The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-06-24
'oE THE CLARION.
A Plea for Taxpayers.

The rapidly growing sentiment in
favor Of more liberal appropriations for
the maintenance Of Public Schools, the
increase of teachers salaries and COM
pulsory education, would indeed be COM
mendable, but for the fact that it is for
the most part confined to that class who
bear but a small portion, if any, of the
burden of taxpayers.
That the entire public school system
as established and maintained in this
State is most outrageous imposition on
those who pay the taxes, with no SEM
blance of equity in it, is too plain to
need argument; a simple statement of
the facts Is sufficient to convince any
! one, but aside from the gross injustice to
those who gear the burden of the cost,
| it is exceedingly questionable if the
average public school should continue,
even ii maintained by per capita tax,
/ which is the only fair method of sustain
| ing these institutions, from which many
| parties enormously suppose or pretend
to believe great benefit is derived
1t will hardly be denied as 4 general
propositions, that public school teachers
are incompetent, their chief aim being to
/ draw their pay, caring but little for the
substantial improvement of pupils who
/ 90 through the exercises in mechanical
sort of way, and appear chiefly interested
in the accumulation of books; indeed so
| frequent are the changes from one book
| 10 another, one is led to suspect some
teachers of being interested in publish
| ing-houses, from which come very in
ferior works at prices far beyond those
paid in the days when parents fed and
clothed their children and paid their tuition.
The public school system Is a fraua
upon taxpayers, first perpetrated by a
carpet-bag government, and for the
reason that it benefited their con
stituents mainly and cost them nothing,
and should be abolished, for this cause
if no other could be given, but a forti0T
because it compels taxpayers, lchethel
Mey hare children or not, TO contribute 10 q
find for The support Of schools for children
generally, which if it be held 10 be right
in principle, no reason can be given why
taxpayers should not be required to fur
nish food and raiBsent to be gratuitously
distributed among the children in the
State, without regard TO race. condition
etc; indeed, it would seem that fei,
prorisions, certainly a little clothing
would be of vast deal more benefit t
the average attendant of public schools
than what he learns there.
THE CLARION has of late beer
favored with many communication
urging the increase of tLrdtion, for pub
lie school purposes, higher salaries K
teachers, compulsory education, additiona
advantages, etc. One, @. T. r., urging
% to so per cent. increase in the tax
with the remark that he had ''neuer hearc
anyone complain Of his school tar" Ii
! same issue another writer favored
: Compulsory education. Both advocated
higher salaries 20 teachers, all ignoring
the interest of taxpayers. Now it doe
. not appear from the various article
urging more liberal appropFJatioRand lar
fsh expenditure of the taxpayers money
whether the authors hold tax receipt:
/ or not, but | venture to say eery few
taxpayers of any consequence, complain
) thar their taxes are too low, while tn,
demand for an increase is confnd {.
those who pay but little, if any, now.
That it is wrong in principle to lev.
! tax upon a man to educate anothe
! mans child when the ehild's father
contributes absolutely nothing 10 sacA fund
{ cannot be successfully contradicted, anC
the M101- l. the IAtTS d. -TsAfstllkl5 w H6I
! rs Is sometimes the case, the taxpayer
children, if he have any, have no acces
) to public school.
: The question, what legislation in re
, gard to public schools is necessary, ma,
r appear difficult to solve. To my min,
; it is quite clear, reru easy, and elaineatl
| Just As matter of simple justice To Al
, orerbardened and straggling taxpayin
people the entire public school lasr shonE
J b. repealed. leaving where it of righ
belongs, the responsibility to parents o
{ guardians of finding clothing and educa
! ing their children. but, should an
) member of our next Legislature shrin
/ from the performance of this, his duty
t and fear to return to his n0as-toxpngi's
, constituents, with such record, surel
! he can stand upon this amendment an
face the world Let the law be. j
1 amended that the public school fun
shall be raised By per capifn tar, whic
/. | though not right in principle, il BeveI
theless not 10 objectionable as the presen
/ law. But should the Legislature ne
: recognize In either of these method
, any principle of right and justice,
Z taxpayers are pouerless, for nnerer ~
s grant this last request; though this fr<