The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-08-08
The State Debt and the Free Schools.

Editors VALLEY Nirginian:-It seems We
are to have free fight i'll this Congression-
al District,a the State debt is to be brought
into the canvass. Perhaps this is all well
enough. 1t will tend to lead to settlement
of the question right or wrong. According
to my way of thinking, Messrs. Editors, the
way parties are dividing, both have been and
continue, and, perhaps, will continue in the
wrong.
have been taught to believe that if you
expect to cure disease, you must remove
the cause. So in this matter we must strike
at the cause. No man of observation can
shut his eyes to the fact that the adoption OF
the free school system, as it was adopted,
has been the fruitful source OF our present
troubles on the State debt question. Here
lies the trouble, and how are we to mend it.?
The remedy, in my humble judgment, is
simple and easy.-Amend the Constitution
relieving property from taxation for school
purposes, do away with the present system
of free schools -give the schools the capita
ton tax, in connection with the Literary
fund; put the management in the hands of
the counties and thereby cut off the present
and most expensive system.
In the meantime, whilst we are amending
the Constitution, let US have back at least
the $500, 900 annually for five years that has
been levied OIL property in advance of the
requirements of the Constitution and paid
for school purposes. Then we will ask the
creditors to reduce their rate of interest to
four per cent. By this process we will have
at present taxation, annually, fund OF at
least ST, 200, 0O0 $4,000 900 in five years.
Can't politicians even give up entirely, if
| necessary, or modify this existing school
| system and save the State from entire repu-
diation or heavy taxation. to payup the
debt, principal and interest at the rate of
six per centum per annum?
have been somewhat amused, Messrs.
Editors, at the course of politicians, both
bond payers and re-adjusters. Both profess
great reverence for the Constitution with ref
erence to the school question, and you hard
ly ever hear any of them with reference to
the State debt. have looked into the Con-
stltution and find the following
The Sth section of the Sth article provides
that the Legislature shall provide for a tax
on property for school purposes. The Sth
section Of the 10th article provides that the
Legislature shall provide a sinking fund for
the payment of the State debt. Both are
mandatory. but going little further and we
meet the goth section of the 10th article,
limiting the powers of the Legislature in
imposing taxes, to an amount necessary for
the support of government and to pay the
existing indebtedness of the State-nOthng
about the schools. Now if we give the term
necessary strict construction, and hold that
the limitation in the powers given the Leg
islature are under the grant Of powers, free
schools are out in the cold, at any rate they
can only come in by their advocates showing
that they are necessary to the preservation
of the body polite and maintenance of So
cial order. Yet we hear great clamor about
this constitutional obligation: whilst the
Constitution not only requires the Legsla-
ture to pay the debt but gives the power
clearly and directly to levy the necessary
| taxes.
If these questions are to be brought into
the Congressional canvass, and we are to
have free fight, and believing there are
hundreds of able men in the district who
hold views similar to those herein feebly ex-
pressed, can't we have candidate OF that
stripe? As parties are now divided, the sue
cess of the one must lead to the shameful
reputation of the debt of the State, with a
violation of the Constitution; of the other an
Increase of taxation that must bear the peo-
pie down for a whole generation.
| JUSTICE.