borrow $3.50, 900 in anticipation
OF the tax collection, the Cover
nor, while this act was pending
asked the general assembly not
30 place him on this commission
with the Comptroller General
and the Treasurer, that if they
did so he would refuse to serve.
the assembly disregarded his
wishes and put him on the COM
mission any way. If the Cover
nor insists upon his position not
to Join with these officers in Dor.
rowing. money wa fear the school
tern will be shortened, and we
therefore hope that Governor
Biease viii recede from that
position. There is nc doubt that
GoTernor Blease has right to
feel disappointed ssto the outcome
Of the one mill tax legislation. it
is not what he or the heads of
the free school system asked for,
nor is it giving the weak counties
aid, it merely forces the people
to pay an additional tax of one
mill to increase their local fund,
but NE take the view, it is far
better for the general good to
swallow the wrong perpetrated,
and make the best of bad stu
lion, than it is to cause the
school term to be shortened,
even though the responsibility
is upon those who are politically
opposed to the governor.
How things were manipulated
at the last end of the session,
and the reason prompting it must
not be considered now, we are
facing a condi ition, and it is up tc
the governor to render such aid
as he can to get the schools out
of the dilemma they are in, with,
out looking back to lay the blame
upon those responsible for the
present situation. The schools
should not be made to suffer be
cause a few "cheap politicians
did not want the governor to gel
credit for helping them, nor be
cause of a desire to prevent bis
getting credit, neither because
some resorted to "cheap poll
tics, and perpetrated a wrong
upon the weak schols Of thi:
State, thereby doing an injury
!. to the country children who art
< striving to get an education
5 Now is the time for Governor
/ Blease to step forward to con
fuse his opponents and NANTES
a statemantship to relieve thi:
condition, saving the children
! from being deprived Of thel.
schools. This is no tune to say
.I warned tie general assembly
against this condition" It mat
tiers not so far as results .coun
who is to blame. Relief, and no
accusation is needed. At tht
proper time the people viii
know who brought on this stat
of affairs, and they will deal will
those responsible accordingly
we must now find way out o
the confusion.
The enrolment for the Stat
is. 331, ,587, white and colored
and for the county white an'
colored, it is 6,621, the total col
lection is S844, ,228. .034, whic]
give S2.54 per capita. Had no
the tinkers manipulated the Ac
recommended by the governo
and the school superintendents