The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1877-06-10
THE SCHOOL QUESTION,


WIZ No hH""'" WV w" w.
There can bo no question but the ln'
nuonoes are operating, both openly
and secretly, 10 cover with oyerWhelm'
ing defeat tho proposition now sub
mitted to the people Of Dallas, 10 vote
a tax upon themselves for the support
OF public free schools
These Influences are only inelden'
tally brought 10 public attention, ANA
the people, whose hearts are IN the.
great work Of public education,
excellent schools and u higher do
yelopment are lulled into fnoled
security under the belief that the IN
telllgont public sentiment Of Dallas
wjllmost certainly carry tho PROPOSE
ton submitted TO vote on the 10Th
proXlmo.
In this, never were the advocates of
measure destined 10 greater dlHnp'
polnment, unless every energy be
arouoed TO the task Of compelling sue
cess.
There aro seventeen hundred tax
payers enrolled upon the tax-lisl fthe
city Of Dallaa, aud their property reps
resents u valuation approXlmatlng 81
100000. No man can cast u vote on
the 10th OF June, unless he DO num-
berod among these seventeen hun
dred, No tax can be levied unless two
thirds Of those, 1900 property owners
40 decree by their votes of the polls
II loss than two.thlrds Of this number
be cast the proposition IL lost There
may not be over One-ihlrd ofseventeen
hundred votes cast against the pro-
posed tax, yet this will not alter the
ease. II Ia an dbsoiUtc requirement N
the ldtD lhat twO.thirds Of the property
owners represented upon the latest as'
sessment rolls Of the city shall vote the
tax. In other words, before the tax
can loo bound to support the c0ntem-
plated system of public schools for this
city, eleven hundred and thirty-four
votes must be cast In favor OF the
measure Thus our re aders will plain
ly perceive the full scope and verge OF
the work In hand and the supreme
necessity OF the most active exertlons
to achieve success The law author
izes citios to levy tax IA high ~ ole
per cent, for the support OF it, schools.
In their wisdom the council have only
authorized one.fOurth of one per cent.
to lie levied. This tax will produce n
yearly revenue Of ten thousand dollars.
The totnl valuation OF the property OF
the county of Dallas il about
So 900, OO0, and OF that sum the city
pays one.half and IL therefore entitled
to one.half of the school fund due
from the state. This would add $4,000
more to the school fund of the city,
thus giving us 100000 year for the
erection of substantial school buildings
and the maintenance of qualified
teachers,
With this fund Dallas should cstab-
lish, under wise and benetlcent man
agement, schools that would be models
for the state and credit to the city.
They would be the means of inviting
into our midst those parents who have
experienced in other states the immeas-
urable advantages of public schools.
| They will offer to the mechanic and
TO the professional man-to all those
in ordinary circumstances in life
! those educational facilities that, in
this age, IL would be n crime to with
hold. Estimating the value OF prop.
erty in this city to he "a, $50, 900, divided
among 1900 people, there would be
an average ownership of $500 worth
Of realty. At this rate, each property
owner would pay N.2o per anhum M
"A school tax. What family, having
two or more children, can presume to
educate them for that sum?
What properly owner animated 10y
u desire to promote the highest inter
ests of his city, to exalt, ennoble and
truly educate our children, would RE-
fuse this pittance when demanded
But, Ms remarked, unless every energy
he bent to the task of carrying the
proposition submitted, inevitable de-
feat will wait upon our negligence and
almost criminal inactivity, and Dali
! las will write herself down with untold
shame and disgrace Ms the opponent OF
education and free schools.
b. Meyer will take any kind of
valuables In pawn,-t