Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-02-28
Dailu krnnehrr .5ournal.
Extracts from the Remarks OF Hon. T.. c.
FarringtOn,

harrington,
/ IN IfOtsE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, Feb. "A, on the
question of diyerting the School Mill Tax for the
/ purpose of paying the current expenses ofthe state.
MIR. SPEAKER The question before u.s. ask
ing that wedivert the "school mill tax" which
! belongs to the towns in the State for COM
mon school purposes. and use it to meet the
current expenses of the State, is well calcu-
lated to alarm every friend of education and
raise the issue, whether the children of the
working men and women Of this State shall
have an equal chance with the children of
those who know not what it is to struggle
against the adversities of life, to secure to
themselves its limited but hard earned COM
forts.
BY the passage of this and other measures
affecting our common schools, YOU propose
by an INSCRIPTIONS blow TO destroy the fond
est hope of the lab0rng people ofthis State to
give their children an education that will allow
them to measure intellectual 'lances with.
and stand. As far as mental power goes on an
equal with the sons and daughters of rich
men. You, gentlemen. who are listening to
me, if YOU are men of humble circumstances,
know that the fondest dream of your life is,
that whatever hardship you may be obliged to
bear, or however limited your advantages,
that for your children you desire that they
shall have liberal education. to fit them for
the high and responsible duties of life. 1t
has been claimed, that the financial condition
of this State demanded that an unholy cru
sade should be made upon our schools. The
cry of banhruptcy and repndidfion was raised
to starte members of this legislature, and
drive them from an honest purpose to do
what their best Judgment told them should be
done. Such cry is unworthy of any we'll
informed citizen of this State, and can but re-
Hprf IispraIif bo
so far forget himself, as to thus dis
honor a State whose credit is above sus-
pcion and whose finances are in the best con-
dtion. have conferred with the Treasurer
to-day. and he is of the opinion that four
mills Is all that it is necessary to assess this
year. if he has power by temporary loan to
meet emergencies. that there is no need of
diverting this money which sacredv belongs
to the people. But for arguments sake,
suppose it was necessary to relieve the bur
dcns of the people, and that il was necessary
to shorten the schools for this purpose--would
this be the wise way to do it? Bv no means
The per capita tax falls with undue severity
on the poor towns ip this State. And if re-
duction must come, let it come here. A re-
duction of twentv cents would be relief of
Sl24 900. But l contend that the people
want no such reduction. In 1877, the
towns of this State raised $500 in
excess of the amount the law requires: and
last year over 100000, showing the opinion
of the people upon the question of school
money. One thing is noticeable in this con-
test that the clamcr comes mainly from our
cities. who have under this mill tax law to
pay out more than they receive. They have
and will have all the schooling they lwant.
They have the best of teachers, and their
schools average thirty-two weeks each year
vi; IN Ia1 ,nbn,tS tha Low,
is but sixteen weeks and three days. This is
an inequality that should not exist, much less
make it still greater by this unjust PROPOSE
tion. 1t has been urged with oratorica dis
play by the gentleman from Bangor. that
thousands of dollars are annually squandered
in the srp ,ort of schools. Why, gentlemen
Maine stands in the scale of States in the
amount spent for schools, the twenty fourth
while twenty-five States pay more wages for
male and thirty-two for female teachers than
does the State of Maine. | urge you
by all that is sacred and dear to
the people, to stand by our schools. Gentle
men, protested against the destruction of
our high schools. as a violation of faith on
the part of the State with those towns and
communities who have, in accordance with
the promise of the State, instituted high
schools to give higher grade of education,
such as is conteml lated by the constitution of
our State. And protest again most earn
estly against the taking of single
dollar of the school money, for other
purposes, than that for which it was designed
AS dishonorable on the part of the State,
and in utter forgettuness of the great duty
we owe to our common people-and if stand
alone in voice and vote on this question which
concerns more than all others, the welfare of
our noble State, it will be in defence of the
interests of the working people upon whom
depends more than any others our future pros
perity and who have the least to say, in mould
ing her destinies-upon your vote tonight de-
pends whether you will degrade our common
schools and lessen the opportunities of intel
lectual requirements. or remain the benefac-
tors of the thousands of our children. whose
future possibilities will be controlled by the
advantages you give them for the purpose of
acquiring liberal education. Consider well
and let your decision be such as will give you
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