Washington telegraph., 1926-09-03
NJ RAE ADVOCATES
SCHOOL MEASURE
PeopleAroused, Says McRae, And
Anxious To Give Children Chance
For Education.

Il am confident that the people of
Arkansas will gladly adopt Amend
ment No. 13. | have an abiding
faith in the people of Arkansas. They
Owe their children and want to give
.hem a chance. They know how the
children have been neglected. They
know what has retarded the progress
Of the state and will welcome the op-
portunity TO correct it. They are ar
)used upon the Importance of educa-
tion."
This is the public school creed and
faith of former Governor Thomas
c. McRae, who is now back in the
service of Arkansas people as chair
man of the state campaign commit
tee in support cf Amendment No.13,
the public school amendment, which
will be submitted to popular vote at
the general election ON October 5
81 heartily recommend the mea-
sure to our people," Mr.. McRae
said. "We should make it unani-
NOUS"
As governor, Mr.. McRae devoted
the major interests of his admins
tration to the public schools. Every
possible influence of the governors
office was expended toward the re-
scue of public education from -
critical situation into which it mad
gradually passed The extent to which
Arkansas had fallen behind among
the states of the union is indicated
by breif comparison. In 1910, the
state was forty. second among the
states of the union in per capita ex-
penditure for public education. In
1910, Missouri spent as much per
capita on public education as did Ar
kansas in 1920.
This decline came to pass despite
the progressive measure which Gov
|ernor Mcllae helped to initiate and
present to. the Legislature. With the
situation still critical, the former
governor still ready to carry on the
movement for more adequate finan-
I cial support.
'Apendme1t no. 13 is democra-
tic" Mr. McRae said. at is in har-
mony with the old American idea of
local control in school affairs. 1t does
not authorize the levy of any tax un-
less the people vote it. 1t merely gives
them the right to vote what they
need within the limit of 1S mills
Districts not needing it will rot vote
for the amendment ami thus give the
less favored districts the opportunity
TO help themselves.
"The adoption of this amendment
will help thousands of districts to
have cchools and longer terms. 1t will
help hundreds of others to pay off
debts now oppressive, and will help
still others u provide necessary build
ings."
The steD which the former COVER
nor is recommending TO Arkansas
people is ny no means a radical one,
as compared with school laws in effect
ID otner s:otos OF the p1ion It's a1op-
ton woul etill leave Arkansas in
| forty-foIrth place in the rig II TO levy
local taxes for schoo! suppors. An III
reresting compilation 5y she state de-
rartmeut OF education shows tnat 27
ldates of the union, inc,..ding six
southern s-ates, place 10 ccrs;!t Ition-
al limitation on any kind of public
school taxation, except poll taxes.
Forty states constitutions place no
limit on the amount of state lax for
school purpose, and 81 state constitu-
tions do not limit the amount of
county tax which may be levied for
school purposes. Thirty-four states
place no constitutional limit on the
amount Of tax that local districts may
levy.
In every instance, the states in this
interesting table take rank above
Arkansas in support of public educa-
ton.
It was fully realization of the sit
uation which prompted Mr.. McRae
TO say:
II heartily recommend this mea-
sure to our people. We should make
it unanimous"