The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1899-07-08

Koyville, june aS. sS99.-Is seems that
wonders will never cease. Edison IN At last
outclassed and the parish of Lafayette con-
tains the latest discovery. few human
barometers of intelligence. Persons who
are competent to pronounce upon the mental
qualifications of the balance of mankind.
What source of revenue for the Industrial
School fund.- Why tax $500; the people ., when ca.
ladies and gentlemen; drop two (S) mills in
the slot and test your mental capacities.
Blu, hold! let see If these Instruments are
correct. They claim lthe Instruments are
Industrial School is for the p.'or ~ veil a.
the rich. Poor and rich are relative terms
and may he applied according to any beings
notion. We claim that poor man Is one
day. A rich man is one who has been able
to / aside a small sum, say from two to
five thousand dollars, ''for a rainy day.
One who goes above that is a matador and
is not to be considered at present.
Can the man who lives from hand to
mouth afford to pay the matriculation, book
and Incidental fees of any college1 We
think not; he can barely pay for the COM
public schools. The board and clothing
bills necessary to attend any high school Or
college is . mecca never dreampt, much less
to he thought of. l. is claimed that the
children will he able to walk to school. A
very few might do 50, but the vast majority
would live TOO far from thu college to even
ride there.
No one can deny the assertion that the
poor man predominates throughout this
parish. Shall we overtax and cause to Suf-
Ter the majority in order to give advantage
to few? Such an act would be worse
than inhuman. The rich man, he who has
put aside a few thousands, should send his
children to college, but should insist that
their brains be not cultivated at the detri-
nent or the stomachs of the poor. The
rich afford to send his children
away from home, and should do SO If home
institutions can not he had without oppress-
ing his more unfortunate neighbOr. But, is
asked, should we not educate the poor?
Certainly, we should educate as many as
possible; and with that object in view it be-
the rich man who would derive pecuniary
benefit from the location of the institution,
to contribute freely in order to place educa-
tional facilities within the reach of those
poor who by chance are so located that their
children could take advantage of such
blessings.
We are told that pride for our parish
should make strive to obtain the Indus
trial School. Ills a false pride that makes
US neglect our moral obligations and display
pomp which causes our nearest and dearest
10 suffer from want.
The human barometers make use of fig
eres which show that the farmer would pay
very little as compared with other taxpayers.
Did the other taxpayers contribute tenfoid
what they do toward getting the college,
that will not lessen the hardship of the poor
to pay their small share, nor increase their
ability to Jake advantage of the college If
built.
DO not make a poor man pay for some
thing from which he can derive no benefit.
If the parish of Lafayette can not get tae
s ssss ne!
amount Of educational benefit will be de-
rived by US from the school if located in the
parish of Iberia ST. Martin, if il was
located IN any part of our parish. Those
will do we'll at an Iberia st. Martin
Industrial School at Lafayette Indus
trial School. If the people must be taxed,
and there seems to be mama in this parish
distributed where they will do the most
good. by improving and increasing the
ward public schools the poor will receive
the direct benefit OF their privations; for
only through the ward public schools will
the poor ever derive any benefit from
monies levied for educational purposes. If
the failure of Lafayette to obtain the Indus
trial School was to deprive the world of
educational facilities. there might be some
excuse for causing the poor of this parish to
suffer for the good of the balance of man
kind; but to deliberately propose to tax the
parish at large for local enrichment is an
act worthy of tinanciers, but not Of public
loving people.
Let US, like Iberia, call upon the business
and monied men Of the parish put up the
''cold CASH. if that does not succeed then
let our sister parish. whose sons would be
more liberal than our own, have the benefit
of their generosity.
Let every naonied or rich man, before he
casts his ballot for taxation, pause and con-
slider whether he is ''do(ing) unto others
(the poor) as you would have them do unto
you" lit you were poor.)
Respectfully,
X. y. YOUNG.