The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-03-29
and not seldom. we have taken the oppor-

and not seldom, we have taken the oppor-
tunity.
The surest and safest way to overcome
this lack of civic pride is to make its cul-
tiyation a part of the education of our
children. The remarks of the most cynl-
cal parent will fade to nothing in the
ears and mind of the child who knows
better, because his teacher told him so.
Very many children would take the wild
est dream of the teacher in preference to
the soberest truth of the parent.
We try to instil this pride into the pu-
pills. but what a heartless task it must
be for the teacher who feels that the pub
lie looks upon her and treats her as a
drudge.
Pay the teachers well; give them nearly
as much as they earn; and their love for
their city will be quickened, and through
them will be ingrained in their pupils, and
their growth in usefulness will be accom-
panied by a growth of this spirit, with
benefit to them and to the whole people.
No better paying investment could be
made than the adoption of this policy
Last year the Mayor recommended to
the Board of Finance that they make an
appropriation of $4,000 for a general in
crease of salaries. This sum, if distri-
buted equally, would have allowed al. IL.
crease of about 65 cents a week to each
teacher. Our Board of Education con-
sidered that amount small, but recognize
ing in it a step forward, and not to APP
pear as asking too much, contented itself
with joining in the request of the Mayor.
No attention was paid to the request by
the Board of Finance, no investigation
made and the matter was entirely ignor-
ed by them.
In the early seventies, when this city
was under severe financial burdens the
salaries of the teachers, with other en-
ployes, were reduced: with a spirit of
which the city should be proud the teach
ers accepted the sacrifice; since then other
employees have been returned to where
they were. but no change for the benefit
of the teachers has been made. Now that
we can afford it, we ought to show that
we appreciate what they are doing, but
what they did then. Well would it be for
ployes a class which would without muir
muir unselfishly consent to bear burden
like that for so long a time.
The schedule incorporated in the Muir
ply bill was prepared with an eye to the
cfty's financial condition, as well as to
all ranks of the teachers. 1t is not as
high as it should be, and it is no higher
than the city can bear.
1t would add to the salary account for
the first year little less than $2S.000; this
would mean with a tax rate at $2S.40 an
addition of $1000,000 to the ratables. But
we need not have recourse to that method.
Under the new franchise tax law this city
will receive at least $4,000 more than it
does now without any addition to the
ratables and without any increase of the
tax rate. The sale of real estate owned
by the city would not only bring money
directly into the treasury, but would also
bring into the ratables many thousands
of dollars worth of property upon which
no taxes are levied now. The reduction
of the size of the Board of Freeholders
insures more economical and business-like
management of the affairs of the county,
of whose expenses we pay more than half.
A healthy feeling that we are going ahead
will be experienced, drawing to ourselves
enterprises which will further develop our
resources and increase our opportunities.
Every voter in the city. every taxpayer
having the interest of his city at heart
everyone interested in the development
and progress of our public school system
with all that that means, should strike
out the word Against on his ticket on
April 10.
JOHN MULVANEY.