National Republican., 1878-04-29

Controller Of the present condition Of the District
treasury, and his carefully prepared estimates Of
the fiscal year show an estimated balance in the |
treasury on the aOth OF June next Of only sS4l!I5
SS snT sH on @ 20 o hS scheo
beyond the cnd Of the present month. You Will
please take the necessary steps for the execution OF
''' ''' W. DENNIsoN.
g. l.. PHELPS.
Commissioners u. c.
The communication referred to from Auditor
vinson dated Saturday states THE balance in the
United States Treasury TO the credit OF the District
to-day after dcductug the audlts Of yesterday and
warrants drawn aud not yet cashed, Is sl69 1855
This balance includes the sum Of si032S.62 Of the
water fund 5000 Of the poor fund derived from
the appropriation by Congress net approved April
I. lsIs, for improving the grounds south Of the
Capitol, and supplying medical attendance. ~edi:
cine and food for the poor, and can bo legally used
only for the specific purposes To which they are ap.
nroprated. Dcducting these amounts from the
balance IN the Treasury. there will remain TO the
credit of the District subject TO dram for general
purposeS the sum Of sli3Gi9.la. Add to this the
est mated revenues by the collector from aA
ources stated In his letter Of the 10Th inst. $780,
f0n, the actual and estimated receipts to the end Of
the fiscal year will he Sdl36iHl2. The eSpendi-
lures by the District government for current ex:
prSes exclusive OF salare; Of teachers and school
bills aud charges on account Of the water depart
mcut are estimated for. the balance OF April SO.
-N.6s and Of May and June slidGO; making total
Sloi2Ii.6S.
"Dciucting this amount from the actual and estI.
mated receipts, there will he LEFT the sum Of sos.
il7ii. OF this amount there will be required to
refund the United states for advances made by the
STSESr G Of tGe LFspry for the G9mmS%nSTs
Of the revenues OF the District or before the
pirati0n Of the 6scal year ending June 81, 1873
SiJIuOO leaving estimated balances on hand June
%, 1878, SsIl7.tL."
ACTION To Re TAKEN TO-DAY.
To-day the committee OF the School Board on
le esislatiUn-Mcssrs. Lloyd, Brooks and Hovey-
will wait upon the District Committees and urge
upon them the Importance Of making the necessary
appropriations to prevent the closing Of the schools
They will urge haSty, action 70 prevent the
schools from being closed at this time because Of
the great harm It would do the community, and
especially the children who will be prevented from
passing the required examination for rromntion to
graduation. The public schools serve rs n prOtec.
tion against many deprcdatlons that would he
committed by children running al large in the
streets during the long vacation OF four months
which the closing Of the schools would force. 1t
will also be shown that the results Of the whole Of
the present school year will be lost II the schools
are forced to he closed before the grades com
plcted and the pupils eTamined and tho record
a. q delay Of two weeks would render 1t unneces.
| sSry To- net for t.Iis school year.
The last proposition. 10 permit the Commissioners
rfthc District Of Columbia to retain $4,000 Of the
si0lO0O now III the Treasury to reimburse the
United States will be urged
A sCHOoLB0Y's SUGGESTION.
WASHiSGToS, d. C., April q. 1873.
| EdGIr NdtiOHd! r. publican:
| DEAR SIR: The school fund having given out,
there is no money len to run our school Now, Mr..
| Editor am a schuobOy and Us our parents aud
| guardians don't seem u want TO take any action
| IN this important matter. J. sChoOlbDy. Will
What would become Of Us smart scholar by having
IN loaf around this town for the next four months
II would breed more idlcpcss and loafers than two
years Of steady schooling could repair, would
meeting In C some % public % hall in our city. % and each
one should subscribe as much as possible. Every
parent In this city. even the poorest, would sub.
schools II each parent woald subscribe 81 only
1t would be enough - run the schools inr two more
months. let Us show Congress that We can do some.
thing To help ourselves. even II they won't help us.
Respectfully, ASCHOOLDOY.
AN ExTRUsrEE's VIEWS.
Elitor National RepuJlicdn:
| Day amer tomorrow thousands Of children are
TO be turned away from the doors of our school
houses because mean and niggartlly majority in
the House OF Representatives will not do It's plain
duty. say plain duty because maintain and al.
ways have maintained. that It was the duty OF Con-
gress to aid In the support OF the schools OF this
District. Whenever aid Is asked We urc met with
the question and remark, Why don't your people
educate your own children? We have Il 10 do in
our State" Again, some demaguguc will get up in
his place IN the House OF Representatives and dc.
Clarc that he is not going 10 tax his constituents to
educate the children Of the people III the District
Of Columbia.
The people Of the District have never asked Con.
gTess to do that. They nre amply able and willing
10 educate the children who have q right to de.
mand an education at their hands; but they do oh.
cct to supporting schools for the benefit and ad.
vantage Of people who have no interest in the bis
trict other than to draw their salaries from the
Federal Treasury. Nearly all of the, Government
clerks and other employees who are located IN the
Capital temporarily, who are not property holders
who do moi pay dollar for the support OF educl
ton and Whose residence here depends entirely
to our public schools. Members Of Congress. too
avail themselves of our schools for their children
and wards. Is II Il fair thing that our Taxpayer,
|
Nearly all the States aud Territories have been
favored with liberal grants Of public lands fol
vain for such aid. The citizen Of any one Of tho
states that has received such aid who comes here
clerk sends his child 10 our schools and 1t costs
+ him nothing while he leaves for some one else III
, his own State the advantage which has been con
!crrcd by liberal donation OF land. served OF
) tho School Board for several year,, and on com
mittee which made 1t necessary for me TO carefully
study this subject, and assert, without the slight
est fear Of successful contradiction, thai, were 4
not for the children OF Government employees, ou
! citizens could and would support the Schools anC
! would never think Of asking II dollar from Con
grcss These children must, Of course DG Cdu
Casci but there l. neither reason nor justice in ask
lug the people OF the District 70 educate them; RnC
stitucnts to educate the children OF the District
Il Columbia he does not know what he Is Mlkn
:, about. Respectfully, &C., AN EX.TRUSTEE
=: APRIL Is, ls's.
! APLAN PROPOSED.
Mr. james Mckenzie, In a communication q ne
!; sIeuking Of the large number OF children Of non
. taxpuyeTs In the schools, prupOcs the following
"Now II the parents of these nonresident chill
U drcu would contribute from their private mean
: oue.tllird Of the amount that would be nCCessar.
I to maintain their children IN private Institutions q
learning ahug. ling equal facilities with our puDli
schools the aggregate would he sufficient To kce
the schools open for another month at least, whs
tic schools could be CluScd without dctrimGnt l.
any Interest involved. This plan would not com
promise amy official by lnCurriug unlawful debt o
|. responsibility, nor conflict with any resolution
4 Congress and may possibly be the means of msuI
II ing funds to keep the schools open, and withuu
n delay imasnuCh as an immediate and suitable uI
II pllcutOn could be made by circular % each paTer
Il and written response obniucl by May l."
# OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
{ There was never a question before Congress 4
y which more families Ia this District were Intel
Z estel than that which Is IA determine whether Oh
' nuhlIC schools will be continued after 3Oh nstan
10 20 Uy children TO and their pnTcuS and friend
Z il l. vital question. How much OF luiure Cha
u Hrter and success may depend upon II CaunOt b
u caly told II Is not the los Of six eight week
r time merely that will bs dcplored but IN grer
degree the entire school year Will be lost u Tn
scholars unless they can conclude their course, III
dcTgu their examinations, and receive their pre-
q mutiuns and transfers. preparatory 10 entering
IL higher grade next year II they drop out whcT
, they now are they will be generally obliged TO y
I back next fall and begin where they did last ml
u Congress should not hesitate one hOnr In wCighin
suCh a catastrophe as against the appropriation
a few th0lbund dollars. The hands Uf the DEtrit
ss Commissioners are legally tied or they migl
e anticipate the appropriation and allow the schOo
e 10 20 on A. II is the whole responsibility seems
be with Congress. That they will come 70 q