Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-03-27
The Public schools.
From the Irish Watehman.l

Now there Is wrong somewhere.-Iazation in
Burlington must in a part Of its object be con-
sidered as extortion, or levying money under
false pretences. Of course, We have not the re-
hottest idea to charge the public servants with
| such a crime Far from it We only call their
attention and the attention of the Catholic tax
| payers, as well as Of all taxpayers in Buring-
| ton, that they pay a certain amount Of taxes Tor
| the schooling Of 4 certain number Of scholars,
and one-lourth Of that number does not receive
any schooling al the expense Of tire tax-payers-
they pay for themselves.
Surely some legislation is needed here
Nor can we admit the plea that - the CONF ION
schools are offered to all if the Catholics DO not
profit by the generous offer, Ii Is their fault. "
This is no reasoning. From the moment that the
number Of scholars IS so largely diminished jus
tee requires that the expenses be contracted. and
consequently the tsX-burden be lgitened
We might 60 farther, and with reason and JUS
tice and religion on our side, say il you tax rs
for schooling our children, and we school ii en-
ourselves, give Us the pay you levy US fort hat
purpose, and we will take care Of it even tar
more economically than you DO. And We urty
farther add The constitution Of human soc;e y
does not in the least warrant your forcing US 10
adopt one system Of schools il preference to a l.
other.
sent. We limit ourselves to the question lis it
right that community should pay for an equi =
alent they do not receive? This is cur Questio u.
We ask our neiehbors to consider Tho question
calmly and fairly. Give our citizens fair op-
portunity to judge and decide We have =,
doubt Of the result
The Wachmdn means, W. suppose, TO ask
fla sect, in the community, should be obliged
to pay taxes for ~.hich they receive no equi-
valent?
We Re ply that it may be often right that
per- on or set of persons should pay for the
Opportunity to receive an equivalent fthey
decline to avail themselves ofan opportunity
proyided for the common good, the los may be
rightly their own.
But an equivalent is rendered to every tax
naver. for his share Of the school tax, in IN
creased order and safety for life and property
in the community.
1t Is cheaper and better TO maintain schools
than to enlarge the iails and multiply the
moor houses. For this reason every taxpayer,
tbourb he nav have 20 children. or though
he NAV prefer, as many do, to send his chill
dren to private school, is rightfully taxed for
his own and the common good
The demand for separation of the school
money, and appropriation ola portion of it to
the Roman Catholics, for the maintenance Of
Catholic schools, comes little sooner but
no more distinctly than we expected. Of
course those who make it are ready to con-
cede the propriety of giving another slice Of
the money to the Baptists to maintain ezelu-
siye Baptist schools, another slice to the Meth
odists. another to the Episcopalians and so on,
leaving slice undivided for those who are Of
M particular denomination. But under this
shifting up and frittering away of the school
money the fundamental idea Of the common
school as instituted for the common good,
becomes lost. There If a better way than
that 1t is to make the public schools SO ex-
ccllent that ii will be no object to maintain
any other; confne the religious instructions
given in them to the points In which all
Christian sect, agree. leaving all denomins-