The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1872-01-18

l4aHs- EI lAL NlL-ct4uH- "a ~
ag Tax fer Seho0l Purposes. /
II oT clrIzESs ander-
siga ha been appointed by the
G7lz Eou6 Teachers Association
a. con nittee to address you,
through Pulaski CIuzEE, upon
lie subjeet Of taxation for school
purposes. We are aware that yeu,
BY unwise legislation and the want
Of enconomy, already have q heavy
burdens imposed upoh ron; stu did
We net believe that It would be to
your inseress 60 lefF tax for
school purposes we surely would
aot approach sou upon the sHbject- /
We do not do this in any selfish
spirit As some may think, but for
the public good We believe that,
unless the people of our own State
take this subject into or own hands
and begin to pat into operation 2
q system Of common schools Con
gross will do it for them and il
that event it is, We think, manifest
to every thinking mind what the
would be. In that
event Congress would frame her
own system, appoint her own super
and commissioners reg /
ulate schools in her own way, and
for aught re know pass laws con-
pelling teachers they being Of their
own ssleetion) to admit into the
same school children without dis
tinetion of color, thereby forcing
as to pay the taxes and virtually
excluding ms from the benefits
Of the schools. Then in view Of
this fact as well as Others, We with
confidence approach you.upon this
subject.
The need of a well regulated sys-
tenn OF common. schools, is certainly
obvions to every shrinking person
There is, IN a republic like. onrs.
no better protection to property
than to have an intelligent voting
population. The character Of the
laws, in a great measure, is con :
trolled by what is commonly called
the floating vote, the vote of the is
norant, unedueated class, to which
the unseruRulous and eoErapt poll
ti,ian panders- A common school
system, like the genial rays Of the
sun, will dispense its blessings upon
all classes. elevating. under the
proper instruction, the children
from the lowest gra5leto a position
of respectaBility and intelligence,
making good citizens OF them,
thereby placing the best Of safe
guards around ear own children;
for the adage is certainly true that
8 Evil communications corrupt
good manners. a1se iseai 5
BY educating allsc1asses we would
haze but frw inmates in our jafls,
penitehtiaries and paor-honses, the
cost OF which is unoFmous As a
proof Of the character OF those who
make hp the list 6flthe Grim mails of
our county, reference is made to our
own court house You VII find
with but few exceptions that those
who are arraigned there are igno-
rant, unedueaJsd persons. Then,
we ask, would it not be to our own
interest to levy a small tax to edu-
cate these persons, The blessings of
which, like the image reflected
from the mirror, would revert to Us
again? We should remember that
this tax is not like taxes raised for
ether purposes. The tax payer in
thiss case receives back a part Of it
himself. These are not ali the ben
eats resulting 60 our county from
such a system. It viii bring to our
county a class of good, and intelli-
gent citizens who viii help to build
up churches schools, and enhance
the value Of lands, build up mann
featuring establishments without
which the South viii never, become
self-sustainipg and independent
But tie large lapdholder may say
that BY raising the value Of land
you increase my taxes, We do not
think so: for it viii require the
sans, amount Of means to run the
state government, and if Che lands
Increase in value, the map who
owns q Thousand acres viii haveno
more, taxes to pay than nc now
pays, Besides it vii give him this
advantage; ~ wiil give him 2
chance to dispose &c q part Of his
lands So high prices and invest bis
money in manufacturing establish
l3ents, which, under proper manage
msnt win certainly pay wells Cor
those States which are large MANS
featuring States command mere
capital, aud are the richest States in.
the gnion,
Besides all this, manufactures
create an additional market Cor the
produce Of The former. We Do not
desire to have public schools put
iato operation until We shall hare
money enough &c garry them on
through the scholastic yeaFs UHs
zig then We Yould have the pRl9lie.
money appropriated - pay the fui-
tlon Of sa5seriPsion schools, 90. far as
& ua' 90 The eommiss.Qaers,l uRs
der the provisions Of tAe pEeseat
school lsw, have large discretionary
powers. Let them in tae early past
bf the year anReunee t. the people