The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-06-10

number OF other communities which, having
,asniy incumoered themselves with heavy
debts, were hoping that the trick of the
Memphis iepuiistors might be successful.
snu Afford precedent that could be- follow,
ed elsewhere. The court Leld the common.
sense view that IF a charter Of a municipal
corporation Is repealed, and the same people
and territory are reinccrporsted as a munich
PATTY under new name, although with diff
ierent powers and different officers. a suit
pending against the old corporation at the
date OF the repeal may be revived against the
new corporation" That is in Conformity
WITH The very pslpably just principle that a
person cannot set rid of his debts by the
simple process OF changing his name. The
Guy OF Memphis by surrendering its former
corporate powers and organizing rs a tax.
ing district" unter the general law OF the
state, mas been able for some years 10 bstlle
the uniucky persons who rsshly loaned it
money, and the tsxpaying people of the new
taxing district he'd begun 10 feel A comfort.
able degree of confidence that the dishonest
adoption of an alias had permanently relieved
them from the taxes necessary to satisfy their
lmportunate creditors. But their dream of
'ne oiiss OF escape from the ssddeniug duty
OF debt-paying has been rudely disturbed BY
the decree of the court declaring that, while
municipal names and governments may
change, the people are eternal" and their
corporate debts are ineradicable by any
other process than payment. The DELAY
secured by changing the form of corporate
government has been questionable siyan.
tage, Tor the interest has accumulated stead
lily, and now provision must be made for that
as we'll as the original debt.
IL there is any moral worth mentioning 10
De drawn from this melancholy experience
OF the Memphians, IL seems to be that the
only sure warranty of municipal happiness
Is ~ be found in adherng strictly 10 the
,'pay-as'you.go" rule. The whole system OF
debt contracting by the local government is
utterly vicious, 1t is the principle of the
dead beat who seeks 10 live at the expense
of others, rendered more disgus,ingly often
slye to every sense of honor and decency BY
the fact that the desd-beats in this particular
line OF swindling imposition choose their own
children for victims. The system is the
suggestion OF reckless imprUvidence and
irredeemable scoundrelsm, and should be
abandoned by every civilized community.
The New Orleans Picayune hss the fol-,
lowing facts and figures concerning education.
Those who have had occasion to examine
a statistical atlas showing the proportion of
educated people within the union-thst is,
the people who could read and w.ite-must
have been impressed with the dark lines, in
some instances versing on to absolute black
ness, indicating the extent of education,
which covered tho Southern States. The
party which elfranchsed so many millions
of Ignorant people has done but little TO en-
tighten them, and the South has had cast
upon her the great burden Of educating the
freedmen and their chlldaen.
That earnest efforts have been made in
that direction few who are familiar with this
section will deny. We of the South certain.
y feel tho importance of eevstipg the negro
race to 4 higher plane and relieving ourselves
from thu 5aneful political effects of ignor-
ance. Trst the Southern States have not
done more has been owing 70 financial dsa-
blity.
The census figures of population have
done much to silence the libels
Of our enemies, and if the showing relative to
education is equally encouraging it will
present record of which it may we'll fee
proud.
Though the United States may boast of q
high order of intelligence, and immense
sums are spent in the cause OF education,
taken altogether the school statistics arc no
as favorable as might be supposed Tn,
school population of the country is set dowl
by recent report of the bureau of educstiol
at 100000, of which only 9,424000 ar
enrolled in the public schools and sbou
$3.50, 900 attend. Comparing these figure
with those of England, our country woul
seem much lower in the scale of eblighten
ment, and on the continent where compul
sorry education prevails, the contrast is eve
| more untsvorsble. But it must be consider
, cd that the returns to our government al
imperfect, and as they apply only TO tn
public schools. do not afford correct idea c
the situation. Ihe number of private school
seminaries, colleges. etc, ETC., Throughout
the union, have urder their care very lsrp
!. proportion of the youth Of the land.