New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-09-01
FREQ schools.
into custody


Of our State writes as that course with regard
u Congressional Mileage, our views Of Protection
u Home Industry, Law Reform, Slavery, &c are
quite acceptable to his neigbbors generally, and
especially TO some thirty subscribers TO The I'rb
une, comprising men of ali parties; but he says
they don't 90 well like the Free School law Of our
State passed last Winter He illustrates that law
as follows;
"a. has two sons X. and C.. Is. works out five
wears by the year for el20 per year, and by care
fol economy lays up s25O buys him one hundred
acres Of land for $500. going 10 debt $3.50. He
now maules and commences raising family. 1.
works o n by the year for sl20 year but attends
Balls Circusos smokes and chews Tobacco. drinks
Liquors freely, dresses handsomely and at the emo
OF tive years has Is In his pocket, the savings OF
his five years labor. He also now msrries and
commences raising a family. Is. gets up early,
works late, is prudent, and saves elOO per annum
Tor ten years during which he has five children.
OF course his farm 10 now clear, with good build
ings stock tools, sc. c. devOtes two or three
days OF each week TO fishing. hunting aud tavern
haunting, that his children grow up ragged, hun
CRY, aud In special need OF schooling
ID has bought him a farm Of wild land FOR
$1,000 owes on 1t 5000 works hard, lives poor,
and can barely pay the interest taxes. &c. He
neghbor Il. 10 a blacksmith, who makes his -
per day aud pays no taxes. F.is merchant
with Is 900 invested Ia his store, on which he
makes twenty or thirty per cent and pays no
taxes. g. a doctor aud X. a lawyer clear their
$500 To q, 200 per annum. as much as ID. farm IL
worth and pay no tax, or very little. q. says he
need not work hsrd-wsses are high, and there
Free Schools for his children. b. grows dis
couraged, for he hes to give two OF his days work
for one OF the blacksmith, lawyer or doctor, while
the taxes for State County and Town purposes
including Roads and Schools, nearly all fall upon
lsad, and are paid by the farmers, while the
classes who make the money faster or easier pay
much less. Ii seems 10 me that this making all
Schools Free that 10. taxing property to sustain
them, 80 that c. eets his children well schooled
aud pays nothing Tor ~ 10 an encouragement 10
lsriness and prodgality
Ii seems 20 me that the entire Proceeds OF the
Public Lands ought 10 be set apart Tor the support
OF Common Schools. which would Cypress no one,
aud every one would have an equal night IN tn>m.
By.and-by we shall have some canal surplus 90
devote u the same purpose. IL Is not night to
throw all public burdens upon Real Estate
Such is, in pretty nearly his own words, our sub
soriber's objection to the Free School law. Let US
look intoit
That the present mode of assessing taxation is
entirely just, we do not affirm, though we think
our friend does not quite thoroughly understand or
fairly present IT, We do not think il makes very
great odds whether You lay taxes entirely on
Property or partly on Income Also though we
should be willing TO see the latter pay share. A
doctor, lawyer or editor whose income from his
business is $4,000 to $4,000 year land there are
some such) might fairly be called upon to con
tribute to the support of government and Of educs-
tion though he spent fast as he earned, and had
no property. Income. however is hard to reach.
while Property 10 easy, and while taxation is
- -. ~. al O.,
sess Property alone. But We have no objection
10 the other course, and are willing to see q tax
laid upon incomes above OIL 900 per snnum. This
how ever, does not touch the policy propriety OF
Free Schools.
Our correspondent certainly puts the argument
against them in very good shape, and makes out
a pretty strong case. The principle might be
pushed. however. great deal further than he car
ries 1t, and the argument be stronger still. For
instance r. saves money from the start, makes
and stocks noble farm. and brings up oil his chill
dren 10 industry and virtue. c., on the other
hand, drinks. hshes and swears, 90 that his chill
drcn grow up ragged, idle and dishonest, aud are
finally caught stealing. tried and sentenced q
State Prison. Now 1t has cost a heavy sum Il
arrest, detsin and convict them, which b is taxed
10 pay while c, being worthless, don't pay the
first red cent. Why should B. whose childrensr,
all honest and virtuous, be called 10 pay this, in
stead Of c., who trained ap his children for crime
Don't you see. friend that yoar principle wouh
fssten a large share OF the taxes on those W h
have nothing to pay with
Bat We insist in behalf Of thoroughly Ere
Schools that ali the children in tho State ought
be well educated, not because they are Is . O
C'.. bat because it is our common interest an
common duty to have them SO educated. W
,a.,,t that this universally OF education increase
the value Of BIS farm by diminishing Crime, II
crss.,ns the efficiency OF Labor, and supplying IN
cisemen,s TO general Industry, Thrift and NOrAlii,
The State does not provide for Edaestion for c.
sake. noe with any special view to hs Interests
bu, for the sake Of the general welfare wnie
Education is know n to promote. c: may have 'e
children TO BIS none, yet nobody urges thar
ON that account ought 10 pay heavier State County
Town or Road taxes, nor that he should conuioo'
more toward building house for pubic WORSHIP
We Mace Common School Education on the sam
footing with other objects Of public concern al
would levy and assess its support on the sam
principles.
Bat it Is strong addisioad argsnsas s'r Fro