Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-10-30
70 THE VOTERS OF MISSOURI.
An Appeal for the Adoption of the Amend.
ment to the State Constitution Raising the
limit of Tax Rate for School Purposes In
the Cities of St Louis. Kansas City and st.
Inaanh


the Cities of st. Louis. Kansas City and st.
Joseph.
By the act of the last general as
sembly there is to be submitted to the
voters of Missouri, at the general
election in November, 1902, a propo-
sition to adopt q constitutional
amendment empowering the boards
of education in cities having l00,o0u
inhabitants and over to increase the
rate of school taxes to h limit OF
60 cents upon the N hundred col
lars valuation of property. IN Is
FIFTH of proposed amendments.
This proposition relates at the present
time to he cities OF st, Louis, hahsaS
the state is not affected. In these cures
the measure is greatly needed for the
maintenance of public education az g
standard equal to that OF other cisSs To.
their class. In Kansas City and u. 20
seph the rate has been voluntarly III
creased from time to time by the voteis
of those cities under limitations dlrehoy
existing in the constitution. Inc elections
held for this purpose are ordinarily ef-
fective for only a single year at d tLHle,
and they entail considerable expense ~
the city of St. Louis the school tax Has
not been increased over the present c"ns
stitutional limit of 40 cents, because OF
the great expense of special eiectlohs; AHe
last special school election in ST; Louis
cost the city $4,000. Moreover, oniy IN
payers can vote on a proposition 10 IN
crease the school tax, and a reglstraS,on
list of Taxpayers only" would introduce
dangerous legal complications.
1t seems desirable, therefore, Ior Ine a
to place this matter upon a permanent
constitutional basis, which will give dis-
cretionary power to the boards OIL eau
cation respectively to levy suc aob uaIes ni as
poses within the maximum limit Oh oo
cents upon the S1GO. ,
In the city of St. Louis the additional
taxes are imperatively needed for tne
/. st. Lous is the only city of its SIZE
in the United States which Is dependen.
upon it's maintenance fund tor means
to erect new school buildings. Chicago,
New York, Boston and other northern
and eastern cities are spending in ,speclai
appropriations many times as much mon
ey in the erection and equipment OF hew
school buildings as is possible for st.
Louis with it's present limited income;
2. By law, new school buildings IN the
city of st. Louis must be fire PROOF; a
large number of old buildings exist when
are not fire proof and which ought to be
replaced by buildings of modern, type.
While every precaution is k by the
board of education in this respect LOT the
protection of the children, nothing will in
sure their safety, except making the
buildings fire proof. Fire PROOF buildings
of modern type cost at least 70 per CENT;
more thar the style of buildings erected
in 1875 when the constitutional limit VI ~
cents was adopted.
3. The movement of the population west
waru from the river In con~sequencesot the
growth of business, results IN a geneIai
abandonment of school buildings. The de.
sartad buildings have no COmTnerCldl
value. For every abandoned building, a
new one must be erected; this involves
expense, with no corresponding increase
In either population or Income.
4. Several additional buildings are re-
ouired every year for the normal in
crease Of population. A million dollars
could be readily and wisely spent by the
board of education of st. Louis at the
present time to meet these several de-
mands from the primary and grammar
grades, and the sudden gain in school at,
tendance which has already begun, ano
which will greatly increase during, the
next two years in consequence OF the
Worlds fair.
s. The city of st. Louis needs several
high school facilities than n city Of its
class in the United States. The board has
bought a lot of ground on the south side
for the prospective Mckinley high school,
high school; but, without the amendment,
it will lack the means to erect and equip
them both in proper shape.
6. The public school teachers OF St
Louis are not adequately paid. 1t Is the
purpose Of the board of education to in
crease the scale of salaries. II means are
so provided as to make this possible.
Z. The people of st. Louis desire an ex-
tension Of the free text book system rt &c
influence of free books upo the attendance
in the first four grades is so marked tina
there Is no room for doubt on this point
The extension can not be made until 1ur'
Their means are at hand.
Education is not merely a city inter
est; it concerns the whole state. rms II
shown by the fact that the public schools
state legislation. 1t is further shown b!I
the fact that this amendment, though i
will directly affect but three cities, WI
be voted upon by the whole state. 1t !:
important then for the interests of al
the people in the state that the STANDARD
of education in the large cities should b.
maintained and improved. The people o
Missouri can not afford to be behind IN
Louis, particularly, the attention Of tn
world Is in a short time to be called t.
its position n influence, and the cit!
should be prepared in respect OF IL
schools to show a model institution.
In Kansas City the public spirit Of tn
citizens has by special vote raised tn
rate of taxation for school purposes iron
40 cents to so cents, for a period OF tW'
years. A permanent OU ceIIS Tdte 10 All
peratively needed to establish the system
upon a stable basis and to avoid the dill
ticulties and expense of special elections.
In st. Joseph the citizens, equally aler
and active in maintaining their publ
school at its highest standard, have TO
themselves regularly increased the rat
to go cents, and are now levying thi
amount by vote of the people. A fxe'
power in the board of education to lev,
this rate is desirable for the same rea
sons as exist in Kansas City.
The people of the state of Missouri ar
as literally disposed toward the cause o
education as anywhere in this ~enlightene
country. They nave never denied tn
public schools, regarded as the corner
stone of the body polite, the means Q
strength and progress.
1t is earnestly hoped that the voter
William Taussig, c. M. woodward, ]. l
Ford, Henry Droste, r. B.. Dula, Edwar
c. Eliot, John Schroers, Robert Moore, "
Members of Board Of Education of s
]. c. James, j. s. Harrison, Caroline
Lathrop, Melton Moore, JOS. l.. Norman
Members of Board of Education OF Kar
q. A. Donelan, ]. c. Wyatt, ]. M. Wi
son, X. M. Mitchell, H. w. Burke. e. n
Members of Board of Education of s
The Commercial club of st. Louis. {
its regular meeting of October Is, col
sidered the proposed Amendment No. .
and nave become deeply impressed wit
the urgent needs of our public schools 6
presented on that occasion.
The adoption of this amendment We
approved by the members. and by.
unanimous, vote it wal resolved to II
dorse the above appeal and to, recon
mend to the voters of the city and sta
to cast their ballot in favor of the pr
posed Amendment No. s.
ROBERT NICK. JONES,
President.