Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-12-21

ducts into fabrics for the use of man. 1t is
also wen known that the richer sections Of a
country are quickly settled, while the poorer
are left unoccupied, and that in all civilized
communities there is natural tendency to
congregate in towns and cities. IdIeness
everywhereand especially in cities and towns
is the source Of untold evils and crimes. It
is obviously the interest OF every State to
promote the settlement and improvement
Of all its territory, and obyiate the tendency
to Capitalization. How does the present
working of our school laws operate upon
this point? What indueepent does il offer
to the settler in the sparsely settled dis
tricts? Oppressive taxes, short school terms,
the smallest proportionate assistance from
| the State, and hard labor and comparative
| ignorance for himself and his children. On
the other hand, we find in the rich and
already densely populated districts are held
out the inducements of lands already clear
ed, long school terms, light taxes, compara-
tive ease, with intelligent society and the
largest proportionate assistance from the
State, to bring still more where the popula-
ton is already oyerfowing. Who can
wonder then that the farmer moves to town
to educate his sons and daughters, even at
the risk Of all the dangers Of town and city
life, or to the far West where the new States
hold out inducements superior to those he
| has enjoyed among his native hills Is it
any wonder under such circumstances that
towns are crowded with idIers, while the
rural districts are crying for laborers and
the farms lie waste? Is it any wonder that
the sturdy sons of our noble State are
| pouring IN a steady stream into the wide
West, while her own broad acres are un-
occupied her mineral wealth undeveloped,
her manufacturing facilities unimproved
and her oil flowing ungathered to the
ocean? Yet these are the legitimate results
of an oppressive system of taxation in the
sparsely settled districts Of the State If
it were patiently borne the evil might be
less, though the injustice remained but it
is not patiently borne, on the contrary it is
steadily and surely driving the young, enter
prising, and most valuable portion of our
population from their native State to seek
more favored homes in the far West. Such
are the legitimate results of the present
unfair method of raising revenue for school
purposes. A system that diScriminates
against the poorer portions Of the State and
in favor of the richer, while the reverse
should be the rule. They can only be OBJ
-:~tsl ', l..-.. alsv people IN their majesty de-
mand, that the laws be so amended, that
the poor shall no longer be oppressed be-
cause Of their poverty, nor the rich pam
pered because of their wealth, but that
even handed justice be dispensed alike to
all. How this may be done we viii endeav-
or to show in our next.
REMEDY FOR SOME or ITS DEFECTS.
With so great diversity Of surface, soil
climate, density ofpopulation, &C., as exists
in our State. to obtain exact uniformity and
equality Of educational advantages is prac-
tically impossible
But amuch nearer approximation, than is
obtained by the present system, is certainly
attainable. The plan we propose for obtain
ing such approximation and equalizing
taxation is as follows viz First, bya sys-
tenn of general and equal taxation through
out the State, to obtain fund sufficient to
defray the expenses Of instruction and keep
open the schools a minimum term of four or
~ 4
teachers for the whole State, leaving the
present system of taxation in force, for the
purpose of raising building and contingent
fund.- and keeping open the schools
as much longer than the minimum term as
each district, for itself, may deem expedi-
ent. Second, to distribute the general fund
among the various districts according to the
number of schools in each, instead of, as at
present, according to the number Of taxa
bles. Since writing the last article, we have
received the speech of Mr. Householder, in
the State Senate, in favor of a revision Of our
common school system We shall avail our
selves to some extent, of the labors of Mr..
Householder, by making use of his
statistics. By a laborious calculation
he has ascertained that tax of
two mills to the dollar upon the
valuation of the real and personal prop
erty of the State and about ten per cent. of
the gross receipts annually coming into the
State Treasury, school fund of at least
81, 900, 600 90 can be obtained This nearly
equals the cost of instruction for the whole
State in 1864, fol an average of 5.53
months school at an average teachers sal
ary of SD 10, and by the proposed method
of equalization would be obtained at rate
of taxation l.27 mills less than the average
rate for the whole State in 1854 This is a
general system of taxation such as we have
had In view, and at the proposed rate would
secure a minimum term of at least FIVE |
months to each school in the State at the
average teachers salary for the State, Of |
S22.79. Thus far we agree In the matter
of distribution we differ radically, not only /
from Mr. Householder, but also from the |
suggestion of Mr.. Coburn our present excel /
lent State Superintendent. They both pro-
pose distribution per capita, according to
the number of scholars. That this leaves
the distribution as uncertain and unequal as
that according to the number of taxables,
must be evident TO every one at all familiar /