The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-08-31
Tn. constItutionaI Convention.

We are GLAD to see that the discussion Oh
the subject of Constitutional Convention
has lost, almost entirely, the partizan spirit
which was at first infused into it. Those
who designed, in the beginning, to make the
question party issue, have been reeuked by
the general manifestation OF the popular
will in its: favor The partizan organs that
were so fierce in their denunciation; Of the
movement as Black Republican shecme to
engraft some of their "isms, upon the con-
stitution, have moderasa their tone on the
subject. or sunk into silence; they have dis
covered there were too many sound and in
fluential democrats in favor Of convention
and that the people were almost unanimous
for it. Our neighbor, from bitter, denun-
ciatory opponent, has..become half-converted,
and is already a doubling, hesitating friend
of the measure; and is publishing articles
from able correspondents advocating the call
of convention.
Before the vote is taken we think all op-
position will die away, and the vote OF the
people will be almost unanimous for q re-
vision of the fundamental law by conven-
ton. Asan evidence of the altered tone OF
the press, the leading party organs at the
Capital are discussing the subject of = con-
yention in spirit Of candor and courtesy,
which is quite refreshing The Sentinel
comedies the necessity of reform in the
educational system of the State, but con-
tends that the Legislature could make the
necessary amendment to the Constitution
soon enough for all practical purposes, and
that in the meantime the present school fund
which, in 1860, would yield $1,000, 600 for
distribution that year, would be amply suf-
fcient to sustain creditable and efficient
system of education.
To this the Journal replies that the State
School Fund, without the aid of local tax
alton would only give 81, 80 to each child
in the State, as there were, by the last re-
turns, 476, 900 children entitled to the use
of the fund, and this amount is not half
enough to pay for their tuition the year
round. 1t is also clearly demonstrated by
fact and figures, that the only possible acces-
sion outside of the annual tax is the Sinking
Fund, which would be added to the School
Fund in 1868, and that would only yield
$4,000, or Whereabouts, yearly, and alto
gether only about S2,2 per scholar. As
to the inexpedisncy of Legislative action,
the Journal, after showing that an amend
ment effected in this way would take the
better part of Eve years, while Couven-
ton could do the same work. in little over
one concludes as follows:
"Even if the fund should be abundant
for the general wants of the State, every
locality should have the right to add to its
share for the purpose of securing better
teachers, or better apparatus, or additional
branches of instruction or higher grades of
schools, if it wants them. The present
Constitution is an absolute prohibition to
any district to have better schools than any
other. And we believe emphatically in in
dividual freedom, and the right of ever y
man, and every town, and every school dis
trict, to do its best, and not be cramped by
the sluggiShneSs or stinginess of others.