Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-09-09
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL QUESTION
A PARTY MATTER.

THE PUBLIC SCHOOL. QUESTIOA
A PARTY NATTER.
1t would be superfuous to defend any
political organization in Virginia from the
charge of being "opposed'' to the public
schools. AS matter of fact both the
present contending organizations are
heartily in favor of them. There are to be
found, and for many years to come will be
found, individuals who are opposed to
them; or rather not so much to the schools
as to paying for them. These are not con-
fined to any political party and are chiefly
numerous in thick, white districts such
as the Valley and the Southwest where
Readjusters and Funders alike may be
found who are sore, and often not silent,
about having, as they say. to send their
taxes across the mountains to educate the
negroes. But even these gentlemen are
more theoretical than practical and would
heartily join IN any scheme of their party
for the benefit of the schools. There is
really nowhere in the State any amount
of feeling which could be dignifed with
the name of public sentiment, against the
schools. The real matter at issue is
not which party favors or opposes,
but which has used the best means to help
the schools. The way they got stalled is
matter of record and does not take long
to tell. The Funding bill Of 1871 which
had the receivable coupon feature in 1t
was passed against the opposition of ma
jorlty of the Democratic members of the
legislature. This is matter of record as
much as the fact that John W. Daniel was
it's ablest and most earnest opponent. The
coupon was a thing that collected itself
and respected neither government nor
public school fund. AS the taxes were
heavily. The school tax was paid in cou-
pons, the teachers and other expenses could
not be paid in these coupons and so came
the deficit in the fund. Some who knew
better talked of the school fund having
been diverted" and gave it the air of
fraud. Some who knew less believed this,
but the matter has come to be better un-
derstoOd now and the people in their anx-
iety to find remedy have discarded that
clamor which was merely to serve party
purpose To free the schools from this
cut worn was the desire of the members
of the legislature of both political parties,
and both suggested the means which they
thought would best release them from the
coupon bondage.
The Readjusters decided on the Massey
chCo NH iob fn ha 70
money. 1t was bill with admirable pur-
pose, but it could not have lived thirty days
after getting out side the walls of the CAP
itol. Its principle has been decided uu-
constitutional by the Court of Appeal of
Virginia and by the Supreme Court OF the
United States. Its success was hopeless;
the bill could only have entangled the col
lectors with the courts and not realized
dollar for the schools. The schools were
suffering and the bill was only wasting
precious time. It was this bill against
which John W. Daniel voted and spoke.
On the Democratic side Of the leglsla-
ture the same puzzle confronted them that
faced the Readjusters-how to avoid the
Courts. They thought they had found it
in what is called the Henkel bill, and of
self afterwards to be, we have full histo-
ry from the pen of its author, D. S. Hen
KEEL, member of the House from Shenan-
doah. 1t was prepared by Mr.. Henkel
with the legal aid of Judge Geo. R. Cal
vert of Shenandoah, and on the 18th day of
December, 1878. was sent by the House to
a Committee. The Committee like the
House was composed of a majority Of Re
|adiusters and the bill was allowed to sleep
until late in February of 1879. Seeing that
the committee intended to bury his bill,
Mr.. Henkel took copy of it to the Sen
ate chamber and asked John W. Daniel
and other Senators to get it through that
body in order that it might come to the
House that way. They promised, and sup
ported and carried the bill over two or
three competing propositions. 1t was
adopted unanimously. but it is a signif-
cant fact, cited by Mr.. Henkel, that John
D. Massey, then Senator, Abram Fulk-
|erson, John Paul. and other Readjusters
|are not recorded as voting for it. When
the bill reached the House it was violently
attacked by Lewis E. Harvie, prominent
.Raadiuster, who endeavored to have it
xont to the committee where its fac-simile
xras already sleeping. But the features of
mis- bill in behalf of the public schools were
and the bill was passed
Unanimously. The Readjuster feeling to
= was very hostile, and as late as March,
e7o. the Richmond "Whlg." which seems
= have very little understood it's opera
ions. said that under it the schools would
ii s3s1 .318. "A in script, whereas they have