Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-05-21

politics and understanding the tissues in
volved az -fsmilisrly as they do the latest
fashions, they can quietly but effectually in
fuence the elections that concern them
selves, and inaugurate purer and better pol
itics.
THE NEW WAR ON THE PUBLIC
SCHOOL SYSTEM.
The free school system in the United
States has reached its present popularity
through great tribulation. During the age
OF ox-teams and stage-coaches it was con-
sidered monstrous to tax the rich to educate
thsspoor. Men still living can remember
when the subject OF free schools was made
leading issue in State elections. The pro-
gressive spirit Of the age, the humanity oil
our civilization, decided, that in country
where the government rests upon the intelh-
geuoe as wen as the integrity OF the people,
that it was of the highest Importance that
every child should have at least the rudi-
meuts Of education instilled into its mind so
that il would feel an inspiration for knowl-
edge. The friends of education argued that
education was necessary for the development
and perpetuation Of our republican institu-
tions, that it prevented crime, and money
spent for educational purposes was money
saved, and that the public school system
should be favored as a measure of economy,
as in the end it reduced the burdens OF the
taxpayers instead of increasing them
Such arguments as these gave sue
cess to the admirable school system
had
supposed that it was so firmly Migrated
upon the institutions of the country that the
day had passed for deriding the public
schools But it seems a new war has been
inaugurated. Even in the enlightened city
of New York, gentleman of talent and edu-
lion, who signs himself E. G. Betton, calls
upon the wealth of the country to assert
itself by combining to stay the hand OF the
taxgatherer, who is constantly thrusting his
hands into other mems pockets to educate
other mems children. We give few sam
pies of his TRADE: aEl cd - +
Does not every parent by virtue OF assumin
the duties OF the parental office, become pouno py
the natural law to feed and clothe and educate
his children? --tr s---
Every child is born into the world I'M
clothed, unfed and unlettered. Ii the parent,
through poverty, or drunkenness, or neglect,
refuse to educate, feed and clothe his chill
dren, society should do all three of these
things, OF the civilization OF the nineteenth
century would be disgraced by the appear
ance of naked, hungry, illiterate children.
Humanity teaches that such children are
not at fault, and It is the duty of society to
support all such by taxation until they can
properly provide for themselves. 1t is true
the parent is "bound by the natural laws to
iced, olothe and -educate his lchildren,"
but when he fails to do this what are you
going to do about it? There are but two
alternatives-either to permit the children
to grow up hungry, naked and in vice and
Ignorance, or take care Of them at the pupiic
expense. But we pass on: =
II a proper education is debt, which every
parent according 10 his ability, owes to his cnll1
dren, LIpon what principle OF fairness or justice
can the STATE take one mans money with which to
pay the debt of another2
And pray, who is the State? It's the aggre-
gate individual people of the State, and the
individual loses some of his individuality in
voluntarily organizing the State. He is
bound by his own choice, not coercively, to
submit to the requirements of the State OF
which he is an integral part On the same
line of reasoning in the above extract, the
individual has the same right to complain
that the State taxes him for a road over
which Others alone travel. Such argument
against the public schools ia mere bosh. We
give another extract;
Has not the State the very same right 10 feed and
clothe thatft has to educate, at pubic enPensis
to discharge these Obligations? Aud If 1t Is just
ana tair 70 rshe by general taxau4n 40, of al
the children in the country why is it not equally
Just and fair to extend the principle stll 1ur
sther by compelling all to contribute 20 common
fund for the purpose of feeding and clothing every
body elses, as well as eyerybOdy's children
1t is not question Of right at all, bu
solely question of obligation to educate a.
a self-protective measure, and OF the mos
certain and eiectual mode of making goot
citizens, reducing crime, and saving to TIL
taxpayer. All this silly twaddle about tn
State educating the children of the rich
answered by the question, who pays the bull
of the taxes-the rich or the poor? Ii tn
rich pay the taxes the benefits are exacti,
the reverse of what is presumed in the aboy
extract. To show the absurdity OF this argu
ment against the free school system, we quot
one more:
Again, is it fair that the poor old man and h
decrepit wife, whom God had never blessed WIT
children, but who have to labor hard sixtee
hours n day, the former with his solitary hors
order to keep soul and body together, should
faxed to help educate the children OF the milioI
other words would it have been fair to levy upe
Lazarus pOll-tax to pay for educating the chi
dren OF D1VesF
Certainly not; but Lazarus had nothing I
tax. neither has the "old woman over he
wsshtub," or the "poor old man with h
SOLITARY horse" 1t would be just as reason
able in argument to say that rich mile
should not take any toll for making the poe
mans -four If the old man with his sol
tary horse had been given a liberal educ'
ton he would have been enabled
own a farm with a dozen horse
and we guess that it was the want OF an e.
ucation which brought the old woman to ii
washtub. We feel Inundated, at this lat
date, at the necessity of vindicating the IRE
school system in the United States. Their
NAV be objections To it, and it may Possiol
work injustice to particular denomination
and individuals, but with all its imperfe'
tons, it is better than universal ignorans
and that bad government which would 10
low the destruction of the present system
public schools, which are Blessing and
boon to the poor. AS the Opposers OF th
present system propose no substitute, but cor
tent themselves with an effort to tear dow
what we have, it is better to cling to th
r,reseu+ svstem than To destrov II thereb
permitting the poor masses to grow up in ie