The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1830-08-19
From tho New York Daily Sentinel.
PUBLIC EDUCATION.
ESSAY III.

| The tax which will DO paid for odusav,nc
the common people is not moro than che ii,oy.
sandth part OF wha, will be paid 10 kings M.
bles, aud priests, who will rise up among us,
five leave the people in 'gnorsnce.--J J.fsrsos.
! Whence are the funds to come, 20 sns.
port a system Of RepubRea Education
The present income for schools 10
totally insufficient in this and every o.
thcr state in the Union, to deffay tha
expenses of such a general system 1t
education as that we now contemplate.
Whence, then, we are asked, are tlo
surplus funds to come We answer,
without hesitation, from the govern.
mcnt. Education is by far the most
important branch of legislation; aud,
il wisely cared for, might tn u great ey.
tent supersede the necessity, and save
the expense, of our criminal laws. our
jails aud bridewclls and our alms-
houses.
And how is government to raise tho
funds I Shall all equally contribute,
whether they have children or no,
We would not recommend it; for, by
SD doing, improvidence in parents
would be unchecked by any considera-
ton as to how their children were 10
be provided for. We would propose,
in the first plnce, n tax Of for each
child throughout the State from the
age of twoor three, To the age oftwclye
or fourteen; and this to be levied with
ont distinction; whether the parents
chose tn send their children 10 the
| S..La.la What h.. m.
mount of this chldren's tax should be.
we shall discuss hereafter, when We
speak of the general arrangement
which we would suggest for the
schools. We will then also ex-
plain how we conceive that the poorost
parents, if thoy be willing, may almost
always find means TO pay 1t. This
; tax we consider necessary, both to pres
vent young persons from inconsidcratv'
ly incurring the responsibilities Of the
, parental relation, and to tighten i've
tax to the public in general.
0 Hut we do not think that children's
' poll tax, such NJ could bc levied, aud
= collected from all parents, poor ard
:, rich, would afford sufficient income f =
. the purposes Of public education light
J. US that tax must be, to enable oil par
ents to pay it. We propose that the
deficiency be made up from the stare
!. treasury. fin consequence, any ad'
:. ditional tax be required, there will no
= doubt bo various opinions rs 10 whnt
o sort Of tax is best Weprefer direct
Y income tax, as being the fairest OF all
y taxes, and the least oppressive on tho
,. poor man but this Is our individual o-
y pinion only. IL will be time enough
= hereafter to discuss this point.
4, Some, perhaps, who think much oi
- money and little OF human improve.
T. mcnt, will cxclaim against such pro.
., posal, as oppressive and unjust. "Wbni
'e have l." (some rich old bachelor may
~ say,) "to do with public education
: I and why, should contribute towards
p. it have no children and it is MOT
~ my fault that others have more thar
ee they can take care Of. Am to sup
be port and educate them Besides, wha
p has government to do in the matter
WHY should the public money be spen
80 80 to remedy the negligence ofpoor. per
%; haps idle, parents!
y We reply, that every citizen opgh
&c 10 contribute his fair share towards ih
on expenses Of legislation and that odu
u cation is a most important brunch
~ Iepislation; as much mere imporfnn
nc than the criminal law, as prevention )
,n. bet,er than cure. Would not even tb
,ot icbbacbolior he individually beneiiite'
,st lin the most selfish sense OF the term
in II. instead Of having the rogue VII
is broke into his counting house shut a
70 in the peniten,inry, that rogue had bet
a,.. trained to be an honest man, and 'hl
M prevented from putting has hngera
bl. the old mans Golfers at all +! And IS
ow NOT as cheap and much more raiioaa
d. and humane to pay for keeping mel
on and women out If the penitepiiary
l;t than 10 pay for putting them IN II J
IN TO nuke mere matter OF dollar
=. and cents Of it, is not the tar Of igoS
rat rance a much hcdDiy tar than any {"
sd for education
y We conceive then,--and We VIZ
o. this was generally felt and acted npo
on that educ alton IS the business q g"i
eramept. What is the first and clue
or. object Of government, tfnot TO prodnc
~ peace and harmony among men An
whar means 40 efIectual To proopc
Inl peace and harmony, as an enliglItcne
~, ~ system Of public education. Is y -
nn m the magistrates duty. If ne knows ''a