Pocahontas star herald., 1923-11-16
GOVERNOR MAY CALL
ANOTHER SESSION.

| teacnerS ana others Interested in edu-
cation, Governor r. c. McRae mdicat-
ed that an Honorary Commission re-
presenting the different interests of
the entire state will be appointed to
study education along the lines of re-
venue and maintenance. The Cover
nor's idea is to abolish property taxa
tion, and to substitute therefor privi-
lege and property taxation. He thinks
the intangible wealth of the state
would meet the requirements. not only
for the schools of the state, but for the
entire state government. He thinks
also that the millage taxation of prop
erty for state purposes could be abol-
ished, If the people and the legislature
so desire.
The text of the Governors address
follows:
I'm this state we are face to face
with an educational crisis. To save
the situation we must act promptly and
courageously. No delay can be jus
tilted. That education is for the com
mon good, and should be furnished at
public expense, it is no longer debata-
Bile. That the best tes. Of the progress
and civilization Of the state Is the
amount of money spent for education,
is shown 10y the history of other states.
Few sta.es If any, spend less than Ar
kansas. This is not the fault OF the
constitution. as is often asserted. That
venerable and valuable document de-
clares that The state shall ever main
tain general. suitable aud efficient
system of free schools and that THE
General Assembly shall provide, 10y
general laws, for the support of com
mon schools" That this has not been
done is the fault of the General Assem-
bly, and the people. Nearly one-half
century has passed since the adoption
of the constitution in which are found
the words quoted, and yet but little
over half of our children are i'm daily
attendance. and the average school
term is only 81 days.
MANY of our schools would now be
closed but for voluntary contribution.
Never before in the history of our state
have the people been so eager for and
interested I'm education as now. Never
before was there such a demand for
trained. experienced and stable teach
ers. We should, as quickly as possible.
remove the handicap of short terms,
poor attendance and ill-adapted courses
of study i'm the country districts. We
should swing the school door open to
all Of our children alike, and save
them from the curse OF illiteracy. Save
all-waste none
How are we to get the necessary a.
nances? Can II he done under our ex-
listing property tax method? After long
experience and careful study Of the sit
uatiOn. | must emphatically answer
that 1t Is impossible, and besides. If
possible. unjust. We can never finance
big adequate educational program
without supplementing the property
tax or substituting other taxes for 1t.
The state must realize that the money
she has spent and is going to spend for
education is an investment that will
yield big dividends. She should, with
out delay, quadruple her investment.
"She should see to II that her chill
dren have chance to attend school
and that her investment for education
is equally distributed among the rich
and the poor. country and city alike.
She must develop her most valuable re-
sources-the intellect of her youth. To
do this she must have more and better
schools, and they win cost large sums
of money. With the existing burdens
upon tangible property this money can
not be furnished by taxes upon It. Tan
gible property Is no longer test OF
success. II no longer correctly indi-
Gates wealth and prosperity. IL no
longer measures ability to pay taxes
"When tangible property was prac-
tically all our people had, II was all
that was taxed We depended upon
and we got along with it. But under
the new transition, this wdrn-out, de-
fectiye tax machine has completely
broken down. Every state where 1t
has been relied upon as the chief source
of revenue for the state, has, In whole
or in part. discarded It. Arkansas has
been retarded because she has not
sooner discarded It. She cannot win
her fight against illfteracy until she
dfscards It. We need no change In
our constitution to prohibit il, and the
General Assembly is supreme in Us
authority to lay and collect any taxes