The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, July 10, 1895, Image 1
MB SUMTER WATCHMAN, KatablUbed April,.1850. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's." THK TRUE SODTHKON, Egtabn*hed jone, 126G
Consolidated Aug. 2,1881. SUMTER, S. C., WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1895. New Series-Vol. XIV. So. 50.
Cijc afecta w? ^ou?ijroii
Published Every Wednesday,
KT. Gr. Osteen,
SUMTER, S. C.
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Education and the New
Constitution.
The following paper was read before
the State Teachers' Association by Maj.
H. Fraok Wilson, of this city. It
presents a matter of great importance
to the Stats ?Q a light that all should
see it :
The iovitatiou to prepare this paper
assigned three reasons for my under?
taking the task. "With your experi?
ence. " says the invitation, "io public
life, in law and in Education, you are
just the man to handle it." At first I
was inclined to resent the inference
which could be drawn from even the at*
tempt to follow such varied pursuits,
and to suspect that perhaps ? was a
sort of "Jack of all trades, a "rolling
stone gathering no moss ;" but then I
concluded to console myself with the
reply of the irrepressible gamin, who
answering.a taunt of this same kind
from his mother, said, "Well yes ma
that's ?o. but theo you know, its the
settio' ben as never gits fat.".
Realizing tb&t to be proficient io
* either of the Hoes suggested, should he
eoougb to satisfy the ambition of any
ooo mao, aod that to attempt more is in
itself perhaps prima facie evidence of
proficiency io neither ; still, whatever
of ezperieoee I may have gathered
from them, shall be used to treat io as
practical a way as possible, tb is impor?
tant subject, the proper seulement of
which, mast tend to the advancement
of the commonweat 1 h we love so well.
To attempt, within the limits of this,
paper, the full discussion of a sub?
ject, so big with living issues, so far
reaching io its results for good or iii,
would be a futile task. The question
of prime importance, which meets us at
the very threshold of this broad sub?
ject, ts that to which I shall confine
myself, for, I am persuaded, thar, upon
its final adjudication, depends the real
success of the public schools of South
Carolina.
I say public schools advisedly, and
io that I mean to include primary and
secondary education, from the kinder?
garten through the graded schools.
While there may be force and merit
io the arguments of those opposed to
the State's educating her citizens, when
applied to the higher institutions of
learning-the right and duty of the
State to teach music aod art, latin aod
greek, the ologies and higher mathe?
matics ;-*-tbey lose their convincing
power when applied to the common
schools, for the reason that io a gov
erotoeot like ours, when the sovereign
power is vested, at least, io the people,
aod they constitute at ooce. both the
governors and the governed, it is of
paramoQot importance, indeed a vital
necessity, upon which the purity and
efficiency-nay the very existence-of
tho government itself depends, that
the State should provide, and if neces?
sary enforce, at least, such instruction
as will fit ber citizens intelligently to
exercise the right of suffrage.
How best to secure this end is one
of the burning questions now agita?
ting the public mind, io view of tb.3
approaching coostitutiooai convention.
I hid almost said the burning question,
for indeed, it is second to none, not
even to the freeing from corruption
and fraud, the election laws of tbe
State
To the question then, should pro?
vision for public education be consti?
tutional 7 ? answer yes, at least so far
as the public schools are couceroed.
By provision we mean that the consti?
tution should itself provide and defi?
nitely fix the tax which should annual?
ly be collected for the support of the
public schools.
The political leaders are committed
to maintain and support the education?
al institutions of the State, but this
pertains more, perhaps, to the Institu?
tions for higher education, thao to the
common schools. Io the compromise
sought to be made between conflicting
views, as to incorporating in the new
constitution definite provision for the
public schools, to wit the present 2 mill
tax and the one dollar poll tax, it was
suggested that there should be no con?
stitutional provision but that this
should be left to the Legislature, with
the saviog clause that if the Legisla?
ture did oot make an appropriation,
theo that the Comptroller General
should be empowered to levy and col?
lect tbe present 2 mill tax.
This plan, even with this saving
clause above mentioned, will, I am ;
convinced, materially impair the efl
cieocy of the public school system, an
prove the entering wedge to ita ult
mate disintegration. There is no wa
by which we can judge the future
since history but repeats itself, save i
the experience of the past. ? calm ri
view of the lessons to be drawn frot
the history of the public school* sioc
the adoption of the present constituyo
in 1868, will demonstrate the unwii
? dom of attempting to maintain a pul
j lie school system, at least for the pre*
I ent, tu South Carolina, whose founds
tion stone is uot imbeded, deep and fis
edly, in the organic law of the land
When the present constitution wa
adopted, one of the commands lai
upon the Legislature was to "provid
for a liberal und uniform system o? fre
public schools throughout the State.
How much obedience has the Legish
tare given t0 that command from the
till now? How much future Legisla
tures will heed a ?ike command, in
new constitution, is at least a doubtfu
quantity. All we have of a publi
chsool system to-day, and surely it i
little enough, is due entirely to the fae
that the constitution as amended ii
1878 provided-did not leave ic to th
Legislature to provide-but itself pro
vided, that the "Board of Count;
Commissioners shall levy an annua
tax of not less than 2 mills oo the dol
lar upon all the taxable property ii
their respective counties, which lev;
sha'.l not be increased unless by specia
enactment of the General Assembly
for the support of the public school
in their respective counties," and afte
stating that 'the General Assembl;
may provide annually for a poll ta:
not to exceed one dollar on each poll
which shall be applied exclusively to th?
public school fund,' further provide
'there shall be assessed on all taxable
polls io the state an annual tax of on
dollar OD each poll, the proceeds o
which tax shall be applied solely ti
educational purposes.'
Bat for these constitutional provis
ion?, bat for the fact that year afte
year, with persistent constancy, thii
constitution knocked at every man'
door and demanded the payment o
these taxes, permanent, fixed, unyield?
ing, the public schools would long ag<
fallen into disuse and become a thin;
of the past. Even as it wa?, for al
most ten years, our people reseating
the insults of a foreign power, and de
spising every institution fastened upot
them by a voice not their own, sa
supinely down, and refused to admi
that auy good thing could come out o
Nazireth-refused to accept the inevit
able and to reap the benefit of wha
had not been originally intended foi
their especial benefit.
Some ten years ago, perhaps more
a change of feeling began to set in.
prejudice was dethroned and reason re
sumed her sway. The people of thi
State realized at last that the nublii
school system was here to stay, and st
they wisely concluded to take th^ exist
: ing and make the most and best of it
Appeals were made to the Legisla
ture to supplement the constitutiona
taxes by special appropriations, upot
the ground that the school fund wai
sufficient to keep the schools open onlj
from 2 to 4 mouths in the year. Suet
appeals were io vain. The Legislature
was too busy appropriating money tc
the higher educational institutions,
where the show aod pomp aod parade
is made, and so the common school*
were affectionately commended to an im
proverished people with the injunction,
help yourselves
Never was like injunction bettet
heeded.
Then, indeed, was the wisdom ol
fixing in the constitution definite pro?
visions for the maintenance of the pub?
lic schools demonstrated. The consti?
tutional taxes became the foundation
stone upon which to build, the nucleu?
around which to work.
Supplemented by private funds, old
school-districts were reformed, old
school houses were repaired or moved
to more convenient localities. New
school districts were created, new
school houses were built. New and
better books were introduced, more
efficient teachers employed, better
j methods of teacbiug adopted, the
j school term increased fr^in 2 and 3
j months to 6 and 7, and in some cases to
8 and 9.
Local option, allowed by the Legis?
lature, of levying special taxes for spe?
cial schools is becoming operative in
most of the towns and villages and in
very many country districts in the
Stat?. Until. to-day, besides the
J efficient graded schools in every town
j and hamlet, there is a fairly good sys?
tem of common schools in most of the
counties, doing fairly good work. The
time is iot far distaot, unless so?ie
check, by unwise legislation, is g;vea
to the sure and steady progress along
this line, when good schools will be
within the reach of a large majority of
the children of the State. This con?
summation, 'devoutly to bewitched,' has
been made possible only by reason of
the fact that the present constitution
i provided for the collection of speoific
taxes for the support of the public
schools. But for this our people would
have repudiated the entire system, aod
possibly returned to that which obtaioed
ia this State io ante bellum times, by
which the well-to-do received instru
rion and the poor were left to take cai
of themselves. If any good reason h;
been given why the provisions of th
present constitution should nor be it
corporated into the new, I have faile
to note it. Tbe most plausible argi
ment used by those opposed to a cot
stitutiocal provision for education, th
one which sounds the most reasonable
and is most frequently advanced,
'.that it is unjust to tax A's property t
educate the children of B. with a
tu neb justice, *' they say, "you coul
require A to feed and clothe B's chil
dren." It will be seen that this argu
ment pertains not so much to the que?
tion in hand, as to that larger question
the duty of the State to educate he
cinzens ; and yet its danger lies in th
fact that it is being used in this issue
and that many are being led away by it
apparent reasonableness ; forgetful c
the fact, that the safety, thc security
the very value of the property the;
seek to exempt from these taxes, de
pends upon the purity, honesty an<
efficiency of the government, whicl
in our country at least, must depen<
upon the general intelligence of th
people, who are the rulers and th
ruled.
"It is for the good of all," 6ays ?
recent writer, "to support the frei
schools rather than allow children ti
grow up in ignorance ; precisely
as is for the general good to hav<
police and courts, although som*
are rich enough to have private watch
j men, and others may not need a police
man at ali. It is believed that, upot
the whole, the community is better of
providing free schools, aud requiring foi
attendance upon them."
Much that passes for argument it
this issue, and is most effective upon tb<
stump, is, of a piece, with that whicl
has aroused an apparent desire for :
new constitution (and I have used som?
of it myself on the stump)-the appea
to prejudice-the argument um ac
homnium of the politician. "This con
stitutiou," says the politician, "wai
framed and put upon us by bad men
men who were our natural ennemies
seeking our burt; therefore it is a bac
constitution, let us away with it anc
make one of our own."
I apprehend that those who bav<
given to our present constitution cala
and dispassionate study have founc
much in it to commeod, nothing per
haps, more far reaching in its conse
quences for good to the white people ot
tb? State, than its specific provisions foi
the maintenance of education.
The time has come, in the history o
this State, when we should cease un
doing, unless those, who propose tr
undo, come with something better ic
their hands . Tearing down is an eas)
process, and any cobbler eau perform
this work ; building up is a slow,
tedious, "laborious task, requiring the
trained mechanic's skill.
The great body of tax-paying people,
country people, whose children must bc
educated in the public schools or gc
untaught, are not only not complaining
of this constitutional schcol tax, bul
have grown accustomed to its coming
year after year into their schools, re?
gardless of the faction io power or the
temper of any particular Legislature,
To say that the Legislature will make
ample provision is only to 6ayso; to
make it certain, is to incorporate it into
the constitution. The one is positive,
the other contingent ; the one is sere,
the other uncertain : the one will con?
tinue the progress already begun, aud
lead to a more and more liberal and
uniform system : the other, by the very
fact, that it is uncertain and contingent,
will lead to confusion, disintegration,
distruction. In discussing this very
matter some months ago with ooe of the
school trustees of my own county, (who
by the way is a strong Reformer, a most
competent trustee, paying fairly good
salaries to efficient teachers, and run?
ning all the schols in his district, a
j country district at that, for 0 mouths io
the year) he said, "I do sincerely trust
that the convention will incorporate into
the new constitution at least the provi?
sions of the present constitution for the
maintenance of the public schools, in?
crease it if desirable, but at least give
us the present 2 mill tax and poll tax,
and fix it in the constitution ; to do 'ess
would inevitably cripple the public
schools, aod turn back the tide of pro?
gress which for the last ten years bas
been steadily going forward, if we
can't advance, at lease, let us be care?
ful not to retrograde " I mention this to
illustrate two points: one is that, there
has been and is a steady, healthy im?
provement in the public schools, io the
country districts as well as in the towns
and cities, and in this, I take it, that
Sumter County is no .?xceptioo.
The other point is that the people,
and especially the country people,
depended solely upon the public
schools, are not in favor of leaving tbeir
maintenance to the whims of politicians
who happen to be elected to the Legis?
lature.
Let us concede, for the sake of argu
ment, that the new constitution has
been made, and that it enjoins upon the
Legislature, yes even commaods it, to
provide liberal support for the public
school, but does not fix any specific
tax. li there any certainty that such
command would be obeyed ? Could any
language be strooger than that ic
present constitution, which says: "
General Assembly shall as SOO?
practicable after the adoption of
constitution provide for a liberal
uniform system of free schools tbroi
out the State, and sholl also make
vision for the division of the State
suitable school districts. There g
be kept open at least six months in <
year one or more schools in each sc
district "
I take it that these commands
addition to fixing the coostitutii
taxes, were laid upon the Legislati
in order that if necessary, special ap
priations should be made to suppl?a
these taxes, that the system mi
develope into a more and more Ii tn
and uniform one.
It will not do to say there was
necessity, for while the constitutic
t8x was the foundation upon which
structure was erected, and made pc
ble its erection ; still but for the ai<
private funds, and money arising fi
special taxes under the local option 1
the public school system would be
worthless and inefficient to-day, a<
was 20 years ago.
If then in all these years, notwi
standing the fact that the conslitutio
tax had to be collected, the Legi?
ture did nothing for the support of
public schools; is it reasonable to s
pose that, if there was oo constitutio
tar fixed, the Legislature would m?
liberal provision for the support of
public schoois io the future?
It is. to say the least, risking mt
upon an uncertainty. In the langui
of thc darkey who saw his neigh
about to mount a refractory mule
"You trus' um V trow you v
Look at it from another point of vie
see how year by year the appropr
tions, for even the higher State in.?
tarions of learning, hs.ve to be fou<
for upon the floor of the Legislature
friends and alumni. Does it not 6ta
to reason, that the common scho
without any special champion woi
feel the pruning knife of the politi
economist on every side?
The institutions for higher educati
would probably hold their on
in the unequal contest at the e
pease of thc public schools, until t
whole educational system of the Sta
already top-heavy would totter and fa
Perhaps the strongest reason foi
constitutional provision for educatk
remains to be stated :
White supremacy has again becoi
the political slogan of t he hour, and w
continue to lift its hydra head, threate
iog the prosperity of our State, so lo
as it is sought to be maintained by su
terfuge-political intrigue and tricker
j Such policy, instilling into the you
j of our State tho pernicious fallacy th
"the end justifies the means", has fc
come a deadly upas tree casting abo
us its baleful, hurtful shadow
Better face the real issue, recogni
and appreciate the truth, that the on
white supremacy worth the havit
which w;!4 bring peace, power at
prosperity, must rest at last upon int?
licence, must result from, and depe:
upon a uniform system of free publ
schools liberally maintained. At leas
until this vital truth finds permane:
lodgement in the minds and hearts
tbe people at large, 'twas wise to pr
vide such a system and fix its revent
in the organic law.
Martin Luther .'brought the scho
master into the cottage," and laid tl
foundation of the system which is th
chief honor and strength of moder
Germany, a system by which the chil
of the humblest peasant, by slow bi
certain gradations, receives the be;
education which the couutry can afforc
Let South Carolina's new constitc
tion become her Martin Luther, fostei
ing with tenderest care her commo
schools, bringing the school master int
the cottage, that she may lay the foun
dation, broad and deep, of a syster.
which ishall be her chief honor an
strengtb, that her boys and girls, he
future men and women may be taugh
to perform justly, wisely and magnani
mously, all the duties of citizens, botl
public and private
Ose more consideration-South Caro
ina percentage of illiteracy, even
among her white citizens, is out o
proportion to her population. There if
no time to lotier by thc way-no time
to lose in experimenting with bet
school system. Dole in his .'Ameri?
can Citizens," page 156, discussing
national education as one of the open
auestions says : "The intention of our
government has been to leave the sub?
ject of education to each State to man?
age for itself. If any State neglects to
educate its children to be intelligent
citizens, that State wiil be the first to
suffer the consequences of its neglect.
It is, therefore, for the interest of every
State to provide public education.
The ignorance of the voters allows un?
scrupulous men to cheat at the elec?
tions. The voters in any State for the
State officers are also voters in United
States elections. It might happen thus
that the election of the President, would
hang upon the counting of the ballots
of a few hundred men who could not
read. There aresome, therefore, who ad?
vocate the granting of aid from the
national treasury to help public educa?
tion, on the ground of national protec?
tion."
As yet rbe States are conceded the
j right to operate aod maintain, to con
j trol and manage their own schools, free
; from Federal aid, and unembarrassed
j by Federal interference. But the time
may come, if there is failure along
this line, if the limited progress al?
ready made is hindered by unwise ex?
periments, if the system is relegated
to the Legislature to become the foot
ball of politicians at each succeeding
election, the time I say may come,
when the Federal Government may in?
terfere on the ground of national pro?
tection.
In a State like ours, where every
man of consequence is a South Caro?
linian, by birth or adoption, with a
South Carolinnian's patriotism, and
with full knowledge that the constitu
tioo is the safeguard of the poor and
lowly, as for the rich and lofty, no
unwise, injudicious experimenting with
ber school system should be tolerated.
There is no question but that South
Carolina can aod will maintain her
educational system and educate her
children, if only her statesmen are
wise to strengthen and broaden the
foundation of that system, by incor?
porating into the organic law. liberal
provisions for her public schools.
The Atlanta Exposition
Its Financial Affairs Admira?
bly Managed.
ATLANTA. June 5-At a meeting of
the directors of the Cotton States and
International Exposition this afternoon, ;
Mr. S. M. Inman, chairman of the !
finance committee, announced that
more bonds were to be placed before
the opening of ihe gates. In about fif?
teen minutes all of the remaining
bonds were placed and the expenses
to the opening of the gates fully cov?
ered, thus absolutely securing the finan?
cial status of the Exposition. The
6nance committee bonds were taken en?
tirely by members of the directory,
and three-fourths of them were taken
by the members of the finance com?
mittee and officers of the exposition,
conversant with the details of the
busioess. The finance committee is re?
ceiving congratulations on its superb j
management. Three hundred thousand i
dollars in bonds have thus already been i
placed for cash. j
The management of the exposition i
has received from Mr ?. Macchi. com- I
missioner general to Europe, a pro?
position from Messrs.. Herbert, Sauo- ?
ders & Co , of London, offering to build i
on the lake a face simile of thc trans
! Atlantic steamship, St. Louis. The
j ship will be exactly the same size as
j the St. Louis, and will be elegantly
j fitted out. The interior will be used
as a re-rauraot and the vessel will be
reached from the shore by gangways.
This is the duplicate of an exhibit now
being given at the Antwerp exposi?
tion.
Hon. Henrv C Kittredge, the secre?
tary of the Massachusetts commission
to the Cotton States and International
Exposition, is in Atlanta to-day confer?
ring with the exposition management
in reference to the Massachusetts dis?
play. He went out to Piedmont. Park
this morning to select a site for the
Massachusetts building.
While for several days it has been
understood there would be a bull fight
in the Mexican village at the Cotton
States and International Exposition,
positive information has been wanting
untii now. A letter from the conces?
sionaire just received gives the follow;
ing description which indicates that
this feature will rival the Wild West
Show as a drawing card : The arena j
will be arranged in the regular way
aod some of the best bull fighters in :
Mexico with a supply of trained horses j
and of the finest bu ils will be brought
to Atlanta. It will be an exact, repro- j
ductiou of the famous bull fights of
Spain with ono exceptioo-the bull's
horns will be padded so that he can
do no damage. The horses will like?
wise be protected by embossed leather
shields, PO that the whole fight may bc
carried out. without the slightest cruel?
ty or more bloodshed than is seen at a
Wild West Show.
Last June Dick Crawford brought bis
tweWe-months-old child. suffering from in
?antic diarrhoea, to me. It had beeu weaned
at four mooth? old and had always been
sickly. I pave it the usual treatment in such
cases but without benefit. The child kept
growing: thinner until it weighed but little
more than when born, or perhaps ten pounds.
I then started the father io giving Chamber?
lain's Colic, Cholera and Diarrhoea Remedy.
Before oce bottle of the 25 cent size had been
used a marked improvement was s?en and its
continued used cured the child. I ts weakness
and puny constitution disappeared and its
father a?d myself believe the child's life was
6flved by this Remedy. J.T. Marlow, M.D.,
Tamaroa, 111. For sale by Dr. A. J. China.
Highest of all in Leavening Pow
Carolinas Exhibit.
Commissioner Roche's Head?
quarters Opened.
Columbia State.
Mr. Roche, tbe fctate commissioner
for the International and Cotton States
Exhibition, to be held at Atlaota this
fall, the man who is engineering the
getting up of a suitable exhibit for the
State of South Carolina for the exposi?
tion, spent yesterday in the city estab?
lishing his headquarters. He now bas
his headquarters in shipshape and from
thia time forward the work will go
ahead with a rush.
The commissioner has been given a
most convenient room in the Southern
Life Insurance Company building, at
the corner of Main and Washington
streets, by Mr. W. A. Clark, who is
deeply interested in seeing this State
properly represented at the exposition,
and the office was fitted up yesterday.
In the afternoon Mr. Kocbe went to
Winnsboro to meet the gentlemen from
Fairfield who are working up that
county, but he will return to the city
this morning. Ile talks very interest?
ingly of the outlook.
He stated yesterday afternoon that
none of the counties, excepting Char?
leston, were doing what they ought to
be doing ic regard to the State ex?
hibit. He says they all seem to be
waiting for something, he knows not
what, but thinks that now. as the time
is drawiog near, they will get down to
real work.
He says that all along, up to tile
preseut time, he and the committee
have bad no funds with which to do
aoythiug. Now, he says, they have in
bank at their disposal a fund of some
?7,000, which has been sent in from
several counties where it was raised in
various ways. He says, however, that
the subscriptions from the several
counties are not comiog in as rapidly
as he would desire them to.
He says that the State is going to
have an exhibit that will be highly
creditable to her. He is very much
surprised to see the lack of interest
being taken in the counties of the
Piedmont section, for that section, of
all others will reap the principal bene?
fits. He says this State has gotten her
space, and now the committee is get
ting plans and specifications as to the
cost of the arrangement and construc?
tion of the exhibit after it has been
collected. In the low country macy
exhibits are cow being prepared. The
specimens of fishes, ere , are being col?
lected as rapid'y as possible. The
Phosphate Exchange in Charleston is
also making great hollway with the ex?
hibit of phosphates and fertilizers.
_ .ill? -C^* -
Welcomed by Russians.
Marked Courtesies Shown the
Cruiser Marblehead.
ST. PETERSBURG, July 5.-The
United States cruiser Marblehead,
which unexpectedly arrived here yester?
day, is anchored near the Nicola bridge,
where crowds of people are flocking to
see her. When she arrived at Con
stadt Wednesday, ber reception was
of the most cordial character. The
; Russian flagship Alexander II and the
Russian cruiser Asia, which were
anchored in the harbor, macned their
rigging and gave her three hearty
cheers.
As the Marblehead passed the mer?
cantile harbor, the garrison made their
appearance on the more and fired a sa?
lute, while the warships in the harbor
hoisted the American flag, together
with the national ensign. The Mar?
blehead replied with a salute oftwecty
one guus, aud ran ap the Russian flag,
which act of courtesy was answered
by the garrison by hoisting the stars
and stripes The officers of the Rus?
sian warships then went on board the
Mablehead and formally and cordially
welcomed the Americans. Later Com?
mander O'Neil of the Marblehead and
Admiral Kasnakoff of the Russian flag
ship Alexander II, exchanged visits.
Kour Big Successes.
Having the nee<ied merit t<> m<.<re thar. make
good a!l the advertising claimed tor the:::, the
following tour remtdies have reached a
phenomena"! sale. Dr. King's New Discovery,
for Consumption. Coughs and Colds, each bottle
guaranteed-Kieetric Bitters, tile great remedy
for Liver. Stomach ami Kidneys-Bucklen's
Arnica Salve, the best in the world, and Dr.
King's New Lite Pills, whi.d: are a perfect
pill. All these remedies are guarantee! todo
just what is claimed for them and the >ie.nler
wh? sc name is attached herewnh will be glad
to teil you mofe of them. Sold at J. F. W
DeLorme's Drug Store. I
er.-Latest U. S. Gov't Report
Baking
Powder