The Savannah morning news., 1900-10-25

/ only $1,000 not enough 20 pay them for
I one months work
/ know II but two ways % remcdying
this evil one g. 20 provide means 10
/ pay what S. now due the teachers for
work already done. and let the taxes COLI
! lected this year go 70 the payment OF
/ teachers next year nH the law contem-
| plates. and the other D. To suspend the
| schools for half-year or until the school
/ fund. supplemented hy an advance Of
/ 10000 from the general fund. can catch
up with the demands upon a. But n Is
/ u great importance that some remedy he
/ applied II Is due the teachers. They
/ should not De required 10 work on 70 credit
I and be- driven 20 the necessity Of discount
/ ing their claims 10 curbstono brokers az
/ ruinous rates, ns many now have 10 do.
! The custom. which has prevailed for sew
| eral years past. Of r,sortiuE 20 all pos
| sibie temporary expedients TO secure
means 20 run the schools. has been a
| source Of much annoyance to the teachers.
| ard as well 60 the Governor ana the
| state school Commissioner. who have
/ been ceusured for the non-payment OF
| teachers. who cannot understand why q Is
/ that when the Legislature has said they
/ shall be paid monthly Il h not done.
| They do not know that when the law was
! enacted declaring that monthly payments
should be made the necessary means were
not provided FOR that purpose.
Radical Change ~ Needed.
After much investigation and study Of
the question. have come 90 the conciu-
sion that the best interests of the sax-
payers and Of the schools demand q rad
| teal change IN the mode OF providing
means 20 support our public schools II
will be- found upon investigation think.
| that Georgio pays "a larger percentage
| Of her total revenue to the support OF
her common schools than any other state
/ IN the Union. while local communities.
with the exception OF our cities and some
| OF the larger towns. contribute nothing
/ 20 this purpose Counties. with two or
three exceptions. and most OF the towns.
pay nothing. but look 10 the state for
| everything This fosters a spirit OF pa
| ternalism usteriy repugnant 10 our the
| DRY Of government and destructive or
| the self-rcliance aud individuality OF the
citizen. In New England the cradle 4
/ the common school, where they have
reached their greatest perfection. the
muagill Of the system Is local taxation
supplemented by state aid. We should
profit by the experience OF these older
states and amend our system go as TO
conform 20 that which experience has
/ demonstrated 10 be hest. Under the pres
| eut law counties may impose upon them
! selves taxes TO old in the support OF
/ schools but they do not do Il because
/ the law is not compulsory but merely
/ permissive. IL Is noe right for the state
20 bear an Of this burthen. neither is Il
/ expeiient The law should require a
! part OF it to be borne hy the counties.
This would not only be more equitable
/ and just TO the taxpayers. but IL would
/ be- 10 the best interest OF the schools and
the teachers. who are the chief sufferers
under the present unsatisfactory system
/ Under she proposed change patrons would
1 feel more responsibility for aud take more
/ interest Ia their schools and in the seiec-
| ton % teachers. the standard OF scholar,
ship ia our country schools would hs
| elevated and the results would be- 80 sat
lsfactory 60 both patrons and teachers
that the amount Of local taxation Tor
the support OF Schools would be Increased
from year 90 year. the school term would
be heightened. teachers wouh b. better
paid and che taxpayers would be- better
| satisfied with the burden put upon them
! therefore recommend that the law be-
80 amended as 90 hx the state schoo
fund AZ one million dollars per annum. q
| be distributed among the counties "a.
now provided by law. but that the amount
| apporiioned 60 no county shall be avail
able until that county shall have raise,
/
within it's own borders. an amouns mo-
less than - per cent. Of IT, share Of ih'
state school fund This would ruise fo
the first year school fund about q.
large We now have. which would b,
increased by the counties from year 4,
year as the people realize the advantage.
OF the system.
In Diminishing this subject desire &,
call the attention OF the General Assem-
alaa e IA 81
school Commissioner who fully agree,
with me on the subject OF locnl taxation
10 aid IN the support OF schools
Pensions.
The aggregate amount 81 money pais
out during the year TO pensioners OF al
classes has been S6ls.2C5 ana there are OF
nle. approved Tor payment next year. "a
new applications. From this must BE- de-
/ Quoted the number Of pensioners who hav.
died during the year This g. not ye
| known. hut IL viii probably be- about 50l
| which will when deducted from the mum.
BIER Of new application. leave a net nd
dition 20 the rolls Of about as.
Hy the adoption Of the amendment
/ granting pensions 60 all widows Of de
| ceased Confederate soldiers who from
blindness and poverty. old age and pov.
| erfy. or inhrmity ana poverty. are unnb.'
70 support themselves a new class o.
/ pensioners has been created. Tor the pay,
ment Of whom % large amount Of money
viii be required-how large IL IS imrosst
bic 60 say with any degree OF accuracy
| for want % Information az TO the number
II these widows in the state. but 81 q,
probable that there are not ltss than goo
n pensions are granted them az the sans
/ rates as 60 the widows now on the rolls
| II Is probable tina, IN a year or two IN,
/ amount necessary 60 meet The pension rol
. vii approx innate "a million dollars.
In this connection t D. perhaps mol
amiss for me 10 refer 10 the dangerous
4 ard growing practice o. granting by spe
cial legislative enactment pensions q
claimants whose record viii nor allow
/ them 60 come IN under the general law
/ our pension laws ore liberal. and mos
applicants whose military service entiti,
/ them 30 equity aud Justice TO pensions
cnn easily make the necessary proofs ard
| get on the pension roll without ,heso spe
cial acts for their benefit. the consutu.
| tiona.ity OF which is doubtful while II
tho practice OF leglslating applicants OF
/ the roll Is kept up many uncarned pen
slons viii b. paid 10 impoTtunate and I'm