The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-02-17
Our State Finances and Our School
system
MEMBER /

EDITOR CLARION. a correspondent
Of the Columbus Iadex of the 23d OF Jan
uary, criticises severely the action OF
certain Intelligent members OF the
House OF Representatives, who believe
the taxes should not be increased on the
people, but that exrravagant appropria-
tions should be curtailed instead. This
correspondent, who signs himself Truth
not content to oppose the views OF these
intelligent members" impugnes their
motives, denounccs them ~ 'pltifui ana
contemplate demagogues, and striking
defiant attitude declares IN lmperlous
tone: These institutions (the Glri
College, the Boys College, and the Asy.
lam at Meridian) shall he sustained
Who constituted Truth, the Lord Pro-
tector of these State Institutions, and oy /
what authority he assumes to dictate to
the representatives of the tax paying |
people OF Mississippi, what they shall 90
in the premises, | am not informed, out
being one of the subscribers to the dozen |
ment circulated In the House, whereby
seventy members still stand pledged 10
vote against any increase or taxation,
propose herewith to give the reasons Tor
the falSh that actuates me, even AT the
risk OF mourning the whitening contempt
| of TRUTH and being forced to the ne
cessity of selecting my political Wind
ing sheet" and ordering my "coihn.
insist that public servants having =
duty % perform. under their oaths OF
office, should discharge that duty to the
state with the same fidelity to business
principles, they would exercise in pri-
vate transaction of purely personal
nature Governed by this rule, ! main
tain that no man has a right 10 consider
the state of his finances before sending
for a physician if his family Is sick.
Hence, | favor all reasonable and
necessary appropriations to sustain our
benevolent and charitable institutions.
/ believe, however, extravaganza 10
most, if not All of them, has been prac-
ticed, aid | would protect the tax
payers of the State from this evil for
the next two wears, at least, by reducing
the appropriations to all these institu-
tiOns considerably below the amount
allowed for 1S84-'S5.
/ maintain also that no man has the
right to spend his money for tururaes te
be enioyed by himself and family, when
he owes that money to his poorer neigh
Dor. who is hard pressed to mud tht
l means to secure the necessdrieS OF lie
! Ia Pursuance of this sentiment l attirn
n hat correct business principles demand
that the Safe should not increase thu
= burden of taxation, or incur indebted
s ness to be paid by posterity in order tina
e the sons ami daughters of gentlemen o
a. means and leisure may have the advan
tage of Il collegiate education. while tn
u children of those who pay the take
cannot, from the very nature OF the CIR
"a cumstances surrounding them, becom
the beneticiaries of our extravagant ing
~ school system.
he This sentiment | know will NEE
d the unqualified censure of "bioad-guage
!, Statesmen, who are themselves member
of the favored ''circie" in this State, 0
II whose 'uncles, cousins or aunts" may b
re numbered among the army of cormC
ne rants now lowering ever our too hume
: Gus State Institutions, but when refie'
that it is the privilege Of every free ma
Vi to express his honest convictions al
is, that it is the duty of every patriot TO
be what he can to protect the peopI
an against oppression ana wrong, fet
that | shall be able to endure the di
he pleasure of these treasury barnacles wit
ry 4 remarkable degree of compiacenc
ed Gentlemen may think that dennnc
va alton of those who wish to protect Il
peoples interest, a ,fpitiful and contemp
a. able demagogues' is a conylnclr
DIS argument ia behalf OF State poll,
ar which gives 500, 600 out of the Treasul
i to two high schools embracing less tina
600 students, when the poverty of tt
lie State forbids that it should coDtubu
IT, more than $500 600 to the education
so nearly that number of children enroilt
10 in our common schools, but it is !
answer to the charge that gross inlustl'
j. done the producers of the State, (wl
tic atone pay taxes,) by this iniquitol
=. system. The theory of free schools
that the State will do for its indigel
aai children, what their parents or guarc
nd ans are unable TO do in their indivldu
or capacity. The rich are able to take ca
:, of themselves, and If we had no po
~ children to educate we would have
need of free public schools, Nj
1se sssippi recognizing the neces
,le ties of her impoverished peopI
has undertaken to give to ea'
of her sons aud daughters a CONNIE
In school education, and when she has dol
es- that she has done all that her limit,
means will permit If it was just al
right that she should give to the chose
IN few, whose circumstances and mea
{ enable them to attend the College
.el more dollars than she gives cents to Il
pupils in the common schools, h
present depressed condition financial
Tas commands halt and suggests me
ms rigid economy. But it is neither ju
,as nor polite to foster the Colleges al
:; neglect the common schools, on t
'Sl efficiency of which the education of t
ell masses depends. This fact ''rruti
he should know and appreciate, and l ct
On daily invite him to aid us in the refor
- contemplated, rather than waste
'eu energies and ability in striving to
ing crease the burden of tn, people
red raising the taxes. In future article
lIv shall endeavor to show that an increa
of taxes is not a necessity.