The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1877-06-17

Dallas, Texas, June H. ls57.
The School raN-SAfcguards Demand
"d-The People are Awake-Light IN
! wanted.
10 the Editor OF The Herald
lnyour Friday morning issue appears
two articles on the free school question,
both full of good, sound sense. The
one of Taxpayer" especially strikes at
the root Of the growing discomfort on
this subject, am decidedly in favor
OF free schools, and had determined to
vote for the tax, hoping that some plan
would be adopted by the city council
for organization of the schools and
expenditure Of the money, and think
the best thing to be done is to postpone
the election until somo feasible plan is
presented and guarantees given that il
will be carried ont, remember the
Central railroad tax of one hundred
acres Of land and $1,000 in money, the
Texas and Pacific business, the market
house job, tho attempted water works
scheme, and the Dallas and Wichita
tax, and how it redounded to the
interest Of few men at the expense
Of the many, There are many men in
favor of the school tax for the honest
purposes for which il is intended, but
with the memory of the bad
management of our city affairs, and
the everlasting fear of rings, ciques
and jobs will cast their votes against it.
The truth is that the majority of the
taxpayers get no benefit from the city
government, and the people are grow.
ing weary of constant taxation and un-
equal distribution of iavors, and fear
that if the tax is voted, some wards of
the city will receive nearly or quito all
the benefits. think all arguments now
being advanced on the streets and in
circulars against this tax are purile, and
fade into significance before the ideas
suggested by Taxpayer | take it
that the city council will do the best
they can. If any of them are familiar
with the economical and systematic
working Of free schools" they have not
yet made it known, | am satisfied
nothing will benefit us half so much as
a good system of free Schools but
what is the plan? How many school
houses in each word2 What kind of
school-houses ? Where located? Who
is going to give lot or ask two prices
for one, to build n house on2 How
many more officers will it take to dis
burse this money! How many times
during the week will the coun-
ell meet before they can agree
upon plan to satisfy the
greatest number All these and many
other considerations will be brought to
bear on this subject After the tax is
voted, now why not have all this mat
ter settled beforehand. | know OF no
plan to suggest, but there are doubtless
those among us who do know. But one
thing | do know that will not vote for
the tax now, and then heap abuse upon
the council because they do not give me
the benefits of it afterwards. ! am in
favor of the best system of free schools
we can adopt, and am in favor of
heavier tax than the one proposed, if
necessary. But want to know if | am
to get my part of the benefits. If the
tax should be carried and a good sys-
TEN adopted, | will he thankful and
will cheerfally pay my part, only
give these ideas for what they are worth,
and because never will vote u tax UNI
less there is well.dehned plan for car
rying out its purposes. To establish
free schools is term too vague and
indefinite for me, | honestly believe
the measure will be defeated, unless the
election is postponed, and some plan
suggested to quiet the fears based on the
ideas above, and suggested by TAX
Payer"
do not desire to soc it defeated, but
give you the reason why many will vote
against it who want more light on the
subject, and are afraid to take the risk
of going it blind" lregard as puerile
and foolish such reasons, when urged
against the tax as already overtaXed,'
"mixed schools" II have no children to
educate" Yankee school marm,' the
education of the negro" and 81 am able
to educate my own children" and my
children would be Stunned If they 90 to
a free school," etc, etc Those who adj
vance such arguments lay themselves
open to most ridiculous and disas-
trous defeat, if they expect to convince
any one by them. 1t appears to me, Mr..
Editor, that a mere matter Of business
would prompt man to know how the
money is to be expended, and how he
is to derive the benefits therefrom, and
| do hope the council will postpone the
election until we can see further, for ]
fear defeat, which will be disastrous to
our city in the eyes of those not know
ing the surrounding circumstances.
Yours N.