Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-01-19
Mill Town Schools.

Mill own SchoolS.
The problem of public schools In
manufacturing centers and mill towns
demands attention and study. The
state cannot longer overlook the needs
of children in such communities and
should encourage the spirit OF self
help and public responsibility that will
bring substantial and marked results
in public education, civic growth and
community cooperation and develop
ment. l recommend that the state de-
partment of education be given such
additional help in it's forces that will
enable it to do in mill schools what has
been done so effectively in high
schools and rural Schools.
Attendance.
AS soCn as ample school facilities
shall have been provided, the welfare
of our people demands that our chill
dren shall be required to attend the
schools. The policy of the state is to
educate all the people at the expense
of all the people for the welfare of all
the people. / recommend, therefore,
the enactment of a compulsory at
tendance law with local option feature.
We must strive to bring each and ev-
cry con.lulInity to the poiIt of having
school facilities: and, wherever these
facilities are acquired to require
school attendance.
Child Labor.
| recommend, as q companion act TO
the compulsory attendance law with
local option feature, that you will
amend the law on child-labor by rails
ing the age limit from II to IA years.
Taxation and Assessment.
We all agree that change is needed
in our taxation laws. We have, in the
past, given more attention to appro-
priation than to revenue. We must
increase our revenue or decrease our
expenditures in order to stop the ever
growing deficiency. The reports OF
the departments reveal the fact that
there is now a large accumulated de-
ficiency that must be provided for. AS
SessmentS are now unequal and unjust.
Much property escapes taxation; diff
ferent classes of property are assessed
at different percentages of their value.
Increased expenditures for educational
and charitable institutions, as we'll as
increased expenses in the judicial de-
partment, necesSitate the deVislng OF
progressive and more modern meth
ods of raising revenue. | would there
fore recommend that a tax commits
sion be created to examine into this
subject and suggest bill embodying
plan of revision o. ,dr tax laws. In
order to acQuaint this commission with
existing conditions, the duties now
imposed upon the state board OF equal
ization and the state board of assess
ors, should be devolved upon 1t. Su-
perviSion of the enforcement or exist
] ing tax laws, should be given, tenn
porarily at least. to this commission,
with power to equalize the assessed
valuation of property between county
and county and between tax district
and tax district, increasing or decreas-
ing assessed valuation, as may be
found necessary. Annual appropria-
tions should be made by the legisla-
ture for state, county and school pur-
poses and the tax commission should
be authorized to impose such levy up
on the assessed valuation of property,
when ascertained by 1t, as Will raise
the amount necessary to meet the ap-
propriations made by the legislature.
The method of taxation, the levying OF
the burden so as to secure justice be-