Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-08-04

position to be curbed, checked and refined where.
soever their rider pleases. They may have the
power of locomoton, but no choice is left them
between sudden destruction, and keeping the
track indicated by the engineer. Poverty de-
livered up the Egyptians, bound hand and foot,
TO be the slaves of Pharaoh. No tyrant could
desire surer method to enslave people, than
to place them In the condition of debtors to the
government.
That is the precise condition into which the
school fund, if consummated, will place all those
whose misfortune it may be to owe that fund,
cannot be denied. The expenses of the govern
ment, from the declaration, that Vermont was a
free and independent State IN 1777, have been
met by direct taxation, or if not wholly SO, this
resource has been the great reliance Of the gov
eminent. 1t has always been true, that any ex-
pcnse incurred beyond the necessary expense
of government, was to be met by direct tax.
In such state of things it is utterly amazing,
that the project of accumulating fund agreea-
bly, to the provisions of the act of 1925 should
have been entertained by the Legislature. The
whole process of accumulating this fund is re-
solvable into very simple operation. 1t is to
every practicable intent and purpose, nothing
more nor less, than taking money from the pock-
cts of poor tax paying community to accumu-
late il in the hand of the commissioner of the
school fund, in the vain hope, that something
will be gained in principle or interest or both,
ultimately to be applied to purposes of educa-
ton. But who can fail to see that every dollar
thus accumulated has cost dollar also that
every cent of interest gained to the fund has
cost the contributor precisely that amount, be-
sides subiectng him to all the losses, expenses
and risks to which the fund is exposed! The
money accumulated in this fund is in false 20.
sition. The process is like transplanting a veg.
eable from its natural soil and climate to po-
stion unnatural and unsuited TO its condition.
Can the money, when collected in masses, sub.
ject to the control Of the commissioners, be as
safe from peculation, from robbery, and from be-
ing suddenly dissipated by being invested in bad
stock, or from other accidents, as it would be in
the hands of those, whose labor first accumula-
led it Would not the money accumulate as
fast, if divLed among the freemen of Vermont.
as il would in The hands of the commissioner /!
And would it not be less subject to accident :!
No one can doubt it.
But such fund as we ha-, contemplated
would have disastrous effect on any free gov
eminent The condition, opinions and sentl.
ments Of the people must always give shade
and color to the acts Of the Legislature, A
debt OF Ss4,000,000 due from the people 10 the
government, would be such counterpoise, as
!
legitimate course.-Petltions for relief laws, for
attachments OF rents or interest, for delays and
suspensions, for the abolition Of the fund and
other matters growing out Of the fund, might be
expected to occupy no small portion OF the time
of the Legislature. The same interests which
would influence the Legislature, would agltate
the freemen before eectl,n, and fund design
ed for good purpose, would eventuate in one
of strife and contention. The proposed object.
in all this, is to raise money 10 support schools,
After the fund has been accumulated, the same
object remains to be done yearly in very CON-
pick manner, which is now done in an easy and
simple manner every year. Now the money is
collected in the name of school tax, and as fast
as the money is wanted, is applied, and 10 mass
is left to be managed or squandered After the
fund is accumulated, the money is to be yearly
collected, but in most Objectionable and op.
pressive form. Now the rich are called on to
contribute of their abundance to aducate the
poor; after the accumulation of the fund, the
the poor mortgager, the man whose necessities
have driven hun to hire money of the school
fund.- will be compelled by the force of a state
execution to dsgorge his last cent to aid in ed
ucating the children of the rich, Of those whose
abundant saved them the necessity of borrowing
of that fund. Such will be the general outlines
Of that process, which, under the proposed fund
is to be the reliance Of future generations fol
the support OF schools. Who will aid to bring
upon posterity such system! Surely no friend
OF the peaple. AUDITOR