Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1900-10-11
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
WELL CARED FOR
Attorney General Elkin Tells Of
the Appropriations Made.
PENNSYLVANIA MOST GENEROUS.


Il have been requested to explain
the attitude of the Republican party
and the present administration on the
question of the support of the common
schools. Upon that question Pennsyl-
vania has a proud record. Our first
appropriation to the common schools
was made in 1885. 1t amounted to
$4,000; every year an annual appro-
priation has been made for the schools.
In 1872, prior to the adoption of the
new constitution, the appropriation was
100000. The trainers of our funda-
mental law inserted a provision that
the minimum amount thereafter appro-
priated in any one year should be one
million dollars From 1874 to 1887 in
elusive the amount appropriated was
the minimum fixed by the constitution.
At that session Of the legislature a
movement was set on foot by the Re-
publican members to increase this ap-
preparation. The effort resulted in a
compromise which gave $1.500,000 for
this purpose. For 1889 the amount was
increased to two millions of dollars.
and in 1891, when the Republican party
controlled both branches of the legis-
lature, the annual appropriation was
increased to the princely sum OF three
millions Of dollars for 1893
STONES WARNING IGNORED.
When Governor Stone was inaugl-
rated he sent a message to the legis-
lature explaining the financial condi.
tion Of our state treasury. The records
then showed that there was a practical
deficit of more than three million dol
lars. The governor suggested that one
of these things should be done, either
that the legislature should provide
more revenue or reduce the appropria-
tion, in order that the credit Of the
commonwealth might be sustained.
1.-The legislature did not provide ad-
ditional revenue and di@ not decrease
the appropriation. The governor was
then confronted with the condition of
an already existing deficiency in the
treasury and more appropriations made
than the estimated revenue of the state
would pay. He viewed the situation as
a practical business man would. He
said:
1.-The state cannot approve the pay
ment of more than 1t receives. no mat
ter how worthy the purpose.
"He acted ON the principle that we
must be just before we are generous.
"He scaled down the appropriation
bills in every possible direction to the
amount of 100000 But even this did
not bring the appropriations within the
estimated revenues and provide for the
payment of the deficit. He was then
up to the question of the school appro-
priation. He reduced this 100000 a
year. He gave as his reason that there
was not sufficient money to make this
large appropriation and pay the debts.
He also stated In his veto message
that he would cheerfully approve the
whole appropriation of $500, 900 If the
conditions of the state treasury war
ranted il.
A DEFICIT is WIPED OUT.
LESS than two years have elapsed
since this action was taken by the gov
ernor. In the meantime the financial
condition of the state has phenomenal
ly improved; up to the present moment
we have paid the entire deficiency OF
more than three million dollars. and
have sufficient money to pay the entire
school appropriation and still have a
surplus of more than one million dol
lars. This condition of affairs was
brought to the attention of the COVER
nor several weeks ago, and he imme-
diately instituted an investigation to
see whether or not the half million
might not be returned to the common
school appropriation. He has stated
publicly that it was his intention to
recommend in his message to the leg
islature that a deficiency bill should
be passed to give the schools the $780,
Quoted from the appropriations made
by the last legislature.
"The governor has done this in a
spirit of equity and broad mined states
manship. His action should and will
meet with the approval of every friend
of the common school system in the
state Some of the newspapers that
denounced the governor when he re-
duced the appropriation are now most
angry at him because he is taking
measures to restore it. But their de-
nunciations in the one instance and
their angry insinuations in the other
will not deter him from doing his duty.
A SPLENDID RECORD.
"The Republican party on the school
question has made a splendid record in
our state. The highest appropriation
made while the Democrats had control
of the legislature was $2S0,000 year,
The sum total of all the annual appro-
priations from 1885 up to 1860, while
the Democratic party controlled the
state government, it was s5.4S5,000.
"In other words, under Republican
administration we gave more to the
common schools in single year than
the Democrats gave us the "a years
from 1885 to 1860.
"From 1890 to the present time, while
the legislature was controlled by the
Republican party, there have been ap-
propriated for school purposes the
magnificent total of $51 100000.
pennsylvania appropriates for school
purposes one and half times as much
as New York twice as much as Cali
fornia, three times as much as Indiana,
four times as much as Texas, and five
times as much as Missouri.
so that we do not suffer In compar-
ison with any other state, Democratic
or Republican, in the Union"
Cannibals and Pork.
In the New Hebrides human life has
been made safe by the introduction Of
pigs into the island. The cannibals are
said to prefer roast pork to roast man.
and as the porcine tribe increases
among the natives they may give up
their feasts on human flesh altogether
excepting when something unusual
happens, such as entertaining a king Of
some other cannibal island or on state
occasions Of rare ceremony.
Tough on the Joker.
The contributor wrote q joke about
n plumber whose bills were always
normal. That" said the editor, re-
jecting 1t. sis not joke; it's lie"
The contributor tried again with a