Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-11-25

| authorities would increase the stats tax
| to the constitutional limit of 20 cents
| on the 500, and allow any district that
| chose to do so, to tax itself ad lib for
| school purposes. AS raising the state
| tax to 20 cents would be entirely made
| quate, a local tax seems to be
| the only solution of the problem,
the more especially as the objec-
ton raised in certain quarters to
| any further increase of the state
tax seems 10 be quite formidable. Under
existing law district or county able aud
willing to found and maintain good
schools can't do 80 because of the pro-
hibition against taxing itself by two
thirds vote of its tax-payers beyond the
| two-miIl limit. 1t is asked that the
limit be raised or altoeeter re-
moved. To this the objection is
made that it is not fair and
is contrary to the principles on which the
public schools are based, which princi-
Piles act through a general tax by which
the wealthy communities aid the poorer
ones. Theoretically that sounds very
well, but practically it
DOES NOT HOLD OFT.
Under the school laws in this state
the poorer county is, the better off it 10
in the matter of maintaining Its schools.
Take Webb county for example outside
OF Laredo. Superintendent Cooper's
report for 1887 and 1883 shows that she
had September l. 1886, a surplus OF
S7389. SO. Add her share of state pro
rata $3.50 90, and cash from rent of
county school land 1925. 50, which
gives her total of IL ,6SS. So.
Her total expenses that year for
hire of teachers, house rent, furniture,
ct ceteTas, was S2S5S.l5. leaving
balance of $500. 20 with which to begin
school in September, 1857, over and
above what she received from the state.
The report from which these figures
ars taken shows that Webb county main
tained four shoots that year in which III
children were taught. There was, there
fore, the sum of SOB. 80 to the credit of
each pupil enrolled, while the amount
expended on each was only S24 SO, the
balance
LYING IDLE IN THE COUNTY TREASURY.
Any number of eases like this might
be cited from the report to show how it
is that with their county school lands
aud share of state tax the poor counties
are in far better shape than the popu-
lous and rich ones.
Again, why should the state expend
ing teachers at the state normal school il
il cannot furnish those teachers with
employment nearly as remunerative
rs they can find IN other call
ings? What honest and capable teacher
Will be satisfied to teach school
for four, five or even six months. and
remain idle the balance of the year? A
great many, and they the best of those
turned out by the normal, soon become
disguested with their calling, and quit
TO follow something else that pays better
and
AFFORDS sTEADIER EMPLOYMENT.
School terms must bs longer, If there
are to be good teachers. IN no other
way can they he had. TO have a longer
scholastic year, there must DO
increased taxation. The legislature
should feel incumbent upon it the duty
of enforcing by appropriate remedies the
constitutional requirement, al at least
giving the people the right to
tax themselves rs much as they
please to support good schools.
As under the constitu ion loce! school
tax can be levied only By O two-thirds
vote of the taxpayers in the district,
there Is no great danger that they will
begcar themselves for tie sake of "a
little iaruin'. -