The Van Buren press., 1900-01-13

dollar, and in other alsGricts not Il
exceed 7 mills on the dollar, on con
dition that a majority of the voter,
who are taxpayers on real or person
al property may vote for said in
crease. For the purpose of erecting
school buildings the rate of taxation
herein limited may be increased by {
two-thirds majority vote of taxpay
ers voting for the same, the rate be
ing restricted by such safe and
wholesome provisions as the legisla
ture may deem wise
"These are about all the constitu'
tional changes / would suggest, un'
less the additional one of making il
obligatory upon the legislature to set
aside annually for the support of the
state unive1 sity certain percentage
of the state revenues exclusive of in
terest and sinking fund. | shall not
digress upon tins matter further
than to say that it is only in this way
that the revenues for this institution
became an absolute certainty, in
creasing as the wealth and popula-
tion of the state increased, thus fur
nishing adequate means to meet the
growing demands OF an institution in
which every citizen should take pa
triotic pride.
"The limits of this paper forbid the
discussion of changes which | should
like to see embodied in a general re-
vision of the school law. If, however,
the constitutional changes were
made which have been Indicated it is
safe to say that with wise oversight
exercised relative to revenues, every
school district in the state could
have at least a three months contin-
uous session, and probably majori-
ty could have six. Under such cir
cumstances, it would be within the
province of the legislature to make
the voting of minimum session,
say of three or four months in each
district, a condition of receiving its
proportionate share Of the state tax
through the county treasurer.
at will be observed that at present
the ratio of state support to local
support is approximately as / to
2 1-a. Under the amendment suggest.
ed the state support would be not
quite doubled. The legislature may
at any time, If the condition of state
revenues should justify, increase this
amount, thus giving needed hexi-
bility to meet this possible contin-
gency. The local rate is lowered but
made arbitrary, thus insuring provis-
ion for limited support in commune
ties where educational sentiment is
at low ebb. But every district is
given power by majority of tax
payers to vote such a rate as when
supplemented with larger state
fund, will adequately support an eff
cient school of respectable length Of
term.
81 am not unaware of the conten-
tion raised on the part of certain
counties when the question Of in.
creased school revenues is raised.
This objection originates in the fear
of over-taxation oy an ignorant body
electors who own little property, but
who, by reason of numbers can out
vote the educated property-holders
upon whom the burden of taxation
falls. But let me ask in all candor,
shall the whole states educational
uplifting be hampered and prevented
by reason Of the fact that in fifteen
counties out OF the seventy-fve there
happens to exist this condition, and
when, too, in at least hal of these,
and sometimes more. the educated
taxpayer controls everything per-
tanning to tax levyp We have this
mass OF ignorance like a cancerous
ulcer upon the body politic. We
cannot cure 1t save through means
which alone in all the worlds history
have proved ef|cacious. The only
possible redemption lies in moral and
intellectual enlightenment, and for
this they must look higher than
themselves. am sure remedies Of
legal and humane character can be
found to prevent injustice being done
those who bear the burdens of tax
alton and those who reap where they
have not sown All taxes, botn state
and local, rest upon the theory that,
in democratic government ct least,
all men are possessed Of the same
rights to its protection and enjoy
mcnt, A tax paid for the support OF
schools is the best life insurance
patriotic citizen can secure for ms
estate. "Parsimony toward educa-
tion is liberality toward crime
Prof. James Mitchell, editor of the
Arkansas Democrat, also read pa
per on the same subject, which will
he given next week.