The Van Buren press., 1871-03-07
National System Of Education. :

~<s N~~~s~~@s
Mr.. HoAR, Of lI ssachusetts, pfeposss,
in the House Of Representatives, ia
tional system of education. The Pfcsi-
dent under it is to appoints Naticnsl
Superintendent of Schools in eeoh State.
Mt asaiafy ofS3,00oa year Here isis
Eovsr 100000 added ut once to. the peo
plc's taxes, aud the President'ss patron
age is greatly increased. But this Is but
the beginning. The Superintendent 20
appointed is to divide his State into -
many districts as there are Congressman,
and there isto be superintendent for
each of the districts, at q salary OF S2s-
600 a year. These District Superintend
ents are not TO be elected BY the people,
bet are to be appointed by the Secretary
ofthe Interior, member Of the Prest-
dents Cabinet and subject to his rerncv. Z
al Then these Congressional Districts
are to be divided into School Districts,
each with Superintendent, who Is also
to be selected by the Secretary OF the IN
terror, at a salaYy of three dollars aday.
Millions of dollars would be required per
annum to pay these salaries ofthis new
army Of ofilce.holders, who would be as
numerous as the locusts ofEgypt.3 "rhese
local Superintendcnts are to select the
place for the school house, and are to
purchase or hire it in The name OF the
United States. The school books are to-
be prescribed by the State Superintctd-
cnt, under the direction of the Commits
sioner Education. and are to be fut-
,,ioIa1 J., Athexsa ttA
pay for them. No books are to lie Used.
and no instructions given, fayoting tho
peculiar tenets of,any religious ect- Tbs
Secretary Of the Treasury is TO, prOyide
rules, in conformity 70 the law, proyid-
ing FOL. the payment Of teachers, lTdi
school houses and other objects designed
by the bill. The Couimisaiouer, VI Edu-
cation is to make an annual report to
Congress, and to prescribe rules Tor the
government ofSupcriatendents and In
speetors. A direct tax Of fifty million
Collars is lnpasea and apporttonsd
among the States the sum raised in
each to be expended for the purposes OF
education in the state The act is to
take effect July 1, 1871, butnny State
may, in lieu ofpaying the tax, provide
for the suitable education of oil the chill
dren within its borders and II the Presi-
dent be satisfied at the expiration OF
twelve months that there is established
in that State suitable system Of CON-
mon schools, no further steps shall b.
taken for the appoiutlncnt Of officers CT
the Assessment of the tax therein = ~.
Observe for moment the monstrous
powers that arc Iodgedin the President
by this bill. lie can, like an Antocrat,
exempt any State from paying its quota
Of school tax, il it,can satisfy His High
ness that it Is making already suitable
provision for tho education ofall tho
children within its borders. This power
of discriminating for and against partlcu
lar States is entirely rnrestraineda lie,
and he only, is to be the judge Of rs!,at sg iss
a suitable education for all the children
within its limits. What he may consider
suitable in some Static he may not con
slider suitable in others. But II Is not
our purpose here TO enter into a discus
sion Of the measure. 1t ia sufficient to
call attention to il as one OF the conters.
plated modes oflhc party in power to
take from the State every vestige ofself-
government, and make Of the federal
Administration an uncomfortable cen.
tralzed despotism, All though it we see
how carefully it is provided that the peo-
pie shall have no power over their
schools, and that in every respect they
are 10 DO fastened upon them by aohe'.
man dcspotism at Washington.--Cts.
Enquire. fg 1 ili7