Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-05-20
Z .:Farmer" Auswers Supt. Gnv.

AlR. EDIT0R.-In your paper OF last week
there appears communication from the Coun-
ty Superintendent Of Schools, 10 which occurs
the following remark able sentence " We must,
therefore, and do ROW appeal to the people gen
orally, to require every candidate for the Office
of supervisor to declare distinctly bis views up
On the school question. Do not allow yourselves
| TO be deceived By trusting to any one who Is
non-committal on this subject. This decara-
| ton carries the public school system In bold
| and unequiVocal, not to say offensive, manner
into the arena Of politics. The people are en-
i3ined 10 emphatic almost imperative terms,
to trust no mao, however wise, honest judici-
GUS and patriotic be may be, except upon
pledges to iavourably respond to the demand
OF the school board for funds for school pur-
poses. | do not propose to discuss the pro-
prlety and wisdom OF his c0urse-ne'ther do
intend to remark upon the c0nsoDance with
good taste and modesty Of officers who live by
the administration OF q system 50 oppressive in
appealing TO the people generally" to see that
only those are elected to the office Of supervisor
who will go TO the extent OF the law In the i'm
position of taxes. And especially when those
most likely to be Influenced by such appeals, are
just those who will not touch so much as with
the little finger the heavy burdens they bind
for the shoulders of the people.
The reasons assigned by the County Super
iatendeut Of schools, for his bold and dashiug
entrance upon the dusty arena of politics are
First
That tic Legislature has taken from tho
people the power to Tote q tax for school pur-
poses. A most wise and judicious piscs Of
leg slatiou for which honour cur law makers.
Fer tbs thing Of allowing people who pay no
taxes, 20 impose by their votes and for their
special benei., taxes upon the property of 9th
er people, is too much like the monkey usin z
the cats paws to draw the roasted chesnuts
from fire to reinaio long upon tos statute book
of sn enlightened people.
The second reason is the repeal Of the dog
tax" The force and pertinency OF which rea
son do not exactly see. The legislature refuses
TO tax dogs. Therefore the public freq school
system must be carried into politics. A re-
fusal to tag jsckssses would, it seems to me, be
reason equally good. But the ''greater rea-
SOD, " like the better wine, Is reserved for the
last AID most marvellous enc it is. One
that man, not at least Go. Supt. of Schools
would have thought Of presenting. It is this !:
The county Of Augusta pays into the State Urea
sury SIG, 400 school tax and under this equi-
table and beautiful system, draws theretr0m
IS, 200 Just half the amount paid 10. There
fore her people ought TO see to it that no man
gets into the office CT supervisor who is not
tent allowed by law. | do not see how any
voter can be so lost to every noble impulse as to
resist it. Pay into the Treasury of the State
for schools SIC, 400 and get back SIS 200. Why
a system whose fairness is illustrated by such
fact, must so commend itself to the people, that
ia a spirit Of generous and grateful magnauim
ity they will, without regard TO race, color or
previous condition elect supervisors with the
sole and single qualification that they are pledg-
ed to impose IS heavy burdens upon the people
as the law will permit. | had thought that the
system Of public free school education would
have been content With taking from the parent
the God-lmposed duty of training and educat-
ing his child. Bot [ was mistaken. The sys-
tenn is as Unsuitable as the daughters Of the
horse leech.' And nothing short, it seems. of
debating to the people for whom they shall
vote will satisfy it. But [ must exonerate the
County Supt. of Schools from originating
this bold raid upon the polls on the fourth
Thursday of May. A pamphlet bearing the
isa.primotay of the Superintendent OF Public
Instruction has been distributed through the
State, in which this matter is urged upon the
people il strong and emphatic language. So
that the attempt to control the May election is
CO. extensive with the State. And unless the
introduction of this disturbing element into our
elections meets with such rebuke from the