Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-01-11
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
Tho TAX on Realty and Personality.

The TAX ON Realty and Pc rsoBalty.
To the Editors of the Appeal:
| have read with interest the letters TO the
APPEAL and other papers in regard to the
inequality of the taxes paid on real estate
and personal property, and hope it will con-
tinually be brought before the public until
some action is taken TO bring about an
equality OF taxation. Now that it is pro-
posed to settle the city Indebtedness, is it not
well to know whether real estate, that is
now already taxed beyond the value Of its
income, shall pay this, or that come means
be devised by which personal properly
shall bear its equal proportion. have read
with care the suggestion of the editor Of the
Scimitur, but that will not amount to any
more than it has in the past, for the county
clerk has not the time to investigate when a
man makes oath that he is giving full value
of his personal property. His duties de-
m and his constant attention in the Office,
and he cannot refuse license when oath is
made. All property is governed, controlled
and benefited by the same law. Why can
not the Coanty Court appoint committee
of assessors TO value the personal property,
as does the assessors OF real estate? II
man values his property too low, why
then change it to their ideas of lis
value. Common justice and law demand
Lndt uC doccrscu dllhcs oiNc. tue COm-
mittee a chance in the city as we'll
as with the country merchants, fer there too
can be made decided change in the reve.
nue., and there will be no trouble in paying
the city Indebtedness. In looking over the
textbooks one would be surprised at the
amount of business done here on SO little
capital. There is fair illustration Of the
failure of a well-known merchant last year
in the difference of the amount assessed aud
the amount assigned The Scimitar has
promised more on the subject, and may the
discussion continue until justice be done
thoug b the heavens fall. CITIZEN.
Common schools.
To the Editors of the Appeal:
l have read with great deal of interest
the articles of Mr.. E. H. Rande on the cub.
ject OF public schools in Tennessee, published
IN the APPEAL OF December oath and Janu-
arv 9th. 1t is really refreshing that one man at
least has been found with industry and public
spirit enough 10 take up the cudgels against
what is almost universally admitted to be a
great nuisance. The present public school
system is a great deal worse than the old
system under the act OF 1887, and continued
in substance under the Code OF 1858, which it
has superseded, aud upon which it prerends 10
be an Improvement Uader the old system all
schools were priyate schools, controlled by
the solvent patrons, and the common school
com missioners made contracts with the pri-
vate teachers TO teach the poor who we're
unable to pay teachers fees. The present
system is at war with private schools, which
they have in a measure destroyed, without
furnishing any adequate substitute for the
same Under the old system private schools
were aided aud encouraged; under the new
system it has become almost impossible TO
maintain private schools. No charge can
be ade for teaching anything above the
common school curriculum, while the public
money is being dispensed. All tuition fees
for the higher branches go, not TO the
teacher, but into the common school treas
ury, and the teacher has no incentive to
teach the higher branches, because he gets
nothing for il.
The whole school system OF the South has
been pronounced by the very highest author
ity in the United States to be farce. 1t il
radically wrong in its very foundation.
Taxation for school purposes, and compul-
sorry education are correlative obligations
and should go hand in hand. There is no
Justice 10 taking the property Of to edu-
cate B's children unless B is compelled to
send his children to school. The consultation
provides that private property shall not be
taken for public uses without just compensa-
ton, and surely
"He could distinguish and divide
hair 'twixt south and southwest side'
who could discover any compensation to me
for the taxes which L am forced to pay to
educate my neighbor's children, if 1t is left
discretionary with my Deighbor whether or
not he will accept of the benefit Of my taxes
after they have been collected.
Mr.. Raedle's plan, l think, would be a de-
the ralan
for The MANY reasons given by him, especially
in this. that it would foster private schools
instead of anita goniziDg them, and by il
schools could be maintained the year round,
instead of from three to five months, as is
now the case in many counties OF the State.
The present law is not sufficiently direct
oyv. and too much is lett TO the discretion OF
the common school directors, who are gen
erslIy ignorant and incompetent, and who
find in the law ample 10 justify them IN
doing whatever they want TO do, and nothing
to authorize them 10 do what, through whim
or prejudice, they do not wish TO do, how
ever beneficial it might be 10 the community.
Hence they build up or tear down private
schools at will, according to the dictaiion OF
prejudice or Partially.
II ia TO be hoped that the present Iegisla-
ture will do something toward giving the
people OF the State better system OF pub
lie schools, or repeal tn. present system al
together. And If they do not feel able 10
cope with the question themselves, let them
cali before the Committee on Common
Schools dozen or two Of the best educators
of the State TO counsel and advise with on
the subject. OBSERVER.
smallpox Epidemfc at shiloh, KJ. =
CHICAGO, Jsuusry Io.-A dispatch from
Shiloh, XIV, states that smallpox is raging
there. The stores are closed and business is
suspended Whole families are stricken,
and The citizens are fleeing, Several physi-
cisns have died, and The disease IS unusually
powerful and fatal.