The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-12-28
For the DispaIch.l .a5i
The Debt and the Schools.

lRICHMpND, December 90, 1878.
FLOR the DispaIch.1 .isa&i
The Debt and the Schools.
Pm believer in the doctrine of compen-
sation--in the mixture Of good and evil:
and it ought to be d matter OF coDgratula-
.tion and an suspicious sign OF the times
that the vexed question OF the public debt
OF Virginia and the many difficulties attend
ing. the solution OF our troubles have
aroused such warm friends OF the public
free schools Whether the interest merely
on two thirds OF nlong- past-due obligation,
made to build railways which we use every
day. shall be met or repudiated, the schools
must be sustained. This is all right and
lovely. ,....>,.::.,' - 80
Now, it is respectfully submitted to!the
Legislature that il by law the warrants
issued by school-trustees to the teachers for
their. monthly pay for teaching should,
under well-defned restrictions, be made
/" receivable for all tdres and dues" to the
Commonwealth and the counties and cities,
some of the difficulties would be removed.
Let the experiment be tried for one year
only. Let those orders on the county
treasurer stand son the same footing as the
taX-receivable coupons on the twenty mil
lion consols. The teachers could make
them available. Now the teachers are
shaved, and deeply too. !
TO be sure there is certainly one serious
obstacle in the way. The coupons and the
school warrants would absorb so much OF
the taxes that there might not (ndeed Ger.
tainy would not be sufficient amount OF
currency in the treasury to run the gov
ernment!-i. e., pay legislators and others
in authority.
But let us lock at the equities OF the case,
mot 6 enforced equities" for really justice
Story himself never undertook to define this
modern term-unknown to chancery tribu-
nals).
The public schools are to be maintained
land this is one of the organic and statute
laws which officials do swear to "support
and maintain,") by an express vote OF the
people," large majority I'm adopt
ing the Constitution. And the law for the
establishing the frec-school system is older
than the funding bill. Legislators, under
their eaths, cannot disregard these facts.
We will not say that the schools have prior
lien on The State revenues to the obligations
created by the contract between the State
and the party who loaned money to the
State to build railroads. But. really, services
rendered by the teacher under Il lawful
contract are quite rs worthy Of compensa-
ton as services TO be rendered by State
officers. II you choose, let certificates OF
indebtedness be issued to officials, and make
them receivable for taxes" too.
The truth is that the average man OF the
rura! districts, who is not and never will be
candidate for any Office, has natural in
stincts and principles OF equity which are
formed by bis unseltiSh and disinterested
perceptions of right and wrong. Every
one is, more or less, a chancellor. Tom,
Dick, and Harry reason thus about this
whole matter: Here is fund, composed
partly of coupons and partly Of currency.
The claimants on that fund are-tirst, con-
sol holders; second, peelers; third, regis
tered State debt; fourth, the school fund;
fifth, appropriations by Legislature for run
ming the machinery OF government. We
mention these classes not according to pri-
critics or dignities Of debts, but as classes
only. Now, no human being, readiuster or
otherwise, has ever told us how it was pos
sibte, after the decision OF the Court OF APP
peals, TO evade or avoid the operations OF
the funding bill. The consol-holder (No. ~
holds an execution which he can collect
himself without the aid Of sheriff; and it
is the veriest bosh 10 pretend that the cou-
u
nefas. Well, the man who has the common
old-Geld notions Of equity will say. Let a
pro rata division be made OF the currency
between the other claimants on the fund
thus created.
The proposition thus submitted will, OF
course, not be adopted by the Legislature; ii
for 20 other reason, because officials would
not receive their full pay in money.
But, sooner or later, we must make up
our minds that the only way Of getting out
OF our troubles is to raise the tareS. We
cannot afford much longer TO trifle with that
most valuable OF all resources, the priceless
uaiae of q clean and animpd1ed credit
more valuable to States, and individuals as
well. than any amount OF dollars and cents.
Gentlemen Resdiusters, many Of you are
thoroughly honest in your opinions. Some
OF YOU merit and receive all the good opin-
ion of your countrymen that you can ask
or wish. You may triumph for awhile;
you may obstruct tue settlement OF the
debt question you may constitute a
majority for time in the Legisla-
ture; but you greatly mistake the people.
They may be slow in being aroused; but
you cannot succeed in the end. The great
outside business world, composed OF people
who don't seek or desire office, at home and
abroad, will force you to raise the ta1eS.
Reputation is an expensive luxury in the
end. There are great laws of trade and
business which cannot be "amended and
reGnacted, so as to read as" legislators may
desire. You cannot trifle with these laws
much longer. Legislation may be power
less to compel payment of debts by States,
but there is public opinion outside of the
State-of the great business world-which
Will ompelpayment, or all the disasters at
tendant on broken-down credit will be felt
by the people, who constitute the State"
and the ''hard times" which follow the
paralysis Of credit will become chronic.
ADRIAN PLYNLEY.
Some New Views on the State Debt.