The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-05-24

JOhn hlcIall. we nave reported
the death. by dogs, OF 100 sheep,
within few miles of this place. since
the repeal Of the dog law. We must
have a law to rid the country of these
worthless. ravenous ours. A flock of
81 sheep would furnish clothing and
a considerable amount of food for q
small family.
kent0n.
MAY 81, 1877.
The picnic here on last Saturday
was a success and gave entire satis>
faction to all concerned. Our Sunday
schools were cut en- Hdsse and were
favored with speeches by Revs. NJ.
NJ. Taylor and Joe McCloskey after
which all partook of a real feast by
way Of n basket dinner. In fact the
day was one of pleasure. A genuine
social reunion. Prot. w. f. Shrop-
shire, County Superintendent Obion,
and Marks, of Illinois, on the "Pub>
lie free School Question. Both ac-
quilted themselves creditably, and
certainly convinced all of their un-
prejudiced hearers of the importance
of good free schools. We wish some
of the anti>tax solOns had been here
to have tried to answer the knock
down argument and good logic used
in defense Of the system. Some Of
our Legislators had better beware how
they attempt to stem the tide of pub
lie opinion, We are in favor of re-
farm, but believe that three HUNDRED!
dollars per annum is better expended
when used to employ a superinten>
dent to look after the interest of our
county than is the exorbitant salaries
paid for judges and for prosecuting
criminals and for worthless legislation
and other useless, avoidable and un>
important purposes. We don't say
prosecuting criminals is wreng; but
we say "that an ounce of preventive
is far better than pound Of cure"
and by Furnishing one crime we may
prevent another. But experience
teaches us that ignorance is the most
fruitful source of crime, and inasmuch
as the State has right to puni, h
crime, it has a far greater right to pre-
vent by removing the cause. 1t is
fact beyond dispute that the free
school system educates children at less
expense to the State than the old sys>
tenn. Teachers when they know they
will receive their wages regularly
and promptly, will teach for less than
one-half what they can afford
to charge. The public school
system brings more teachers into
the field and better ones and
arouses competition. A regular sys-
TEN applied to any business econo-
mizes and cheapens labor therein. If
the system increases our taxes five
dollars and lessons our expenses ten
dollars it certainly vesmoney. The
old fogy idea and radical opposition
based on the hollow sophistry that
it is unjust to tax man having no
children to educate, falls to the ground
in this enlightened age as harmless as
the pattering rain upon the solid rock.
Why is it just to tax man 10 sup
port our Judiciary system and the
courts of our country, when probably
he never had a case at law in his life =?
All, you tell us that they reap the
benefits Of good government. Well
SO do these others reap the benefits of
the manifold blessings and advan-
tages which education scatters around
on every side. The quality of gov
ernment, whether good or bad, de-
pends on the intelligence of tie eoun-
try and the man having most pros,
perity enjoys to greater extent the
protection and advantages accruing
therefrom. Our system has defects,
but these defects cannot be remedied
by abolishing the system. Show me
the man blind enough to cast vote
to abolish our republican form of
government, simply because it has
been improperly conducted, and then
we will show you a first-class candi-
date for the lunatic asylum. We
pay our superintendent $500 peI an
mum and he secured $3.50 last year
for our county from the Peabody
fund. People may be misled by en-
emies of the poor man, and by mo-
nopolits and capitalists but where
men unprgudiced fully investigate
the free school question, a decision
will certainly be rendered in favor of
free schools and backed by compul>
sorry law. Begging pardon for trans
crossing your valuable time and col
umns we leave the matter with your
readers.
A light-fngered gentleman at
tempted to b eak into and rob the
residence Of John w. Hallomon, our
popular merchant, on last Thursday
night. Mr.. Ii. shot at him as he
leaped through the open window, and
lodged t, tremendous load of buckshot
in the window>sill. On Friday night
some one (the same gent, probably
broke into Smiths saloon, and stole
some oysters, tobacco, coffee, change
and spiritus f1menti. No clue i'm
either case.
A grand ball is billed for the glo> !
rious old Fourth, and preparations
will be made for a good time.
Tommie Harris sheared two sheep, |
and the wool as clipped weighed II !
pounds. with no burs or unusual
trash in it, either. And stillsthe dog
law stood repealed.
A shorter and better next week.
Yours eggsackly, PRIMUs.