Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1859-10-06
51sa From the Hairfsld Jeiiersonian.
THE SCHOOL LAW. ,-.f g7.,

lihgton Gazettc, of September 18th. Th
4 law was reported to the Senate by Re
publican Committee Of which Mr.. Kirk.
wood was member, and on It's FINAL pas
sagethe present Republican candidates 70
4 Governor and Lieutenant Governor votet
for it. James r. Wilson, who helped t
make,he Constitution, voted for the Schoo
Law in the House. Common sense ant
the Supreme Court decided that the Leg
islature had no power to pass it; and W,
honestly believe that Kirkwood, Ruscl
ahd Wilson, have shown by voting fer III.
School Law, that they are unfit for The
Offices '2which they now aspire-the,
cannot understand the Constitution .
their own making. The School Law pass
ed the Legislature mainly by Republican
votes. For any improvements made In i
by the Board of Education we are in
debted to the arguper.s Of Judge Mason
The Board consisted Of eight Republican.
and three Democrats. The law was re-
enacted by the unanimous Republican
vote Of the Board. Two Democrats voted
against it.
From The Iowa State Gazette
THE school LAW.
Have the voters Of Iowa fully canvass
ed in their minds the NAN features of the
present School Law? If not, their time
cannot be more proftably employed than
by giving it some attention. The Demo-
cracy at the late State Convention, in the
last resolution Of their platform, in very
appropriate language, repudiated this law,
while the Republicans have refused, in
their Convention, to so thus far II is not
only in this respect made party cues
tons but it was made such in the Board
Of Education This win be seen by re-
ference to the Journals, page II, final
vote.
will now undertake to notice g few Of
the many objections to this law.
First.-The sub, districts are powerless
The voters residing therein have unity
Of interest il schoo. matter with each
other, yet they have no power TO levy a
tax for any purpose, hence they have no
power to bnili the number and kind Of
school houses which they need. They have
no power to employ II teacher, or even de-.
termiue t0 have a school. Tie 18th Sec.
9Th Art. o! the Constitution provides that
any School District ftiliag to keep Up and
support a school CT three months, for TIVE
consecutive years, shall lie deprived OF
their portion OF the school fand. The
Constitution fixes the penalty; ye, the
School Law does not give to the districts
interested, the power of avoiding it. 1t
must be borne in mind that each civil
township constitutes the district fer gov
ernment purposes,
Nothing can be done in aid OF the sub
districts in the townships, except it oc
done by majority vote of the people oil
the township. Il say township, and no,
district, that the reader NAV not be con-
fused, and in order that may be fully
undorstood.l The powers Of the town-
ship districts, are found commencing Oh
page ten, See. g. of the School Law.
They have the exclusive power Of tax
alton for all purposes required by the sut
districts. Oae strong Objection to this, as
we'll as 10 the township organization, is
that the people ofthe township. as mass,
have no unity Of interest in the subject o.
schools in the township any more thar
they have in schools in the county gener.
ally. Their interest then, is as separa,,
and distinct as i; is toward the people o.
the entire county.
10 illustrate this more clearly, let us
take civil township, which is district
for our subject. Say there are six sub.
districts in this township, the population
500. Say that sub district No. is COM
posed Of small village or town; that il
numbers 800 in population The o,hel
five sub districts are in the country par
Of the township. There being majorit,
in sub district No. !. it may control the
entire government Of the other Eve sub
districts, and being in a majority, could
refuse school house tax to build schoo
houses in the other sub districts coulc
vote tax to build school house in it,
own respective district. The people Of thi:
district need not consult their neighbor.
as to its cost.
In the same manner could they den,
these country sub districts a school-dcnl
them teacher. That is to say, although
every voter in these five country sub dis
trcts should vote for schools in their res
pcetive districts. ye. the people of sui
. district No. / could deny them school
and if for two consecutive years they sho
fail, they would forfeit their share Of th'
public money. That is, they would b
visited with - penalty of forfeiture, thougl
they were not in fault. Thus il will b.
seen that this school law does not plac'
the school fund within the reach of ever
poor mans child. The latter can onl,
receive its benefits, if i. be agreeable |,
the wishes Of an irresponsible and disin
tercsled majority.
Again, let us enquire how school teach
ers are to be paid. Say that there is bu
one school in the township, and that is il
sub district No. l, and there is no, publ