Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1894-12-22
A Contrast.

n contrast.
Somebody whom Mr.. Buckley saws
islands close to the School Board
told MIN that
some of urlargest taxpayers are opposed
to any more money for the schools
Then Mr.. Buckley asks the JoURNAL:
Who is a taxpayer?
But he has himself answered the
question so completely that it is need
less to repeat it.
His appeal to the JOURNAL offers an
opportunity, however, to expose an
economic incongruity so glazing that
we cannot forego using it.
Take the late vote in Garrett
county:
Majority for Wellington over all. ....... .525
Majority against School bonds ......9 $40
That is to say-the majority for pro-
tecting home industries, mostly in
New England, was 525, while the ma
Jorlty against elementary educa ton at
home was 979!
10 make the contrast appear more
painful-the people of Garrett county
voted by an unprecedented majority
to tax themselves $l05 900 in one wear
for the benefit of so called home in
dustrles," and defeated by majority
almost twice as large as the "un-
precedented' a measure designed to
increase the facilities of primarily
educating their own children at
future, long-drawn out cost of only
$4,000.
They thus made their annual cash
gift to the so-called home industries"
of 81 for each man, woman and child,
and wouldn't go into debt 81 &C each for
new school-houses for the children who
are thus to inherit their ignorance as
we'll as their poverty.
The JOURNAL says - for each man,
etc. This is the hnornrate What the
"nhno@m is only Omnisclence can com
pute. 1t comprises all the percentages
piled on the fictitious cost established
by high protection-piled on by jobber,
wholesaler and retailer, and uncon-
sciously paid by the poor consumer in
his rent. food and clothing.
1t was the fear of the same result
that induced the authorities to impose
school bond debt of $50, 900 upon this
county eoitdout the peoples consent,
yet those same people voted their an
nual cash stipend of almost meal
culable thousands to keeping up the
so-called "home industries.n
When, therefore, ''some of our
largest taxpayers are opposed to any
more money for the schools" and a
large majority of our small taxpayers
vote down provisions for wider areas
OF comfortable school facilities, and
at the same time-not only without a
murmur, but IL hurrah, pour their
thousands into an interest that has no
sympathy with nor for them-do not
the latter at least doubly damn them
selves and their posterity to the very
toll for which perpetuated and trans
mitted ignorance fits theme Suppose
that even the majority for high pro-
lection did its perfect work, what is
the result worth if larger contem-
poraneous majority DEGREES that our
children shall not know enough to see
and feel that protection is blessing
In the light, too, of our iyaoiunt
servlllty to all the demands high
protection may levy upon us, and, on
the other hand, of our announced and
decreed rejection of the claims which
education sets before US as ADEQUATE
to its needs, how vain the pretenses
OF some orders and societies who have
assumed the guardianship of an msti-
tuition with whose interest as voters
they cannot be trusted. The lodges
and councils in Garrett county NAV
vote with great eclat behind the screen
OF the working degree" for an Amer
lean flag on every schoolhouse, but
what is such patriotism worth when at
the same polls they decide that their
patriotic displays must not be ampifed
and multiplied by building more school,
houses
Coming nearer home, there is an
American flag in Frostburg, placed on
schoolhouse by the voting devotees
of high protecton-placed there with
warm popular apr roval, but the ques-
ton of building the schoolhouse itself
could not be safely referred to the
people at all.
Mr. Buckley closes with the familiar