The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1879-09-23
The School Question.
EpIToR KENrucKIAN.

EpIToR KENrucKIAN.
Feeling that education, like relig.
ion, should be free as air. desire
respectfully and dispassionalely TO
present u few thoughts Tor the con
sideration OF the people.
Some oi the opponents OF the prop
osition 10 issue bonds for common
school purposes, question the right,
(moral and Legal, TO impose tax upon
the property OF unwilling persons,
tor educational purposes, These per-
SONS say we have no right TO vote a
tax upon our neighbours property
for a purpose TO Which he is opposed
and in which he may in tact have no
personal Understanding childless.
Now, wish to briefly look into
this question. Men have no natural
right'to property. When God created
this earth, lie did not checker it over
with fields and city lots for individu-
ais, but gave it all to all men for u
common heritage. In the natural
condition OF society, the strong OPP
press the weak; the weak cumbiac
against the strong, and the right 10
property is vested In the one able 10
hold it. In forming governments,
man gave up many Of his natural
rights, aud acquired artificial ones ;
among which is the right OF prop
erty," Government is an agreement
among individual men, for The pro-
lection and welfare of all. In gov
ernments, there are necessarily two
divisions OF men, viz: Property hold
ers and non-prOpcrty holders, and in
the formation CT governments, there
is mutual concession Of rights be-
tween these classes.
The non-property holder valves
his light 10 property and receives
from the property holder the con-
cession, that u part Of his property
shall be used for public use, and this
concession gives rise to taxes. The
question is how shall these taxes be
so disposed of that the n0n-property
holder shall receive fair consider
alton for his REIMBURSEMENT Of his
natural right to property. Taxation
merely for the support OF government
if not justice 10 him, for the functions
of governments, are rs necessary TO
the protection of property as Of indi-
viduals. Therefore u certain portion
olthese taxes, have III all governments
been set aside for the special use and
benefit OF non-prUperty holders, an /
out OF them aims houses, hospitals,
asylums for insane, and common
schools are built and maintained'
An English juriSt has said these in
stitutions are not charities, they re-
suit from the obligations that prop
erty owes to society. The right of a
man to enter them is inherent and
arises out of his relation to society.
| have briefly shown the relation OF
the property holder 10 society, show
ing that his right TO his possession is
an artificial not natural ole, and
that for it he in return owes some
thing TO society. Thos. Jefferson in
private writing included education al
cost OF state among the "inaienablt
rights Of man." Daniel Webster in
his famous Bunker Hill speech ell
dorsed this doctrine, and our State
constitution in plain language allirms
it. The property holder cannot just
ly complain OF any infringement Of
rights in tie increase OF tax resulting
from the adoption of the proposition
before the people. When he pur
chased his property in the city Of
lopkiusyille, he knew that by the
constitution and laws of the State il
was subject to tax for Gducationa
purposes and that that tax was liable
10 be increased by legislature ant
municipal action, he knew that thu
public held a lien for educational pur
poses, OH that property, that the con
Itituiion created, and the courts rec
ognized that lein; purchasing with
this knowledge he becomes q con
senting party and cannot plead on in.
fringement of rights. The question
is one Of expediency and not Of right,
DE Novo.