Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1897-02-05
FRIDAY EVENING. FEE. 5, 1897.
THE HINKLE SCHOOL BILL.

THE HINKLE SCHOOL BILL.
Again, Representative Hinkle, TOR
the third time during the past SIX years.
is on hand in the lower house OF the
Territorial legislature at Santa fe'
with his school bill, the purpose OF
which is to make the towns of the Ter
ritory support the county schools.
It is a well. known.fact that the towns
of New Mexico pay the great proper
ton of the taxes, the exemption law
relieving the mass of the native people,
in the country districts, from paying
anything. They, as a general thing,
do not pay even the 81 poll tax, which
goes exclusively to the education Of
their W children. Hence, the ex-
pense Of carrying on the Territorial ana
County governments, falls upon the
towns, the live stock companies and
the mines. The general school fund,
collected chiefly from the towns, is
already divided pro rata, upon the
basis OF the school census, so that the
towns get but a moiety of that which
they pay, while the country school dis
tricts, paying but little themselves, are
really supported by the towns. 10
this. the owns make no objection, put
ting an additional school tax upon
themselves, to maintain their own
schools. This last fund, supplemented
BY the liquor licenses collected in the
towns, rs the support of the town
schools.
Under this arrangement, in the las'
six years, the public school system OF
New Mexico, has shown q growth anc
development, which have been tn
marvel of the day. School house
have been erected, large and coupe
tent corps of teachers have been EN-
ployed, and every town In the Terri
tory, of any Importance. bias a publ
school of which 1t is justly proud.
Now comes Mr.. Hinkle and tn
friends OF bis bill and propose to chang
all this. They propose to take AVA!
from the towns and scatter 1t GU
through the country; to cripple the
schools already established in the pos
sibility of a prospect fo- building w
out. of-the way places. The harm II
positive, the good is problematical.
Then, too, the proposal is unjust
The towns are already doirg their full
share for the county schools, and t.
impose upon them a still further loss o
their own money, is after the characte
of riding a free horse to death.
Furthermore, New Mexico desire
immigration. For some time to come
this immigration will be largely con
fined to he to wns, however it may en-
ploy its capital. The families OF tn
Immigrants will reside in the towns
Cripple the town schools or o~verburde
the town people with the weight OF al
ditional taxes to maintain their schools
and you strike a blow at immlgratio
which will plainly be felt.
East Lss Vegas Is an example OF no
the proposed change in the law W
work. The liquor licenses OF this tow
amount to $2,400, which amount is a
ded to the school fund raised by dire
taxation, and enables this town to ha'
a system of public schools OF which
is proud, and which is commensura
with its needs. Take these $2,4l
away from the East Las Vegas scho
fund, and the schools must be cut dow
to two-thirds their present eficienc,
or else the people must impose upc
themselves S2,400 yearly OF addition
taxes, when they are already taxed a
thew can bear.