Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-11-14
THE SCHOOL TAX.
e.ult OF Our Interview with Mayer
League Yestersay-His Honor
Tells what he Knows.
He is in Favor OF the Schools, and Be-
lieVts they Must be Supported
What he has Bone and
viii Do.

What he has Done and
VIII Do.
In pursuance of our determination to
thoroughly investigate the schOol-tax
question we detailed a reporter to call
upon the Mayor yesterday, when the
| following important information was
had:
Reporter Mayor League, came to
interview you upon the subject pertain
ing to the Memphis city schools, which
you know are now claiming much pub
lie attention.
Mayor Loague-There is nothing, in
my opinion, which is as much deserving
Of the cordial support of every good
citizen who is desirou5 OF having peO-
pie to be prosperous and hsppy as the
maintenance Of public schools.
Reporter-In view of this opinion
what measures have you suggested to
the city council in regard to the Rd-
vancemeDt Of the public educational in
terests of Memphis?
Mavor Loague-At the first meeting
Of the general council in February, 1874,
in the first communication which !, as
mayor, had the pleasure of transmitting
to them, called the attention OF the
members to the Importance, l might
add, the necessity of maintaining the
school tax, and thereby perpetaating,
in so far as they were able to do under
the law, the public schools OF the city.
Reporter-What did you then COM
municate upon this subject? Doyou re-
| member the language used.
Mayor LOague-I have here in The Of
| flee printed copy Of my message. The
mayor here drew from his desk the mes
sage at that time transmitted by him to
| the general council. He then said J
81 re is the exact language l used:
''Gentlemen, you will be called upon to
| levy and collect taxes for educational,
purposes; in doing so, let it be remem-
| bered that nothing tends more to the
happiness of the citizens, the increase OF
population and wealth, than the acqui-!
sition of knowledge. The friends Of
education-and who is not?-may with
pleasure point to our city as enjoying
rare opportunities for the dissemination
of useful knowledge through the agency
Of our public schools, colleges and con-
ven,s." would state, in this connec-
ton, thst when the time came to levy a
tax upon the assessment for the forty
seventh corporate year, recommended
to the general council the same rate of
taxation as had been fixed the year pre-
Viuus.
RepOrter-What wss that rate?
Mayor Losgue-It was thirty cents on
each hundred dollars worth Of taxable
property.
Reporter-What amount of money
would this rate raise?
Mayor Loague-This would realize
about SS4 900, which together with
money received from the State and
county treasury, would be more than
sufficient to defrsy the public expenses
of our schools. This was the recon-
mendatiOn and this the language used
TO the general council on the twelfth of
Nav, 1874. The council, however, fixed
the rate at 20 cents, which will only re-
alize $50, ,079 43.
RepOrter-What amount of money is
due from the city to the board of educa-
ton?
Mayor Loague-Not one dollar. Per-
haps, you are not aware, that as the
tax-cOllectOr collects the revenue he
pays the same direct to the board of ed
ucation every Monday morning, so that
the city has not now nor has had for
many years, any of the schoOl-tax in its
custody.
Reporter-Why then has the board Of
education requested you as mayor Of the
city to comply with the requirement of
the school charter in the payment Of
$50, 600 per annum for school building
purposes?
Mayor Loague-The resolution to
which you refer makes it incumbent
upon 1.-THE finance committee, with the
president OF the board of education" to
wait upon the mayor in reference to the
matter. The finance committee have
not yet called to see me about this mat
ter, in lieu of which, however, Mr.
Kortrecht has addressed me the follow
ing communication, which, l suppose,
will give the answer desired to the ques-
ton you ask as to the reason Of the Teso-
luton. Here is the letter:
OFFICE OF BOARD OF EDUCATION }
MEMPHIS, Tenn, November II, 1874.
Hon. John League, Mayor OF Memphis:
DEAR SRI inciose you herein copy
Of a resolution adopted by the board Of
education of Memphis at its regular
meeting on Monday evening last. l
have concluded that the best way for me
10 perform the duty imposed upon me
copy of it, and ask you TO respond in
writing. Should your answer indicate
a prospect of any benefit to the schools
by 8 personal interview OF the finance
committee of the school board and my
self with you, we will take pleasure In
calling to see you. 1t is proper to add
| that the present pressing needs of the
school board for its instalments, now past
Ndue, Of the building fund from the city
authorities, is to enable the board to pay
debts contracted during the past two
years in the purchase of lots and erec-
| ton of school buildings now in use by
the schools. Very respectfully your
obedient servant,
President Board Of Education OF Memphis.
Reporter-Suppose they do come,
what then about the bOnds-are you
prepared to issue them?
Mayor Loague-Well, at present, and
since I came into office, there are no
! blank bonds on hand to fill up for the
purpose of giving the board OF educa-
ton, and l would not feel justified in in
curing the expense Of having the bonds
| Autographed or engraved without the
authority of the general council. And
even were the blank bonds furnished to
me, it would be necessary for the city
attorney to give an opinion whether the
city has right to issue bonds without
| first submitting the question to vote of
the people. OF course, you are familiar
with that part OF the constitution which
was adopted to stop public abuse in the
J issuance of bonds, which reads as fol-
lows: "But the credit of no county, city,
OF town shall be given or loaned to or in
aid of any person, company, associs-
ton, or corporation, except upon an
election to be first held by the qualified
voters of such county, city, or town,
and the assent of three-fourths of the
votes cast at said election."' Then,
again, If they have the bonds they
couldn't possibly be of any use to
them.
Reporter-Why could they not be of
any use to them?
Mayor Losgue-Because the supreme
court has decided that bonds cannot be
used for less than their par value. With
that, however, have nothing to do.
RepOrter-Then it is not probable that
the board of education will receive the
required $50, 900?
Mayor Loague-I am not able to an
swer this question. Some of our very
I best citizens are now litigating with the
!. city, denying the city's right TO buy or