The record-union., 1893-03-15
Teochers, PensIons Apain.


EDS. RECoRD-U UNION: Please allow me
space in your paper for reply to an arti-
Gle that appeared therein a short time
since. The writer signs himself "Veri-
tas," which, being interpreted, means
truth. Is he ashamed of the child of his
brain that he should object to signing his
name? Or, Is he ashamed to be known
as an advocate of the scheme which ne
chooses to champion under the mask of a
nom de plume? Anyone has a perfect
right to give his views on any subject
without giving his name, but does not
even MIR. Truth recognize that to thus at
tack another by innuendo and satire, as
be does, Is both contemplate and cow
ardly?
And how patronizing an air he assumesl
Really, the wonder is that he should
deign to notice the very crude opinions
OF any teacher that IS not in favor OF
pension. The fine sneer conveyed in the
term Mr.. Pecksniff," in his allusion to
the weight OF taxation, shows an utter
selhshness that might well make him
hesitate TO publish his name. His impH-
cation that l am poverty stricken because
/ am teacher is as mean as ii is false,
and it fails as an argument because it is
false.
l hope the public will excuse me while
l tell Mr.. Neritas that my wife and l
own quarter section of improved land,
and other property also, within little
more than an hours drive of Sacramento.
and ii has all been paid for with money
earned in the schooIroom in this State.
Let me further say we think that this
fact in nowise incapacitates US for our
special line of work. In TACT we feel,
with many others, that teachers are the
better for doing something besides teach
ing. If Mr.. Nerltas entertains the idea
that teachers should be perfect nonentities
OnfSlnA their vocation 1--WE ba will
forgive US for suggesting that when he
understands the great work better he
will look on it with different eyes"
Let US quote Mr.. Y. again: SIN fact, it
is said that the expense to our state for
the next forty years will not exceed one
cent on y, 900 OF taxes" Let US estimate
that there are now 100 teachers entitled TO
be retired on half-pay, and let US assume
that their average monthly salary is $50
This estimate is certainly not too high.
Then we have 100 teachers at $40 month
Tor twelve months, $4,000; this for forty
years amounts TO Sl,72O,0U0. When we
consider that this represents only one cent
on 81, 900 OF taxes, and that the assessed
valuation is always lower than the true
valuation, we can only say how very
wealthy our Stale is! Perhaps he meant
to say one cent year on $1,000 of taxes.
We are not responsible for his loose
style OF expression, ana would offer in
e. planation the apparent fact that he has
devoted his time 10 the study of political
economy, to the neglect of the other
branches of education.
We apologize to him, however, for in
timating that he did not say just what he
intended.
But ii ha did, and his premises are true.
then we must admit his conclusion, that
the expense would be TOO trifling 10
worry. about.
In truth, it appears to US too small to
attract much talent, or to go tar toward
raising the standard OF qualifications lor
teaching.
1t looks like case of proving too
much"
Anyway, 1 am not giving myself
much unnecessary uneasineSsp about the
matter, as he charges upon me, for L
shall not have to teach a very great num-
Der of years longer to be entitled to the
benefits of the bill, should it become a
law.
1t seems to transcend his comprehen-
sion that any one should object to unjust
taxation because, forsooth, II affects only
his neighbor! We hope he is a little more
generous than his language would lead
us 10 suppose. AL through his article
the inference seems to be that an educa-
tional millennium will dawn upon US the
minute we get a pension law.
He is going TO attract so much talent to
our profession" as 10 cause other profess
sions 10 suffer. He is going 10 raise the
standard of qualifications and eliminate
empires all by miserable pension so
small as not to be felt by the taxpayers!
Why, you dear old fossil, if you will
inst crawl out OF your shell and put your
self in touch with the times you Will per-
ceive that in nothing has greater progress