The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1874-09-18
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
A Word About the School levy.

Mr.. EDIToR.-In the conflict now
going on between the school board of
education and the city council in ref
erence to the tax levy for schools,
think the council are right, and hope
that, having carefully examined the
whole subject and given It their pray
erfuI consideration, they will remain
firm and waver not in this, their elev-
enth hour practice of economy.
have always been . warm adVo.
cate for giving all of the children of
the Republic a good and useful educa-
ton, for in this lies the safety OF the
Republic. But, Mr. editor, even In the
cause OF education, prudence and econ
omy are sometimes a necessity, and
perhaps never more so than now. Be-
fore the people had recovered from the
severe monetary panic of last fall
and when all ofus were hopefully look
ing forward to the abundance which In
June last the earth appeared to shadow
forth, came that destructive pest, the
chinch bug, followed very shortly by
the drouth and hot winds, and the
hopes of the people were blasted.
Gloom has taken the place OF the joy
full countenancies that all of our farm
ers wore in theearly summer. The crops
that they have expected to realize have
gone, and instead of large barns and
granaries creaking with their loads OF
cereals, the wind is bowling through
the cracks and chinks with nothing to
impede its progress.
1t appears to the observant mind as
If Providence, as punishment for oul
sins, was dssolating our country
Even the plague of Egypt, the destroy
ing locusts, were sent to CLEAN what
the bugs and drouth had spared. And
hundreds, yea, thousands of our people
are in mourning and prayer fol-
strength to enable them to live 70 an
other season. In this state Of affair
economy Is not only . virtue, but q
stern necessity. In hundreds of cases
children will be kept from school in
consequence of inability on the part Of
parents to furnish suitable clothing fol
their decent appearance. It appears
to me that our school board, (hOnest
and respectable gentlemen as they are
and sincerely DESTROYS as I believe
they are of doing their duty,) do moi
realize the straits of the people. In.
stead of "the songs of children, or the
rich, melOdiOus voices that are wont Il
make the home circle cheerful" as Mr.
McCune in the last Ledger so poetical
ly expressed himself, he might NOR,
truthfully, if not SO POLITICALLY, havt
pictured the walls and grOans of thI
fathers and mothers surrounded By
their weeping children crying 70
bread, as the tax collector seizss thei
last cow to sell to pay the salary of tn
music teacher of their more fortunat
neighbOrs. have no doubt, sir, quot
ing again from Mr.. McCune's able arti
Gle, to snch men there would be sim
mensely more music in the jingle Q
gold and silver, or In the rustling G
sreenbacks" than in the walls of thsl
poor, supperless children as they retir
} to their scantily covered beds.
Instead, Mr.. editor, of the counc
: and school board wrangling any fun
ther over the tax levy fer any purpOs'
let them resolve, until another Gro
comes in, not to spend money for an
/, purpose not absolutely necessary. II
: council, / think, are waking up to tn
a necessity. Some of Its members hay
o practiced thus In their votes fl
months. Others, it Is said, with q Sc
e fish and Interior object, are pIling !
/ the general fund indebtedness with
), view to make the license law pOpula
q If any more money Is to be raised
! the two boards meet In harmony n
. recommend to the people the raising
Is an immediate poor fun d, for 1t "
le never more needed. EcoNoAY.