American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1824-03-02

cessary TO lay tax oil at least Sou,ouo-a iaibei
sum than the aggregate of the County rates and
Ievies, poor, and road taxes, raised IN the state
This would be almost exclusively paid by the hold
ers of real property, who, being saddled with sol
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
FOR instance, plate, negroes, and every kind OIL
live stock) than those who possess such property
without being freehoders. This description of
taxables (tenants) would in great measure be ex
lempted while many others holding Bonds, Notes
and other invisible property, together with profes
sonal men, civil officers, millers, manufacturers,
mechanics, sc, would in their distinctive charac
tiers escape without paying any thing, except the
trle that would be laid on their capitation assess
ment. Not only is real property disproportionate-
ly taxed, but what adds greatly to the difficulty OF
the case, real property is itself very unequally di-
slded. A law then, imposing tax OF this kind
would be peculiarly obnoxious to the proprleiors
lof great freehold estates, who might be expected
to 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to exert their utmost influence to get it repealed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, is perhaps little, if any, short of 100000 dollars
and that this is paid not by the whole, but part
ionly, of the sXables, TO witt the parents and friends
OF children 1t ought however, to be borne in mind,
that school tax, though 10 be divided among all
the taxahles instead Of part Of them, would be dis
itinguished by two important differences; one, that
the contributions of the taxabes would be invoun
ltary; the other, that no dscontnuance would take
place in respect to individuals as does in regard to
the parents aud friends of children. Aninvolunary
burden, from which you are never to be relieved
lis IN contemplation more fiightul than one whose
pressure is heavier, but has obtained the consent Of
those who have to submit to it, and has some limit
prescribed to its duration. This shows how neces
sary it would be, in determining on any mode Of
Taxation tor the support Of schools that it should be
free from every ingredient which would tend to
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 too it has been shown
that should be levied on the present assessment?
Should il be alleged siil that the interest Of the
school fund, with The proceeds Of marriage and tav-
ern licenses aided by small direct tax, and the
Whole united with the voluntary subscriptions ofthe
citizens, is an alternative that might be resorted to
Tor the improvement and support Of schools 10 do
away the force Of the suggestion is necessary only
that the House should DC reminded OF the crippled,
enfeebled state of the school fund at this time ia
consequence Of diversion Of the greater part of its
proceeds TO an object it must be confessed, foreign
to its institutions but to be applied to which the faith
Of the state has been soemnly pledged. And as il
respects tax for the support OF schools 10 be laid
at this time. when it IS considered that for reasons
which satisfied the maortles in both Houses ofth
General Assembly, resolution has been passed BY
them to provide for the exigences of the Govern
ment, by loan instead oil state tax and when the
objections before urged reco!leced, the idea is
forbidden, and ought to be abandoned.
Upon the whole, it would appear that the school
fund being the only resource on which reliance
he chnoIa
ting the condition Of those established, it ought
to be kindly and carefully fostered. Iso fostered,
and suffered to remain untouched, and If the pre-
cedng calculations be not erroneous, belief NAV
be confidently induged, that in years from this
time 1.-THE period before computed) il may be pu,
into active and useful operation. The Committee
aware OF the opinion entertained by many of our
cltizens, that immediate and effecual aid to 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 prolixity. They Judged ii equally neces
sary to submit such an exposition Of their views
respecting school tax as might tend 10 convince
all who have been dreaming of succor TO the schools
from that quarter of the utter falacy of their ex
pectations and hopes That the public mind might,
at the same time have something in relation thereto
20 repose on they deemed it important also, TO give
the outline Of system TO be hereafter carried into
fN'1eo'' a'" ~ nSo'6hale tiibSi HheHs IN thelfl
view, 1t might be commenced to secure the object
contemplated
The committee cannot stand acquitted in their
own eyes Of having fully discharged the important
duty Entrusted TO them without calling the attention
OF the House to the money belonging to Delaware
College, which was paid into the treasury early in
1921, and has as yet received no investment. They
are OF opinion that this money should be vested in
some kind OF productive stock; and would suggest
the expectancy of authorizing the State Treasurer
to purchase Herewith, on the best terms that can be
procured, part Of the funded debt of the United
States, or some kind of profitable stock, at his dis
erection, the dividends en- the same, together with
any donations in money that may hereafter be made