The record-union., 1899-01-20
A JUG HANDLED BILL.

A bill is before the Assembly Tor the
levy of a tax to create a State High
School fund to be used for the support
of High Schools throughout the State.
Passing for the present the wisdom or
unwisdom of such policy, attention is
invited to a peculiar insect in this bill.
1t declares itself to be a bill for support
of the High Schools of the State. But
the fund, we find, after it is collected
from the pockets of taxpayers is to be
distributed among the counties, and
cities and counties" meaning thereby
evidently the consolidated cities and
counties.
1t is to be used by the County or City
and County Boards of Education for
promotion of High Schools. It is also
provided that graduates from County
Grammar Schools are to be admitted
to these High Schools. But no where
in the bill is it provided that graduates
from city Grammar Schools are to be
admitted or cities are to be included in
tIlS OSltlllS SQPpOSS0 " llOW 1lOllb LIN
measure, save only San Francisco. AS
that is the only "city and county" in
the State, it alone falls within the pro-
visions of the bill, but all other appli-
cation is to counties only
Now all the larger cities have High
Schools supported in no part by the
C4ofo opd ,rhfoh oro c,,cfo;pod wholly
by city taxation In other words, so far
as city and town High Schools are
concerned they are not parts of the
State common school system. Under
the bill, therefore, no city would re-
ceive any aid for its High School from
the proposed tax. For county and city
school systems are independent of each
other They have distinct governing
boards. They are under watch and
ward of distinct Superintendent elected
by different constituencies.
When the bill reads therefore, that
the new fund is to be distributed among
counties and cities and counties" it
affirmatively excludes cities and incor-
porated towns having independent
school systems severed from county
governed schools. 1t is true that Sec
ton of this remarkable bill does pro-
vide that the County Board of Educa-
ton may" if the bowels of it's COM
passion are so moved, divide the
amount of the fund received by any
county among all the High Schools in
the county, other than county, or city
and county High Schools. This serves
to prove that in the mind of the author
of the bill these Other High Schools
meaning city and incorporated, town
High Schools, were not overlooked
The logical and inevitable conclusion
therefore is that they were purposely
omitted I'M the first instance. and what
ever of the plunder they are to receive
is to be dependent upon the gracious
concession of County Boards Of Edu-
cation.
What will be the operation then OF
such bill if it becomes law? Every
one hundred dollars Of value assessed
and listed for taxation will pay into a
State High School fund two cents. That
tax must be paid by all taxpayers in
Sacramento, Marysville, Oakland. San
Jose, Alameda, Stockton, Los Angeles.
San Diego and other cities, including
of course San Francisco. But when
the fund thus gathered is to be dis
tributed Ito pay teachers, salaries, pur-
chase apparatus" etc, the cities
named, excepting only San Francisco
will receive not nickel of this loot OF
the tax payers, until they get down
upon their marrow bones and beg the
County Boards Of Education to allot
them some crumbs from the common
fund to which they have contributed.
There is no other possible interpre-
tation to be put upon the bill, because
Of the provisions to which we have
referred. We apprehend that before
any such measure can pass-the policy
of which on general lines may be
doubted, though we are not now dis
cussing 1.-THE Incorporated cities and
towns will be heard from in protest
against being taxed to support their
own High Schools first. and secondly
to support those of San Francisco, and
those in counties outside of cities and
towns. in addition. There is such a
thing as "the last straw"
Some of the sensational and yellow
press fancy that all newspapers to
maintain the esprit du corps should
stand by one another, no matter how
Infamous may be the conduct of some
of them. We hear, therefore, consider
able from the sensational kidney about
journals abusing the friends OF their
own house, because independent and
self elf-respecting newspapers dare to re-
pudiate the shameless practices and
vulgar methods Of the yellow stripe.
The whine is amusing; nothing more.
AS we'll might debased criminals and
corrupt men plead for the support and
countenance of all other men on the
ground that they are Of the same sex.
The Congregation Smiled.
Two country clergymen had agreed to
exchange pulpits on certain date. One
Of them made the following solemn an
nouncement to his congregation on the
Sabbath previous to the event MY
dear brethren and sisters, I have the