Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1875-02-06
rus COMMON SCHOOL -y>rsN ".
RAILROAD SUBSIDIES.


We published an article yesterday in
which we stated some objections TO sub
sidy bills in general. and remarked that
our conclusions upon the justice or in
justice. policy or impolicy OF this sort
Of legislation were well expressed ia the
so-eallsd anti-subsidy plank OF the Re
publican State Convention which met at
winnemucca last October. We further
more expressed u conviction that mo
erty in q county should be compelled TO
pay taxes thereon. for the benefit Of any
private or quasi public corporation I'M
less he chooses 30 to do The Virginia
Enterprise. ~ was to 10 expected from
its recently assumed position upon the
question Of subsidies. this morning
takes up tho cudsel in opposition. It
brushes us. or rather attempts to do so
by assuming that ''the same argument
has been fought over in regard to taxing
the public generally to raise funds for
school purposes" With due Difference
to the opinion OF the Enterprise We are
prepared to deny either that tho objec-
tons We advance against subsidies are
identical with those raised by opponents
Of the free school system. or that they
at all similar. Oar eommon schools
are public institutions, supported by
revenues derived by taxation. owned and
controlled by the people and admins
tered by officers elected and paid by
thom. They are in no sense either pri-
vate or q.dsi public corPomtions. Ev-
cry citizen in the distriet wherein is To-
| Gated n common school house has just
as much pecuniary interest there.
in as no has in Court
house or other county building.
nan owning real estate or personai prop
| Moreover. he has q voice not only in the
collection. but disbursement Of the revo-
nuss appropriated for school purposes.
Just as he has in that for improvement
Of streets. building Of bridges, etc.
The common school system Is not con-
trolled by private individuals for indi-
vidual profit, bu, by officers elected by
the people and for the public good. II
revenues were derived from the common
school system, they would belong not
to aprivatc incorporation, but TO the
general public. This is not the case
with railroad Interpretations. While
their quasi public character is so far con-
coded that thcy are enabled to condemn
private property for right OF way and
other purposes, while 1t is now claimed
that their rates Of fares and freight are
subjects Of legislative control. it is a
sslf-evident proposition, that farther
than this. they are private institutions,
Incorporated for personal profit, man
aged by officers selected not by the pub
lie, hut by owners OF stock in the road,
aud the revenues Of which are as much
private property as the dividends OF the
Consolidated Virginia. In u wori, rail-
roading. so far rs relates to profits, and
expenses, and general management
(vithin bounds proscribeiby State or Ma
tional L~sgislatares), is private business.
The system o! common schools in all its
departments is a public institution. not
only supported bu, controlled both in
general and in detail. Ivy officers selected
and elected by tho people. We hope the
distinction is made clear to the loeician
OF the Enterprise, aud that hereafter ho
will attack our Republican a~nii-sabsidy
plank in some other quarter than
through the common school system.