The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-01-21
The SrhooI Question To-day In the House
OF Delegates.


The bill increasing the State school tax
TO % cents on the SlOO comes up us the
special order to-day in the House. 1t is
taken for granted by some persons that
he proposition will meet with favor in
that body because more counties will be
benefited than injured by it. This view
ignores the consideration Of right and
Justice altOgether-or, in other words, the
moral sense Of the Legislature. As opposed
tOthis dollar and cents view, we may men.
tOnthe fact that one member OF the House
has informed us that Notwithstanding the
bill would add something to the school
quotaoi his county, yet, rs matter Of prin.
CPle, hCintcndstO vote against it, believing
lhatit iswrons to increase taxation on one
par Of the State for the benefit OF another
portion. How many others, situated as
he is, will take this view Of the bill re-
mains to be seen when it comes up.
The point to keep in view in consider
ingthis bill is that it presents the arbitra-
r principle in legislation to the full gaze
Of ithe people OF the counties that are to be
iniuredby it. They can not fail to look
upon such u law as species Of confsca-
'iOn by means OF what is known as
brute force" in legislation; or, in other
words, the mere power OF numbers. If it
is right by means OF numbers to thus dis.
crlmlRate against u certain class OF coun-
lies where is the principle to stop? The
present legislature levies 70 cents on them,
and the next may levy 80, and so the levy
may 80 on, by arithmetiCal progression, to
the end otthe chapter.
The argument is that the local levy is
toO high in some Of the school districts Of
some Of the counties. This results in
many cases because the valuation is too
low In others ii results in part from the
iaH that the Legislature has made prac-
lice otercctiDg almost every centre OF pop
U'a''on in the State into IN independent
%Aoo' district, and thus cutting off the i'm
mediate ncighbOrhOOds OF said centers and
throwing them into more sparsely settled
GltFlCts where the tax for few wears
must naturally be higher,-say until such
uRe as the districts are supplied with de-
StabIc school houses.
Since the close OF the war this city has
expended an immense ammount on school
houses The cost OF her various public
SaooI nc. buildings is rising quarter Of q
million OF dollars. To build these houses
.ae total school tax has ranged us high at
""ss us 81 cents on the $lOO, saying
1O'n'0S OF the State levy. The people
HaSe pad these taxes for years, and at the
@u'e lime have carried other very
ouFuehS IN tho way oil
!aSa'lOn' The valuation has been high
"ete 'OFycars past. There is plenty Of
" ,t1' estate that would not to-day sell for
'ne valuation. There has been no time
s,, sa'e the panic when the people here and
elsewhere u havetclt taxation more keenly
'ISn they do to-day, on account Of the do
pres. preston in business AMI the pinch il
, p'oas oialI times it is the most inau
;p'S'Ou' that could be chosen in which Il
Increase taxation. ~ :
~ tAe'e are ways in which the distribut
aOIS school fund of the State can be in
"sa'cd' ,.. aud that is by bringing unde
''h1''on "I such corporations as the Chesa
psaNe l,' a Ohio RaiIroad, and there are way
aso a, Oy which the local levies can be light
.4eu' , aud one Of them is for the Leuislo
iors IocsI 70 ,o,se cease granting exemptions iron