Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-05-05
THE RADICALS AND THE SCHOOL
FUND

We called attention yesterday to
the reckless mismanagement of the
school fund by the Radical party.
The taxpayers of this State have
but little conception Of the amount
that has been wrung from them
ostensibly for common schools.
The reports of the Comptroller show
that during the fiscal years Of
1866, 1867 and 1868, the taxes
levied for school purposes amounted
to little more than 81 600, 900.
The greater portion of this has
been collected and paid into the
treasury. The act of May "a,
1865, imposed taxes sufficiently
high, in the estimation of those
framing it, to raise money enough
to pay the interest on the State
debt as we'll as the ordinary ex-
penses Of the State, and still leave
large amount for common schools.
Accordingly we find this provision
in the act named: "That after pay
ing the interest on the State debt
proper and current expenses of the
State, the sum Of eight hundred
thousand dollars be applied to com
mon school purposes, in addition to
what is now allowed by law for said
purposes" Not one dollar Of this
appropriation was ever realised by
the children for whose benefit it
was made. Not a dollar was paid
as interest on the State debt pro-
per-" yet all that was realised from
this tax levy which was regarded
as exorbitantly high, was absorbed
by ''the current expenses of the
State" About this time the
Bank of Tennessee was returned
with large amount of coin, which
was, by authority ofthe Legislature,
converted into United States bonds,
realisiug $685. $50, and this was by
act Of the Legislature set apart as
portion Of the permanent school
fund, the interest to be applied to
school purposes. Here was per-
manent fund of s6l8, 25O, and taxes
levied for three years amounting to
over S1,6OO,OOO and the appro-
priation of 100000, all for
school purposes, showing that
there ought TO have been q
distributiye fund of nearly 81
500, 900 to have commenced opera
tons with in 1868. Now how much
do you suppose, reader, was paid
out for common school purposes up
to the close of the fiscal year in
1868? The report Of the Comptrol-
Ter shows that there was paid out for
this purpose but little over S28, 900.
Since then the tax-gatherers have
been busy with this years taxes,
which are being collected and paid
into the treasury, and yet every
few days we hear complaints that
the treasury is empty, and that the
teachers can not be paid. We have
shown by the Comptroller's reports,
thata direct levy for school purposes
was made in the years 1866, 1867
and 1868, amounting to more than
s1,60O,O00, and that the tax for 1865
was laid sufficiently high, according
to the calculations of tho men
who were running the State
government, to yield 100000
for school purposes, after pay.
ing interest on the debt and the or
binary expenses of the State, and
we have also shown from the Comp
troller's report that only about
$4,000 was paid out for schools up
to the close of the fiscal year in
1868. Here we have more than
100000 wrung from an impov-
erished people for school purposes,
and all of that large amount, ex-
cept the paltry sum of $4,000, has