Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-08-21
The Avant Courier.
tuesday. AUGUST II. 80
orr SCHOOL AID TIE SpE<SAE
TAX.

On Saturday. tie 30th inst. : tic tin,
Tor holding tie annual election for schnO
district officers. This year RozeBian dis
trict viii elect two irIistees-one for tw,
years and lie othe; for three years. and /;
school district clerk for the ensuing year
The election is % be lJld at the schoo
house. and 'hc polls will " open bttweeI
the hours 81 I. IA. and ! 2. fn.. At the
same time and Place will be submitted tC
the legal electors the proposition TO rails:
$4,000 by special taxation for additiona
school facilities. That i. the pre-err
b-si7io trustees. after making q cart iuI
estimate find that in addition 10 our aT-
portionmcnt 81 the general school fund.
it Mil take The sIE OF $1,000 10 pay salar-
les Of the necessary uuintfr Of teachers in
order TO maintsiE tie school nine months
during the next school year. To raise
$4,000 in this school district. with its pres
ent metes and bounds. viii involve a spe-
cial levy OF from 10 mills on The dollar
on tii- years general assessment. The
special tax TO pay tie interest on the school
house bonds ana TO provide sinking
fund for their redemption, having been
provided tor BY special act OF tie Legisla-
ture and ratified by the qualified roters Of
the district. it becomes the duty Of the
school trustees 10 make the necessary levy
without any further action on the part OF
the people.
Bearing in mini the Importance and
p1.tceitN of rai-irt, .s,I,5if:,ps1 ff.u,1.
the pay Of teachers. the trustee. IL their
last meeting determined 10 levy tie mini
mum tax for the schoo, hoLs, bonds. viz:
3 mills which. il is estimated. viii barely
pay the interest o. the bonds. Til. was
done with a view Of insuring Necessary
school facilitic. tor the children. and. al
The same time. making the burden is light
as possible for tie taxpayers of the dis
trict.
We have deemed it best 70 be thus plain
and explicit, not only because the property
holders Of the district, WHO loot tie bills
have a right 10 know the reason i w and
for what pniposr hey are taxed. bat be
cause We have heard il minated that there
exists some misunderstanding in regard
10 the subject OF the proposed special tax
ito provide additional school facilities
more especially BECAUSE we learn that
there is likely 10 be more or less opposi-
ton TO the measure on its supposed mer-
its.
The direct and Indirect benefits OF prop
en- educational facilities. in any communi-
ty. being SO Numerous and obvious. we
can hardly think il possible that anv
opposition. TO 4 measure 50 in
need 1iry az The proposed spe-
cial tax. can exist in BozeuIdn. The pres
ent neat and conmodioas school house
WAS built, not only without any opposi-
lion 10 speak Of. bat al the urgent request
lrd unqualified approval Of a large major {
ty OF the heaviest taxpayers in the dis {
.rict. and it stands to-day as the only real /
md creditable monument of a dozen L
schemes and generous efforts which from
inc 10 time have engaged the attention Of
he good people 0: BoZeman. The school
building and the very successful and, in
he main. satisfactory school that was c
maintained in it during the past year has c
lone. and is at present doing. more for the .
equation and prosperity of tie town u
han its most sangIline advocates antici- >
'ated or predicted. Although it i bu. =
title past midsummer. not a vacant or I'M N
coupled residence is TO be found in town. :
lille the sound of the hammer and saw t!
to he heard at all hours Of the day. and ?
ew buildings are springing up on almost Ii
very hand. And yet, Wnen the fall term in
school commences, we have every rca- fo
IN 10 believe that we shall not be able to az
rnish accommodations for one-l,alt of e.
re applicants for houses to live in, at -, =,
asst during the winter months i;
But aside from Ill pccuniary advantages pc
mercenary considerations. which we are ab
liberty to accept Or ignore as we deem
ST, we cannot consistently. or on moral - !"
ounds, refuse or neglect to proTide for eI,
e children of the entire district such et!- in.
ational advantages as hey need and op
lst have in order to prepare them for in re:
ligent citizenship and the duties and OBJ ~,
atoms which it implies. This much be- eIe
mes moral obligation from which no wi
ctor or taxpayer can honorably escape me
&c building OF the present school house Gu,
S but recognition Of this principle. no
j the maintaining Of a proper school car
rein will be but he fufiIlment OF. at no,
st. an implied obligation. hin
IT'LL another reason for voting the pro- mol
'ed special tax lies in the fact that the w., We
ncipal, Prof Wylie. has been employed Dlo
another year and the apportionment me
N the general fund will not be much
re than sufficient TO pay bis salary. The q
sfees, acting on their own best jId.-
Mt and. as they believed, tor the best in 1
ests OF the district. and feeling conf mo-
It that the people would sustain them mol
their action. secured tie services of viii
II. Wylie for the next school year at a III I
e when that gentleman had an offer OF lore
ther position and mt higher salary cruz
. he offered 10 remain here for ignf
nder all the circumstances. we think if repl
ardly possible that any formidable OPP can
iiion will be made against the prop gro'
ion tor tie proposed special tax The dou
sral school tax being one mill less than sem
levy last year. and the proposed spe- land
tax for ibis district being the came as Salt
year, The percentage Of taxation for OF u
purposes will be one mill less IN this in til
'ict than il WAS last year. We trust OF
the qualified electors Of school dis
Not Will fake It broad, intelligent ~"N
liberal view Of the whole subject and -,
EAST single vote against the children.
hose future welfare they arc SO deeply par"
csted. nPi'
in hi
us FELLOWS WISE Eyorcu well
TO PLAY THE FOcL.- has
=.