The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-05

taxable valuation Of city property ia
a most important factor in school
finances. The reduction became nee
essary, owing partially to the general
contraction ia values and partiallv
owing to the glaring disparity between
taxable values here and in other mu-
inequalities of our state.
In 1895 the taxable value Of all prop
erty In this city was s122, 73S. 682 This
in the following year, was reduced TO
$S3, lOf, IA, or about "a per centum.
concomitant decrease In school reve-
nues was the inevitable consequence
From an appropriation of s455, 900 for
school purposes in the school year of
l896-1S97, reduction of $4,000 was
made for the following school year
The appropriation for the current year
was necessarily limited to the same
amount Of s420,00o
PROPOSED REMEDIES.
The present inadequate condition of
public school revenues can be relieved
only by general legislation, either au-
thorfzing a further issue of school
bonds, or by raising the maximum
tax-levy rate for school purposes, or
by both methods.
An issuance Of bonds for the pay
ment of the current expenses OF MAIN
tanning the schools would of course,
violate every principle of sound pub
lie finance. The issuance of short
time bonds, to mature in ten or say
at most fifteen years, the proceeds
thereof to be applied solely to the con-
struction of new school buildings,
would be a less Objectionable fiscal ex-
pendfture. In the case of permanent
improvements Of that character bene-
fetal alike to the present generation
and to poster1ty, 1t Is generally regard
ed not inequitable or unsound in prin-
ciple to extend the payment therefor
over number Of years. A sinking
fund should in such case be created
out Of the annual tax levy, sufficient in
amount to liquidate such bonds at
their maturiey. But, notwithstanding
the surprisingly large reduction of the
c1tys bonded Indebtedness during the
last six years, under regime of the
most stringent economy, a widespread
and rather wholesome prejudice exists
in this community against any increase
in the bonded Indebtedness of our city.
The more popular method Of relief
seems to be that of proposed increase
in the maximum tax rate which may
be levied by the common council for
school purposes.
WHAT 1T WOULD GIVE.
The proposed increase of one and one
half mills on the present taxable valu-
alton of city property would produce
an additional school revenue of s11e, 500
annually assuming that only so per
centum of the actual tax levy Is col
lectable and available, through the is
suance of certificates of Indebtedness.
OF this proposed increase of one and
one-half mills in the tax levy rate, one
half mill ought to be available for new
school buildings and sorely needed per-
M inf INN re &c rn1rld
provide altogether inclusive of the
present nne-half mill authorized by ex-
listing laws, q total tax levy rate Of one
mill available for construction purpos-
es 80 per centum Of which, being coli
lectable, would net s74. 400. That this
amount would be wholly insufficient to
provide the necessary school accom-
modations during the first year of its
appropriation, is indisputable. But the
proposed legislation should be permits
sive, and not mandatory, relative to
the one-half mill rate to be appropri-
ated for building purposes. That Is to
say, the time will come when the pro-
ceeds Of this one-half mill tax rate
will no longer be required for new
works of construction. and the increas-
ed cost of maintaining the additional
school houses newly built, together
with their corps of teachers and en-
ployes, will render it necessary that
such one-half mill tax rate should also
be available to provide for the main
tenance and current expenses of the
public schools. The proposed law
should be flexible in this regard.
WHERE RELIEF RESTS.
Thatyproper remedial legislation may
be obtained from the present 1egisla-
ture depends only upon the diligence
and intelligent action of our Ramsey
haIaOQfin1 G q fTlT
The duty of providing for an adequate
public educational system is now In
controyertibly recognized as a legiti-
mate function of government. In the
old colonial days it was still possible
for the governor of a great common
wealth. Sir William Berkeley. of Vir-
GINA, to exclaim, with out rebuke: Il
thank God there are no free schools
or printing presses, and 1 hope We shall
not have any these hundred years.!
Excepting the New England states the
formative period Of our free public
school system dates back only about
fifty years. Rate schools academies,
institutes and seminaries held out no
educational opportunities for those too
rCOr to pay for tuition. And, as Thorpe.
In his constitutional history rightly
observes. though these means were
effective to the extent that they were
available, it was not until after 1850
that America can truly be said TO have
had free public schools" Since those
coed old days such prodigious strides
have been made in educational matters
that the desired relief for the school
revenues of our city will not be grant
ed grudgingly, will encounter no fur
Their obstacles than such as are Incl
dent to a careful and circumspect franz
ing of the proper legislative measures.
xu.-~rov,s @ootAipS avYun
IA. bean used for over hfty years by miilf1ns
- y, ,thers for their children while tscthng WITH
n.rfc,J success It soothes the child, softens tne
gums. ailays all pain cures vino conc; Aar a.