St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1880-11-20
The Special SEaOOl Tax.
New Orleans Democrat, Nov. eth. /:


! Tie Democrat las been waiting pa
! tieutly 10 sec il the tax collectors III
tended to enforce act lo0 OF the Lee.
isature, ievyIng the poii-taS provided
for by article eos of the constitution.
the proceeds OF which arc to be specially
. devoted TO the schools in the various
parishes OF the State, the tax in {. parish
to 20 20 the schools in that special parish.
We have heard Of 40 movement to
that END. and we desire in The interest
vi the school teachers to insist that dis
! law. which Is one OF the most stringent
. framed by the Legislature, and which
provides Il much needed lnfanS OF re-
Venue Ter the schools throughout the
State, shall be rigidlv enforced. 1t IS q.
direct tax it is true, but it is one which
is entirely just and equitable and which
every good citizen should feel it Il priv
i:eSe 10 pay in the interest OF education
and OF society at large.
There are forty OF fifty thousand peo-
pie iii this city alone from whom this
special school tax should be collected,
aud not Of whom we venture 10 assert,
would murmur against its payment
VI hen Informed Of the beneliccnt par
pose tol which it is TO he appropriated.
Oar city schools are III great need, and,
ontside OF the appropriation Of s200.tsJ
made for them Ivy the Council, this poll
tax Is then piinciple resource, and every
dollar Of it should be collected and APP
piled 70 the payment Of tho t0A teach.
els. who Woul,t be able to teach with
better heart and hope the $4,000 chill
,!Icn c;lfidcd 10 their care.
The education of these children ard
the prompt payment OF the teachers " no
have for years been Subjected 10 all
sorts OF hardships and pI,yations is a
matter Of such great movement that our
! citizens cannot afford to offer the sight
est obstacle to the collection OF the
special tax authorized by tie conSttu-
ton itself and levied by the general
assembly.
The support OF the schools l., i; duty
that every one interested in the cOn-
munlty and DESTROYS OF elcvating the
intellectual status of our peop!e should
regard as sacred, and we trust that our
tax collectors will at once h.,tir them
selves in collecting this tax, which was
due and eXlgible from the moment the
ACT levying il became Il law, and from
which there Is 10 possible ESCAPE. The
tax collector cannot receive his quietls
until he Las made fail and satisfactory
returns OF this tax, which, under the
provisions uI the uci, j constituted Il
lien OIL the real and personal property
OF whatever kind OF the taxpayer.
This privilege is perpetual and follows
the property in all changes into other
hands, aud c;;unot be satisfied until
payment is Made. Section 3 OF the act
is OF an exceedingly stringent character.
1t provides that, in order to iDsure the
collection OF the poll tax, employers are
made Liable Tor the taxes Of their en-
ployes, and, i'll effect. makes tho re-
ceipt of the tax collector showing such
payment legal quittance TO the amount
paid ia settlement of claims for services.
If the employer ncgiects or refuses
TO collect this tax from his employees
before the last day of the year, his prop
erty may be seized and sold to satisfy
the claims of the State against all per
sons liable to the tax who may have
wor ked for and been paid by him for d
period not less titan ninety days during
the year.
Every male inha bitaDt in the city and
State over tWeutyone years of age is
liable for and must pay this tax-tIlere
is no escape from it and there should
be no desire to escape.