The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-11
Paw of the school-Teaobers.

Pay Of the School-Teachers.
1t does not look as if the legislature
would succeed in finding way to pay the
srhool-teachcrs their salaries promptly.
The plan that is proposed is meeting with
a good deal of opposition on the ground
that it win increase the burdens of the
people. Its constitutionality is also ques-
toned, but the opinion of several of the
ablest lawyers Of the state is to the effect
that it is constitutional.
One member of the legislature is quoted
as saying on the floor of the House on
Thursday that it is better that the teach
ers should lose a part OF the salaries
through discounts to money-lenders than
that the burden Of taxation should be in
creased in the least for thepurpose of pay
ing them when their salaries are due.
If what another member stated is correct,
the amount which the schOol-teachers
lose annually is very large-a much as
100000 This is a very considerable part
of their compensation Their pay is not
large, not as large as it should be, and it
is great wrong to make them lose any
portion of it.
If the members of the legislature were
compelled to sell the vouchers for their
| compensation, at discount of from 10 per
cent. to 20 per cent they would quickly
find way to get the money due them
promptly. And as matter of fact, why
are they or the state officers paid promptly
while the teachers are compelled to wait
for their money The teachers are as
much entitled to their money promptly as
are any others of those Wro are paid for
services by the state.
The members are better able to wait for
| their per diem than the school teachers are
/ to wait for their salaries. Is there not a
/ legal way in which the money for the ex-
/ penses of the legislature could be turned
over to pay the teachers? The leg
/ islators could wait for the4r money until
/ there was a sufficient amount in the
/ treasury to pay them. If this course was
adopted the legislature would have a
/ clearer appreciation Of the hardship
I which the teachers suffer. The Glib
/ way in which the teachers are told thew
/ must wait for their money, and submit to
/ the eNactions of the money lenders, does
not indicate a very high appreciation of
/ the public s,hool-system, because, unless
/ teachers are promptly paid the small sal
aries they get, it VIII be impossible either
/ 10 get on retain high grade of teachers.
/ This question of paying teachers salaries
when they are due is matterof much
more Importance than some of the mem
bers of the legislature appear to think
it is.
The patrons and teachers of the public
schools of the state viii notice whence
came the opposition in the general assem-
bly, to the proposition to improve the
schools by providing for the payment of
their teachers. The populist leaders in
the House have put themselves on record
as being unfriendly TO the poor peoples
schools, They tried. in assuming that
position, to take the high ground that the
relief proposed for the teachers would be
unconstitutional, but in that some of the
7 best legal talent in the state have pro
uouuced against them The populists are
/ quite willing TO stretch the constitution of
the United States, or smash it. If neces-
sary, TO accommodate their demands. 9"
which obey think would make them all
rich, but they are not willing to have
I passed a coustitutionala act to do Justice to
/ aclass Of poor and Woodworking people,
/ and to benefit the thousands of children
whose parents cannot afford to send them
+ TO private schools. And this is the party
that boastcd last fall that it was con
. Quoting campaign of education
Itis sincerely to be hoped that the Au-
. rusta exposition viii survive the cruel