The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-10-03
rAxEs or mo- scnooI1sa.

We alluded briefly yesterday to the Con-
sentative policy, or rather impolicy, in
regard to our public schools, one that
virtually sets aside the constitutional pro-
vision relating thereto. In this the leaders
of the Conservative party are virtually
venting their spleen on the weakest and
most helpless members of the community,
the wild Arabs of the highways and
hedges. The Christian chiyalry,n which
doubtless sincerely believes it comprises all
thewealth, intelligence and Responsibility in
the community, allows Raleigh Z. Daniel
and other law makers to shut out "the
lamp of life" from these souls benighted,
and then come before the people and claim
all the credit Of establishing and supporting
public free schools Mr.. Daniel doubtless
acted conscientiously in the matter, but he
is so far behind the age that he will never
be able to comprehend that free schools
are intended for the benefit of children and
not of parents.
| But there is worse to come. Narrow
and mean-spirted as is the law, the con-
struction given to. it by our Conservative
city school authorities renders it still
narrower, meancr and more hateful to all
who glove free schools. We are sorry to
see that Mr.. Superintendent Binford has
felt it incumbent upon him to issue the fol-
lowing order:
| Parents and guardians before entering scholars
are notified to pay the state and city capitation
tax Tor 1873. The receipts.for the same MUST be
| shown to the principal of the school before en-
rolment. The state and city collectors are ready
to receive the tax required by law at their res
spective offices. Ie.F- ~ hi s.laiaiT
Here " fathers" are stretched into
parents and guardians" and payment of
the city capitation tax made an essential,
when it is not so required either by the
constitution or the school law. The city
capitation tax is for ssau purposes.n
To use it as an additional barrier
to Keep poor children out
of the public free schools shows how
desperately anxious our Conservative
| rulers must be to extend the blessings of
these institutions among those for whose
benefit the trainers of the constitution
specially intended theml Mr.. Binford
gives an unnecessarily harsh construction
to the law again, when he puts the burthen
of proof on the children. Is it not rather
has business to ascertain the facts in the
case? Considering that it is only within
afew wears that colored children have been
allowed to possess legitimate fathers, and
that even now in regard to many of them
it would be an extremely "wisen child
that knew much about the actual relation
| ship his nominal "daddy" bore him--is it
not an outrage on the poor ignorant child
who wishes to catch glimmer of the
i clamp of life" that our city superintend-
ent slams the door 10 his face until he can
show two tax receipts! 4
/ The Republican doctrine is that free
schools--like the sun--should 'sshine for
all" and be paid for out Of the wealth OF
the state, which is the product of labor,
and of which every laboring man contrib
utes his share. The child educated to-day
at the public expense pays for it when
grown by the increased value it confers
upon him as a member Of society. The
Republicans look to the future the Con-
servatives only to the past, and they hate
the very idea of progress and improve
ment. Here Is the natural dividing line
between the two parties, and it will be
seen to run through all tho operations of
society. i'