The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-04-15
Terms, by Mail, in Advance
nAILY REGISTER.
THE FREE SCHOOLS.

State or Local Taxation-Remark
in Convention by Major II. NJ
Mathews and Colonel ID. ID. john
son.
While the subject Of Free Schools
was under consideration in the Conven
ton, Judge WARD proposed system tc
be supported by general State taxation
1t was ably discussed during several
DAYS, but finally rejected and the pres
ent mixed system retained. As speci
mems of the line OF argument employed
on each side of the question, we present
below a synopsis Of the remarks made
by Mr.. MATHEWS, of Greenbrler, 10
favor of Mr.. WARDS plan, and by Mr.
JOHNSON, OF Tyler in opposition
thereto:
Mr.. Mathews said:
There is a great interest felt by the
citizens OF the eastern portion OF the
State in the subject OF free schools, and
Z
trankness requires that it should be
stated that this interest arises not more
from a desire to see established q
thorough and efficient system than
from a desire to reform the present
system, to prevent the population OF I'M
scrupulous officials and the general
maladministration OF school affairs
1t NAV he well to inquire how it is thai
the State can take charge, in any way
of the education OF the children OF her
| citizens.
The great Fundamental principle Of
cover, ment, from which we cannot de-
par, without becoming ivolved in diff
culies and inconsistencies, is that gov
eminent cannot interfere with the
righ,s or conduct of the individual for
hi own good, but can only do so Tor
the good Of the State.
The relation between the parent and
child is So intimate and endearng that
there are many who believe that the
State cannot interfere with it further
than to educate INDECENT children.
There are others who insist that the
State should contribute a small amount
TO the cause of general education and
require small communities to furnish
the residue by local taxation.
The more advanced class Of politi-
clans who adopt the views OF that dis
tingui,hed thinker q. S. Mild, who
unites in himself the character Of
philosopher with that OF a politician
more completely than any other man
OF this aye, believe that Government
should take charge of the education OF
the poor children aud compel parents
who are able TO do 50 to educate their
children, by providing penalties to be
intl cted in case the parent fails to dis
charge this duty. 1t is apparent that
there must be many obstacles to the
execution of any scheme based upon
this pr nclpIe.
Whatever NAV be the views OF in
dividuals as to the merits Of the various
schemes, there is no member o. this
body who is not fully committed to the
establishment of an efficient system OF
common schools.
We desire that the system which we
will present to The people stall be as
simple economical aud efficient as
possible.
If we succeed in demonstrating the
correctness OF the principle for which
we con end we stall expect the Con-
vention to adopt it; but We will prompt
" abandon it il, after fair discussion,
we are satisfied that we are in error
The only ground upon which govern
ment can undertake to establish and
support schools is that the education OF
the children is necessary tor the safety
aud prosperity OF the State.
l. the subject of education Of SUI
ficient import ,nce TO require the STATE
+ take it under is charges. If so, It
-hould then. AS any other State n-tiuu
ton, be maintained at the expen-e Of
the State. II not, then it shOuli hr
lett to the counties. districts and COM
muuities.
The State establishes and maintains
at public expense, a luuatic a-ylum, a
hliud asl lum, a pe"iteutIa'y and !
public buildings. The counties con.
tribute uneqmallv and in proportion 10
their wealth, to earh of these insrlru.
lions and buildings and vet the poorer
counties derive from them the came
benefits and use them to the same
extent as do the more wealthy counties
We have in the article on Finance,
established a rule OF taxation which
declares that taxation shall be equal
and uniform throughout the State and
that all property shall be taxed in pro.
portion 10 its value. tits now proposed
to adopt another provision which vio-
lates this. There are about the same
number OF children in the counties OF
Brooke and Raleigh, say eighteen hun
drei. The taxable property OF Brooke
is S2,SUO,000, that of Raleigh $4,000
Wien the Legislature requires that the
schools shall lie kept in operation in
each OF these counties for the same
period, it imposes tax upon the prop
ertv OF a citizen of Raleigh almost five
times as great as that imposed upon
property OF the same value belonging
to a citizen Of Brooke. Any tax re-
ouired by the Legislature must be con-
sldered a State tax, and thus we form a
Constitution with conflicting pro-
visions.
If under the control Of the State and
maintained at public expense, the sys,,
tenn will be more simple, uniform and
efficient. 1t will be more simple, because