The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1899-09-20


ant Case of Mrs. Merrie Hoover Abbott
Prosecuting Attorney of Ogeisw County
Cost OF Maintaining Michigan's schoo
System Last Year.
Lansing, Mich, Sept. 19.-The state
tax levy for the current year, which
was announced by Auditor General
Dix last week, has very naturally eX'
I cited considerable unfavorable COM
lment because Of the noticeable in
crease over last year. In considering
this matter the taxpayers should take
into consideration the fact that IL is
not altogether fair to compare this
years levy with that Of 1898 for the
reason that the legislature was not in
session last year. This makes a de-
cided difference. In the first place 1t
puts the heavy expense of the legis-
lative session into this years budget
and there was no similar item in last
years levy to Offset it. Then again
by far the heaviest end OF the appro-
priations for state institutions aside
from those for current expenses are
levied the year they are made. For
this reason the levy for the odd year
of the biennial period is always the
greatest
Held 70 Closest Point.
Then again it is only fair to take
into consideration the fact that all
during the hard times the extension
and rebuilding of state institutions
had been held down to the closest
point, so that there was need this year
for doing a great deal of this class of
= work. While ii may be that il will be
an easy matter TO find plenty of things
for which to criticise the last legis-
lature, nothing will be gained by TAX
ing il to task for making appropria-
tons that were imperatively needed.
If the criticisms are based on justice
no harm will be done and much good
may result from the effect on future
legislatures On the other hand If 1t
be made to appear that the taxpayers
are bound to kick anyway, whether
appropriations made were needed or
not, such kicks will have no beneficial
effect whatever.
The supreme court will hold a SEES
sion this afternoon and all the JUS
tees will again be together for the
first time since the summer vacation
The court met one week ago, but as
all the members were not here only
opinions i'm comparatively unimpOr-
tant cases were handed down. To-
day, however, more important Opin-
ions are expected, noticeably the one
in the case of Mrs. Merrie Hoover Alb
bolt, prosecuting attorney of Ogemaw
county The question involved is one
of the most important the Michigan
court has ever been called upon to
decide.
Right of Female.
1t is simply the right of female TO
hold an elective office under the con
stitution of this state. In the argu-
ment of the case ii was urged that
the constitution should be interpreted
in the light of existing customs and
conditions and not in the light of those
which obtained when it was adopted
half century ago. In an opinion in
the Detroit municipal railway case,
which was handed down soon after
this argument was made, the court
RAJ ar effectually disposed of this view
of the matter by remarking that n
constitution was designed TO lay down
certain fixed rules and was not TO be
changed by the courts every time ad-
vancement was made in science, GUS
toms or otherwise. While it is prob
able, therefore, that the women may
troversy. there were plenty of other
points made in their favor which the
court may see fit to indorse in decid-
ing the case. The court is consider
ing several other unusually important
cases and may dispose of them also
today.
1t costs a very pretty penny to main
tain the public school system of Michi-
ban. Superintendent of public instruc-
tion is just completing report that
will show that the total expenditures
on this account last year were $66S3,-
\ O2450 This includes the entire
school system of the state, reports
lying been received from SAIL dis
trictS The aggregate number of chill
dren sptitled TO the privileges of the
schools was. according TO the last
school census 703. 100. but of these
Oh 496.025 were enrolled during the
L. A total of 1868 persons found
Employment in teaching these young
ideas how to shoot. majority of these
Instructors being women. The aggre-
gate wages of all these teachers forth
year were 81, 146. 1893. the women re-
ceiving $3,070.6 9032 Of this amount
school Houses i'm Michigan.
1t may not be uninteresting TO say
in this connection that there are to-
tai of Z $50 school houses i'm Michigan.
and that the estimated value of all
the school property i'm the state is
$1S,13S,5S9. The total amount ex-
pended for the support Of the schools
was received from the following
sources: From 1-mill tax, $650.973;
from primary school interest fund,
$3.50. 0S0.79; from nonresident tuition.
$50, 53S.63; from district taxes. $4,524.-
095.0S: from loans, $404, 27661: from
all other sources, 1891 ,SS4.75. 1t will
readily be seen from this that the
school tax is altogether the greatest
the taxpayers have TO meet. 1t is
some recompense TO know that the ed.
ucational system OF Michigan is con-
coded to be one of the best i'm the en-
tire country, and it is constantly grow
ing better The increase made i'm
very recent years in the number of
norW schools will make it's influence
feltJ asently. and il will not be long
betAS every rural school in the state
vii be presided over by thoroughly
trained teacher.
=. A 40 o.