The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1902-10-11

Not long ago one OF tue lalnoi' ~
our democratic Israel, a mao whose
party services have been great aod
long continued, requested the editor
OF the INTELLIsENcER to publish the
comparative school apportionment
statistics made out by secretary OF
state. Sam b. Cook. His request was
at first refused upon the ground that
a comparison OF statistics under re-
publican rule thirty years ago with
results under democratic rule at the
present day contained, or probably
contained, a fallscy. The editor
believed that the increase 10 assessed
value Of property in the state and the
changes in the population statistics In
the various counties would account in
such large measure for the difference
in the showing between the appor-
tionmentI under republican rule and
that under democratic rule as to
render Mr.. Cooks statistics of little
value as an argument. 1t vas finally
agreed to 60 yer the statistics anew
in the records of the county clerks
office and to publish the results
whether they should prove an argu-
ment for the democrats or an argu-
ment for the republicans.
1t was found that the total distri-
button of money to the public schools
of Lafayette county during the last
six years Of each party's management
was as follows:
Under republicans C65 to TOY, Sl3, $50
Uoder democrats ('96 to 'OI, $3.50
Increase under democratic manage
ment 1893 per cent.
During the same period (lS7O to
19OO) the increase in the assessed
valuation was;
For the county ....... "a per cent.
f" 4" state ...........SO
During the same period the increase
in population was;
For the county ....,...4O per cent.
state. ..... ....Sl
1t will be e that Lafay etc
county has no, increased IN population
or in wealth as rapidly as the state
taken as = whole, having no large city
within is @ 'ders, so that while in
1870 Lafayette county vas entitled TO
one seycuty-sixth Of the totil school
apportionment, in 1900 the same
county was entitled to only one ninety
eighth Of the total apportionment.
If the annual school distribution were
made entirely from funds collected by
taxation for the purpose, we should
expect a total increase Of so per cent,
due to the increase in assessed valua-
ton OF property, and a decrease of 30
per cent Of that amount, due to the
relatively slower increase Of popula-
ton in Lafayette %county-its falling
OFF from one seventy-sixth to one
ninety-eighth of the total population.
Ia other words, we should have a
right to expect the school money ap-
pOrtionment to have increased SO per
cent. AS a matter OF fact it has in
creased 3Ss per cent.
These figures do not include the
liberal support given the state univer-
sity, the normal schools and the School
Of Mines. Nor has this increase been
made by an increase Of taxation. The
lowest tax rate during the six years
of republican rule was fifty cents on
the hundred dollars, while the highest
rate during the corresponding years
OF democratic rule has been twenty
five cents on the hundred dollars.
Nor is this the worst to be said OF
republican management in this state
Their distribution of the school money
WAS made with rank partisan discrim-
inalion. In 1866 the republican county
OF Douglas with a population of less
than 1000 was paid more school money
than the democratic county Of Audrain
with a population OF more than ~, 600,
and the democratic county Of Galloway
was paid nothing. Gasconade, a repub.
lican county, population 10, 900, re-
ceived 20 per cent more money than
Jackson, a democratic county, popu-
lation more than $4,000. In 1867
fancy county, republican, population
4,497, received more than democratic
Saline with a population five times as
great, and the democratic county OF
Boone, the seat OF the university,