New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-14

deprived of the benefit Of tuition as long
as they remain closed. III the Senate con-
ours with the House of Representatives in
passing this bill, it will enable the school
board of the city to meet the most pressing
=. demands against them, provide fuel for the
schools, pay the teachers and continue to
| carry out our system OF education here. 1t
does not necessarily imply that the large
amount mentioned by the gentleman Mr..
McNlillen) will be collected from the people
Of the city, as the school bill which pro
vided for the levy of the tax, and which the
gentleman voted for, left il to the discretion
Of the Council to determine whether a less
amount would not be sufficient. This bill
is simply intended to correct an error which
the Legislature has made, and to put in
operation here the same system which has
been and is now being carried out in the
rural parishes of the State. l believe all
the Senators from New Orleans are thor
oughly conversant with the facts, and
recognize the absolute necessity for the
adoption OF this measure. 1t remains, there
fore, for the Senators from the country
parishes to decide whether they will aid us
in relieving the city from this embarrass-
| ment.
Mr.. McMillen-The gentleman (Mr. Bar
| berl is member of the Senate from this
city, and advocates the passage of this bill.
l would like to ask him whether he knows
what it cost the city to educate the children
of New Orleans during the year 1871
Mr.. Barber refer the gentleman to his
vote on the bill' passed last session for an
answer to his question He was then fully
conversant with the facts
| Mr.. McMillen-I asked the Senator
whether he knew what it cost the city Of
New. Orleans to carry on her common
schools for the year 1871.
Mr.. Barber-You will have to ask the
,l,,,.s fbe,o ard hon hat
Mr. McMillen-Does the Senator know
what deficiency exists in the treasury of
H., the school board for the year 1871!
Mr.. Barher-I do not.
Mr.. cMillen-Does the gentleman know
! what the necessities Of the school board are
| for the year 1922
Mr.. Barber-These are the same questions
which were propounded by the gentleman
| to other Senators, and ] answer as they did.
] should think the gentleman, being so IA
| miliar with the estimates of the expenses OF
| the State government, ought to renIem Der
| for what reason and on what basis he voted
for the school bill Of 1871. In order to test
the sense of the Senate on this question, |
move the adoption of the second section.
Mr.. McMllen-I would heartily and
| cordially support this bill if | were con-
WINGED that it would cure the evil under
which the school board seems to be labor
| ing. 1t appears that in consequence of a
| conflict between the revenue law and the
| school law, there is d deficiency in the
amount to be expended in carrying on the
common schools of the city Of New Orleans.
| This law does not propose to remedy that
! evil; it does not provide taxation to remedy
it: it in no manner affects the school board
| as far as the year 1871 is concerned: but it
provides that there shah be levied a tax of
| tive-siXteenths of one per cent for school
purposes. How do we know what taxation
we should levy What information have
We, as a Senate, on that subject! Do We
| know how many schools there are, what
! they cost, or what their necessities are} |
repeat again that would like to have some
| information on the subject, so that | may
| vote intelligently upon 1t. 1t does not,
| say, remedy the evil complained of it does
not affect the year 1871 in the slightest par
| tcular: it does not remove the con-
! fiict between the two laws: nor does
| it in any manner relieve the school board,
so far as the year 1871 is concerned, which |
understand to be the intended object of it.
| If the gentlemen will consent to allow the
matter to remain in allegiance for two or
| three days. we can, probaly, obtain from
| the school board the information, which, 1t
| seems, can not get from the State Super
| intendent, nor the division superintendent
| nor the Governor of the State. Let us pass
resolution calling tor information from
| schools of the city, and then, like reasOna
| bic men. pass law which will cover every
| point involved. | am perfectly willing to
grant the desired relief, but | want time to
gain the necessary information. am just
as friendly to the measure as Mr.. Barber, or
any other Senator, but desire TO pass it i'll
a proper manner.
Mr.. Coupland said ne was in favor of any
measure which looked to the benefit of the
chi of no huf will
ator McMilen that The .matter should be
investigated and passed upon properly, in
order that the children might enjoy the
benefits of it.
Mr. Campbell-I am just informed by
school officer that the president of the
school board, General Longstreet. has been
told by capitalists that if this bill passes,
remedying the conflict between these two
laws. and enabling the City Council to
levy the proposed tax, he can Immediately
procure from them the money necessary to
meet their immediate wants.
Mr. McMllen-What are their wants.
Mr. Campbell-They want a1ittle money
to purchase coal and to pay the teachers, IN
order that they may reopen the schools.
Mr. Coupland-So far as the purchase OF
coal is concerned. / am entirely in favor of
it, but am fearful that the great majority
of the poor abused teachers have been com
PEELED, by stress of circumstances, to dis
pose of their certificates to brokers for
little ready money. l don't think they will
be afforded any relief by the passage of this
bill to-day.
The motion to postpone until Tuesday
next was tabled.
Mr.. Ingraham-I was in favor of acting
on this bill immediately when it first came
up, but | have since learned that four
months salary are due to the teachers. and
from NY knowledge of the distress to which
they have been subjected, do not think a
half dozen of them are in possession of
their certificates. They have been COM
PEELED to sell them, as Senator Coupland
remarked, to brokers. Nearly all the
money 10 be raised under this bill will 90
directly into the hands of those brokers,
and only a small portion will ever reach
the teachers. ! could 90 on Carondelet
street with fifty thousand dollars, and in
the course of an hour spend the whole of it
in certificates of Indebtedness issued by the
school board to teachers. Ipassed along
St. Charles street a day or two ago and saw
at least twenty of those certificates exposed
for sale. | do not think we should hastily
pass a measure which will only benefit
class OF men who take no interest in public
education except SO tar as it fills their
pockets. l hope the bill will be amended
so as to provide that the money collected
shall be expended only in the purchase Of
fuel and in the payment of those outstand-
ing certificates held by teachers.
Mr.. McMillen moved to strike out five
sixteenths of one per cent, and insert one
sixteenth of one per cent. He remarked
that the latter rate would raise fund of
100000, which would, in his opinion, be
sufficient to relieve the common schools of
the city from their present embarrassment.
Mr.. Campbell seconded the motion.
Carried.
The amendment suggested by Senator