National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-05-16
SHAM CONSERVATION AND FREE
9TunnId

SHAM CONSERVATISM AND FREE
SCHOOLS.
The SLOW progress made In educational
matters in Virginia IL shown by the fact that
in 1850 the total expenditures of the State for
schools Of all kinds was sl, $50, $40, while In
1870 it was 81, 1859. The intervening war
had much TO do with this decrease, which,
compared with the average increase through
out the United States Is simply shameful.
In 1870, with population of l,22j 1853, Nir-
vinia had ls9 public or free schools, with III
teachers, and s, 100 pupils the total expense
Of the up?ort Of which was sqS,IiO per an
mum. At the same period the District Of Co
lumbia, with population OF lSl, 100 had
2l6 schools, with 2lS teachers, the total ex-
pense Of which was si39, go. 1n other words,
with about one ninth Of the population OF
Virginia the District expended s34l, l59 more
for the same object. At the same time Wis
consin, with q population Of 1,064,9sS bad
s,S5o schools with 1909 teachers, and 3S1,OOS
pupils the annual expense OF which was
S2,a00, ,3s4. The comparison OF these figures
with those Of Virginia needs no com
meut. But since the census OF 1870
Virginia claims TO have made her greatest |
progress. From the report Of Superin- |
tendent Ruffner we learn that, notwithstand- |
ing the mandatory provisions Of tho consti- |
tuition, framed and adopted by Republicans,
Of the ninety-nine counties and six cities OF
the State entitled TO school superintendent
there are fifteen counties In which no school
system has been organized that the total
value Of the free-school property in the State
is only sSs7, ,GT2, or s52, 257 less than the Dis
trict expeuds on Its schools each year; and
that the average salary paid to the 3,S63
teachers now employed Is s29.sl per month,
or less than a dollar a day. The average at
tendance Of pupils Is only 95, ,4ss. This start
ling array Of facts selected hastily and with
llbcrallty towards the State, is sufficient
answer to the boasts Of the Conservatives OF
the OH Dominion that under their admins
tration they have made the frce-school system
success. success, indeed, when teachers
are paid less than ordinary day-laborers re-
ceivc in Richmond! The pol-tax, the literary
fund, donations from the Peabody fund, aud
income from other sources, are devoted TO
the support of the system. The expendi-
tures, except In Richmond, for the erection
Of buildings, have been niggardly, as the
county buildings arc little better, and in
many instances not as good, as the sheds un-
der which the farmers protect their cattle
from the rigors of winter storms. There Is,
then, no excuse for the beggarly salaries paid
to teachers, and the only explanation OF the
present deplorabc situation Is the absence OF
all interest In tho systcnA or the presence Of
desire to witness Its speedy failure, which
Is the most probable. We do not expect that
Virginia will do as well as Massachusetts, In
which State the average cost Of the educa-
tion Of each ono of the 80 2s4 pupils In the
public schools Is s3357 year, or as Illinois,
which, with a population little more than
double that Of our Conservative neighbor,
has 1889 schools, 20924 teachers, and a
total valuation OF school buildings amount
ing to sl9, ,S76 70S. We mention these facts
to show the difference In the progress OF pub
lie education between Republican States and
such sham Conservative States as Virginia,
even when the latter, Notwithstanding the
impoycrlshment Of the war, has wise and
liberal provisions, in addition 10 mandatory
constitutional requirements, for the support
of It's public schools. The great trouble after
all Is a dlslncllnation to educate the blacks.
THE BILL pending In tho District Legisla-
ture for tho benefit Of the Washington and
Point Lookout railroad, providing for the
exemption from taxation Of "all property OF
the company, Its stocks, bonds, &c, forever" "
Is Ubiquitous In the extreme, and should not
pass. In States and Other cities where such
unguarded and such unlimited franchises
have been granted 1t has been found that
they have been abused. This Is notably the
fact in South Carolina, the leading railroad
of which State, under q similar franchise
nwns miIIlnns of dollars In real estate. some