The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-01-26
The school Question.
WANAhAoHlR, January -, 1870.
10 the Editor Of Tho Dallas llufald;

WANAhAonln, January q, 1870.
10 the Editor Of Tho Dallas Herald
believing, rs do, that the schoo
question, for the next low years, vii
engender more bitterness aud eXoit,
more discussion than nil other ques
lions, aud as | have not seen IL ANY
paper or heard from any Statesman
or political nsplraut an expose Of VIVA
| conceive To he the correct theory,
ask the permission, through your col
umns, TO submit the following to tn,
public:
II Is not my intention, ut this time
to make an issue with those who he
lieve in compulsory education nor viii
those who do not. Neither Is II my
Intention to make an issue with those
WHO believe IN taxation for general
syslem OF public free schools, nor with
those who believe in taxing to educat,
the INDECENT only, but wish 10 call at.
tention 10 u question OF more vital im-
portance-one that strikes at the very
foundation OF society, ns now oIgan-
lied, and, perhaps, AT Government IT,
self.
Those who bear the burthens OF
Government (pay the taxes should re-
ceve the benefits OF the Government
their dlstributive share of the school
taxi aud those who contribute u gTa-
tuity should be permitted to dis
burse the same. For this reason
| am in favor OF u law requir-
ing the school tax TO be paid into
the County Treasury, except II small
per cent. to be paid into the state
Treasury to make up deficiencies in
poorand unthrifty districts. And am
in favor of the people OF each county
being permitted TO distribute their
taxes among the people who have
borne the burthens. This would be II
protection to the wise, vrtuous, intel.
ligent and thrifty sections of the coun-
try, against the vicious, ignorant aud
indolent sections, because each section
would only be permitted to distribute
that which they had paid. They would
be confined to their own industry and
not ours. Require the money TO be
paid into the County Treasury and the
county to distribute the same, and 1t
would be great saving Of the chill
dren's money and do away with II
swarm OF officials who would be placed
among US to eat out our substance.
The politician and demagogue hope
to stir up strife between the different
religious denomination rs to which
shall be established rs the true church
ana make all the others pay tribute to
1t or else they will make the issue be-
tween infidelity and Christianity aud
make all others pay tribute 10 that,
either OF which would be wrong.
We should act as becometh
wise men-take the world
as we find 1t, and adapt
our law to the wants and necessities of
society as now organized, dividing
equally the benefits and burthens OF
Ihe government among them all, We
have many different religious denomi-
nations, each bearing their respective
portions OF the burthens Of govern
ment, and each should receive their
portion of her bounty. The
object is not to build up sectarianism,
out to educate the children and let So
,iety move on as we now lind 1t Or
,anized. We should not make n reli-
yious test for any purpose. Our object
should be "eqUal and exact justice to
Ill, aud exclusive privileges to none.n
70 illustrate my idea / will take the
Baptist denomination. Say | am at
heir school-house. They inform me
hat they have one hundred pupils
within the scholastic age, and that
heir free school fund is so much per
pupil. inform them that the Presby-
erans have two hundred, and that the
have three hundred, and
he EpiscOpalians fifty, but | tell the
3aptlsts that they are the true church,
md that all the other denominations
ire wrong and sectarian. /, therefore,
propose to take the free school money
If all the other denominations
md put it into yonr church.
say it is a libel upon that time-honor-
d Christian denomination to say that
hey would accept it, and so of every
,ther denomination in my opinion.
If we deprive any religious denomi-
lation of their pro rata share of the
chool fund it must be upon the ground
hat they are wrong. And If they are
wrong then it is the duty of the State
o enact such laws, with such penal
les, as will suppress them and if neces-
ary resort to the sword. And who
,ver contends for this is a rebel against
he Constitution and free Government.
Now, to those who are in favor of
education and a large tax
or school purposes-if such things
INST he LET us have them upon an