The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-21
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and now we hpve the right Of franchise.
/ have never been a suffragist. but no
difference how we have ever felt On
this question. Il upw becomes q priyt-
leEA and a civic duty.
1T Is no longer q question for argu-
ment, hui II is our responsibilities. We
each have a %nerEOHai civic duty this
fall IN our uunirlpal election. This vot-
ing r. al individual matter, and ! can
r. tell YOU how 10 vote, nor can you
tell me. but We ca reason these things
out together and inform ourselves and
after making a conscientious study Of
the situation. use best judgment
and vote accordingly.
We have long heard OF machine poll
tics n corrupt politicians, but we have
these conditions because the best class
Of people stay away from the polls and
let the politicians have II all their own
way.
"Wa were surprised tn learn that dur
ing the draft registration so very few
Of our young men who had attained
their majority had ever voted or shown
any interest whatever in civic and mu-
niclpal affairs.
"Now, I do not believe we, rs women.
want TO take II all away from the men,
for we b~e'tevesin the men. but we are
willing ard want to share the respon-
sibility with them, Personally, | believe
in a 5000 proposition with the men,
for the Lord made us 5000. We might
not be able to do these great tasks any
better than they. but ! bellows that
with our united wisdom and judgment
we will see a better day,
II want to give you some few facts
from our recent government survey Of
the schools Of Memphis. As a rule,
people think a survey is a theory, but
this Is a mistaken idea, for a survey
is based OF plans which have been sue
cessfullv tried out ard the conclusions
are arrived az hy comparison. So when
the bureau Of education, at Washington,
sent US Is experts in each particular
line Of investigation. we had the bene-
fit OF the best knowledge Of educational
conditions In the United States and we
have been given the unbiased facts re-
Earding our own local condition. DR..
CLAYTON, commissioner Of education, will
send 10 Memphis 1900 printed copies
Of. this report for free distribution and
| hope they will be read most search
irgly by the thoughtful people Of this
city.
The first chapter gives a most in
teresting history Of Memphis and goes
back to the early days and speaks OF
the hardships and of the terrible yell
low fever scourges and the struggle of
tho people.
1t tells Of the d~auntless courage OF
the people Of the Bluff City In over
coming these discouragements and
handlcaps and how they have built a
magnificent city civiclv and industrially,
ana OF how We have forged ahead and
progressed In every way but educa-
tionally.
'7rhat our educational progress has
been sadly neglected is clearly shown
by this survey. They make all their
statements In comparison with what 119
leading cities Of our country have done
for education. One outstanding fact
that impressed me very much was that
Memphis has given to education from
the city's revenue 20 per cent less for
her schools than these other 1l9 cities
have done. And when you think that
for years and wears the school system
Of a rapidly growing city like Memphis
had only "a cents on the hundred dol
lars and 10 cents of that went for In
terest, which left, as you can see, only
IL cents TO run the schools, Now, Is
1t any wonder that we are in the de-