American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1824-02-13


il would, in order TO provide for the expense OF ed
ucating all the white children in the state, be ne.
cessary 10 lay tax OF at least 880,o00--a larger
sum than the aggregate of the County rates and
Ieyies, poor, and road taxes raised in the state.
This would be almost exclusively paid by the hold
ers oil real property, who, being saddled with SO
enormous tax in addition to their present unequal
burdens, would be previously oppressed. The
owners of real property, it will be remembered al
so hold more personal property liable to assessment
tfor instance, plate, negroes, and every kind OF
live stock) than those who possess such property
without being freeholders. This description oil
taxables (tenants) would in great measure be ex
empted, while many others holding Bonds Notes
and other invisible property, together with profess
siona men, civil officers, millers, manufacturers
mechanics, &c, would in their distinctive charac-
tiers escape without paying any thing except the
trihe that would be laid on their capitation assess
ment. Not only is real property disproportionate
" taxed, bot what adds greatly TO the difficulty Of
the case, real property is itself very unequaly di-
vded. A law then, imposing tax Of this kind,
would be peculiarly obnoxious to the proprietors
Of great freehold estates, who might be expected
10 make war on it Immediately on its passage, and
to exert their utmost influence to get it repealed.
II may be said that the expense of supporting
schools throughout the state, at present conduc-
ted perhaps little, If any, short Of 100000 dollars
and that this is paid, not by the whole, but part
only the taxables, TO wit, the parents and friends
Of children. 1t ought however, to be borne in mind
that school tax, though 10 be divided among all
The taxabes instead Of part fihem, would be dis
iinguished by two important differences; one, that
The contributions Of the tayables would be nvolun-
tay; the other, that discon,inuance would take
place in respect 10 individuals, does in regard to
The parents and friends of children. An involuntary
burden, from which you are never to be relieved,
/, in contemplation more frighttul than one whose
pressure is heavier but has obi aimed the consent OIL
those who have TO submit to il, and has some limit
prescribed to its duration. This shows how Deces
sary il would be- in determining on any mode OF
taxation for the support Of schools that it should be
free from every ingredient which would tend 10
create dissatisfaction. But what would be more
calculated to produce this effect, than where its
operation would be unequal, which any school tax
must be- and excessively so too, it has been shown)
that should be levied on the present assessments
Should il be alleged STILL that the interest OF the
school fund.- with the proceeds OF marriage and tay
ern licenses, aided by small direct tax and the
whole united with the voluntary subscriptions ofthe
citizens, is an alternative that might be resorted toI
for the improvement and support of schools; to dol
away the force Of the suggestion, it is essary only
that the House should be reminded Of the crippled,
enfeebled state of the school fund at this time, in
consequence Of diversion of The greater part of its
proceeds to object, it must be conlessed foreign
10 its institution, but to be applied to which the faith
( ofhe state has been solemny pledged. And as il |
respects tax for the support Of schools to be laid
lot this time. when it is considered that for reasons
(Which satisfied the majories in both Houses of the
General Assembly, resolution has been passed by
i them to provide for the exgences of the Govern |
$ment by loan instead OF state tax and when the
OBJECTIONS before urged recollected, the idea is
NOrbidden, and ought to be abandoned.
Upon the whole, it would appear that the school
fund being the only resource on which reliance |
can be placed for founding new schools and meorn-
ting the condition of those now establshed il ought
TO be kindly and carefully fos,ered. If SO ostered
and suffered to remain untouched, and it the pre-
Scedng calculations be not erroneous, belief may
be confidently indulged that in years from this
time (he period before computed) it may be put
into active and useful operation. The Committee, |
aware Of the opinion entertained by many of our
citizens, that immediate and effectua aid 10 the pub
lie schools, might be derived from this source, have
thought proper to go into as minute detail on this
point as could be done, without giving the report
! too much proxity. They judged it equally neces
sary to submit such an exposition Of their views
respecting school tax as might tend to convince
all who have been dreaming OF succor to the schools
from that quarter, of the utter faacy Of their ex-
pectalons and hopes. That the public mind might,
at the time, have something in relation thereto
repose on they deemed it important ALSO to give
the outline of system to be hereafter carried intol
operation and 10 designate time, when, in theirI
view, it might be commenced TO secure the objectl
contemplated.
The committee cannot stand acquitted IN theirl
own eyes Of having fully discharged the important
duty lntrusted them, without calling the attentlon
Of the House to the money belonging to Delaware
College, which was paid into the treasury early inl
1921 and has as yet received no investment. Theyl
are Of opinon that this money should be vested inl
some kind of productive stock; and would suggest
the expediency of authorizing the State Treasurer
to purchase nn The best Terms that can be