National Republican., 1883-10-04

The total assessments on these six princi-
pal subjects were, therefore, 81, 500 046.10 for
1879, and S2,462, ,095.46 for 1852. 1t is to be
remarked that there is an increase on every
item in 1882, as compared with 1879, except
on lands and personal property, where con-
siderable reductions have been made by the
reassessment of lands lin 1880 and the lower
ing of the rate of taxation from so cents to
40 cents. The decrease in the assessment of
lands made in 1880 was over $12, 600, 900 in
valuation and over S61 900 in taxes. The in
crease for 1882 is SS5i in assessed taxes on
polls over 1885, $5I427S0 on licenses, not
withstanding the repeal of the onerous Mof-
fett law; $97, ,s9o.6S on railroads; $7,496.25 on
incomes; total increase $163, ,673.93.
The revenue received from miscellaneous
sources not included in the table of assess
ments given was $133, ,469.4S in 1879, and
$21S, 1854 in 1882, the increase being here
$S4, ,S6726, which, added to the increase on
polls, licenses, railways, and incomes, as
above makes $24S, ,54l.19, or only S2,0S3. .3S
less than the sum of the decrease in the as
sessment of taxes in 1882, as compared with
1879, on real and personal property, tho as.
sessment in 1879 being made before the
reduced reassessment of lands made in 1880
and at the 90 cents rate, while the assessment
of 1882 Is upon tho reduced reassessment of
lands and at the reduced rate of 40 cents.
But on reference to the reports of the state
treasury we see that its receipts in 1879, in
Guiding S6l,000 tax on coupons, were only
81, ,S99.07 while for 1882, excluding all
incidental revenue, the receipts were $2,7lS,-
45i.55.
Tho decrease in the taxes on lands was $685.
1885, on personal property, Sl1 ,Si59l-mak-
ing total of 1880, ,62i.57 in reduction of those
general taxes which bear most heavily on the
people,
To-day your taxes are lower by 20 cents in
the dollar; your lands are at greatly re-
duced assessment for taxation; your expenses
of government are largely reduced your debt
and its interest are equitably adjusted within
your easy and certain means of payment, and
you have an accumulation in your treasury of
S1,5i37l2.21. What difference from the
bankrupt and wOful condition to which fund
erism had brought you by financial mis-
management and corruption Surely the
great changes your ballots have wrought, your
ballots will maintain
THE FREE SCHOOLS.
The public free schools of the state were es-
tablished by "A mandate of the constitution of
1869; that at the first session of the general
assembly held under its provisions a uniform
system Of public free schools should be pro-
vided for, the full introduction of the system
to be accomplished by tho year 1876, or earlier.
Accordingly the legislature in 1870 passed
the free school bill, and the system had its
first year of practical operation in 1871. That
year InbIo WcTo Oiutf hCnOOlst VI WHICH lOJ
We're colored 13l, ,0SS pupils, of whom 3S,076
were colored; 1904 teachers, of whom 501
We're colored, and the expenditures amounted
to $5S7, ,i72.39. In 1870, under the rule OF the
funders with their tax coupons and other re-
suits of unwise if not wicked, legislation, the
schools had decreased to 2,i9l-a falling OFF
of 556 schools, of which 80 were colored the
pupils had been reduced to l05,O74, falling
off Of 230l4, of whom 3,20S were colored the
teachers had diminished to 250I, a falling of
of $50, of whom 81 were cOlored and the OK
penditures had shrunk to $5l1, ,902 53-a fall
ing oil of $75569.s0
So much for the friendship of the funders
Tor Tree popular education, as shown by tho
results of niue years.
In 1879 the readjusters gained their first
great victory, and they came into power on
the iirst of January, $780, as the lunders
went out. Under readjustment the schools
last year We're 5,5S7-an increase of 3,006 over
1873, of which $50 were colored; tho pupils
2o6362-an increase of l49,2SS, of whom 49,
o6O were colored the teachers, 4,535-an in
crease OF 3O92, of whom GA were cOlOred
and the expenditures had grown to 81 ,157,-
ll2,O5--an increase Of S6i5. $685..
In the meantime tho school term had been
heightened and the average of teachers sal
aries Increased. Nor is it TO be forgotten
that whereas in many parts of tho state
school warrants were unmarketable at 80 cents
on the dollar, they are to-day as current ai
greenhaoks except whore some flnder treas
urer holds to the old practice in defiance of
all laws, of shaving the warrants and school
certificates with school money in his hands.
VI the arrears to tho schools, amounting to