The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-04-10

State could carry on the schools for the
whole year and not feel the burthen Of
taxation to any considerable extent but
how would it operate in other sections .?
Many townships have already been
taxed one dollar on the one hundred
dollars worth of property therein, and
then only supported a school for three
or four months in the year. So that 1t
would require tax OF at least three
dollars on the one hundred dollars val
uation OF property in such townships
to carry on the school for the whole
year. Such taxation would simply he
confiscaton Instead OF populating
our sparsely settled sections, we would
drive off those who already reside
there, and in a few years, the whole Of
that section of the State would become
a wilderness.
Yet we declare that taxation shall be
equal and Uniform. God save us
from such equality and taxation. II
il is the policy the State to build up
common schools therein, then every
dvi!arIn the State, in whatever township
it NAV be found, ought to bear its equal
proportion OF taxes TO support such
! schools, and no other system can be
just or equal. II we admit the neces-
sity OF school system, and recognize
the correctness OF the dd rdI0rGm prin-
ciple OF taxation, we can establish no
other know that it is argued 10y
the friends Of the report of the Com.
mittee that it is not right to make the
wealthy communities assist in helping
to educate the poorer sections. II you
say it is right to tax the rich man
property to educate the poor mans
child, why not apply the same princi-
pie to counties?
Let US look for a moment and see
how large tax must be raised by the
State TO support the schools throughout
her borders. The taxable property Of
the State is assessed, in round numbers,
at $l35,O000OO. Suppose you deduct
$50, 100000 Tor delinqucncies, which is
large allowance, that leaves $780,
100000 There are "a counties in the
State, and say that each county aver
ages 40 school districts-that gives 2l6O
school districts in the State. Then
suppose the salaries OF teachers aver
age $40 per month We then have
SOL 500 for each month, and if the
schools are carried on for five months,
the whole system for five months costs
$324,O00-a little less than one.half
what it costs under the present system
OF local taxation for schools OF three
and four months. II, then, we deduct
$4,000 for captation, (making a fair
allowance for delinqueuts,) we have
$2j0,0OO to raise by taxation. and il the
taxable property OF the State should be
worth only $lO0OO0,0O0, (Which is too
small an estimate,) the whole tax for
school purposes would amount TO .!
mills on the dollar, or % cents on the
500. This is a liberal estimate, for ]
am sure that if the whole machinery
was placed under the control Of the
State, q tax Of two mills on the dollar
would be found sufficient for five
months school in each district. Then
give the district power, il you choose to
do so, to carry on schools for longer
time with the assent Of the majority OF
the voters at their own expense. Let
the building fund be raised by local
taxation, :or the houses are located and
remain in the districts.
Another argumeRtin favor Of having
the whole tax levied by the State, il
that it will otviate an apparent neCcs-
siry for many of the officers that act As
clos to its efficiency at present. 1t,
TOO, lends simplicity to the whole
machinery, and the people will easily
understand its practical workings. IT
is so complicated at present that the
masses do not understand it as they
ought.
am aware that the school system
Of this State was inaugurated under the
most unfavorable circumstances. 1t was
something new to the peopIe-they
look upon it with more or less prejudice.
The sparsity Of our population was a
great barrier TO lis efficiency, and even
It's most ardent friends did not have full
confidence in its success. Our present
Constitution was adopted in the midst
OF great political revolution, when
civil rights were not watched with the
same vigilance, nor canvassed with the
same calm deliberations, as in time OF
peace. and that circumstance alone
must furnish an apology for the pres
ent system Of taxation for free schools,
If indeed this system was intended by
the trainers Of our organic law, Of which
entertain serious doubts But he
that as it may, il we pass over the sub
ject in silence, or in any way without
a direct prohibition. the same system
will be continued. There has been a
great prejudice existing against 1t IN
my section of the State, and, indeed,
not without some reason for II. Its
operaiion was commenced at a time
when we were the least prepared for it.
We were just emerging from the hor-
rora OF terrible war-tinancially
ruinel. Our personal property OF every
description had been swept away our
! lduu- ldlu ndStSi Jul puiStS tHip'N ""'
credit gone; our young men, the flower
Of the land, had fallen by hundreds in
battle; on every side was ruin, wreck
and de.olation. Where once we could
see smiling harvests spread out before
us, the velvet green Of our pastures,
aud our cattle on thou.aud hills,
nothing was left us but a broad waste
"A desert waste, where all war erst 50 fair"
! Everything was gone and nothing
left for comfort except the melancholy
yet tender light that played around the
memory Of our ga liant dead. No
wonder, then, that our people looked
with unfavorable eye upon anything
that brought increased taxation, how
ever mnch good might result from II