The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1903-01-09
JASPER INDIANA. FRIDAY. JANUARY 9, 1903.

County Cor-cil or County Board {
Education, the present local town
ship or corporation tuition law to re
main as il ls.
As a general staierc ent we ma,
say counties that pay the state NOR
than they draw are such countie
that, by reason OF their location
are crossed and recrossed by rail
roads or have other corporate in
terests. At first blush the citizen
personally may claim credit for tax
es paid, when in truth and in fac
the corporate interests Of the count,
pay . very large per cent. Of th'
taxes. Take f,r example tho BIZ
Four Railroad system in Indiana
1t touches one third of all the coun
ties OF tie state, and two-thirds o
all il touches pay to the state more
than they draw. Nearly every
county in Indiana that has an i'm
portant railroad center pays more te
the state than il draws out. Does
il not appear that il is not 80 much
the individual taxpayer as the rail
roads and other corporations tha,
put the county in its present posi-
ton or class? Now, then, could
that county alone support or sus
tain the railroads within its boun-
daries, or is not the whole state
necessary to their very life and ex'
istence?
ITO reduce the State tuition levy
means to place the levying of schoo
taxes in the hands of local officials
for several reasons not always safe
place in which to leave it. II
would please many Of our railroads
and other heavy taxpayers 10, de-
this. for they would be relieved OF q
positive tax levy, and can use theil
good graces and gentle manners il
the reduction Of local rates
"For example, il the State levy
is reduced l cent, the same amount
Of money may be raised locally by
local tax levy of cent, il the prop
erty valuation averages with the
State. If the property valuation il
more the levy must be less; if th'
property valuation is less the loca
levy must be more.
"When taxing power is in th'
hands Of local board the chance
are that the schools will suffer
The local power may he surrounded
by taxpayers, under whom they fea
to place a rate sufficiently high K
meet the needs of the school. Tt
lengthen the school terms the poor
est and cheapest teachers would b
employed and the schools go down
The great State of Indiana says
Here is a course Of study for you
common schools-you shall follow
it. Here are questions for pupil
and common school graduates ex
aminations-you shall answer them
Here are questions testing teachers
ability-you shall answer them an
no others, or fail to teach. Her
ars text cooks for your commoI
schools-you shall use these anc
no others. Here sre laws for tru
ant children-you shall not violat
them. Here is a scale OF teacher,
wages-you shall not pay less
Here are number Of days schools
shall be in session-you shall no
teach fewer. Here is the limit O
your local tuition levy-you shal
not levy more. All this is vel
and good. We have absolutely N
objection to the State controlinI
these, providing it does not say 4
striving, struggling school corpora
tions: You pay all the expense
to which | have put you
SHOULD NOT SHIRK DUTY.
"We believe in the State schoo
system, State course Of study, STATE
text books, State examinations
State truancy law, State scale o
wages and all these things, but dt
not want the State I, shirk its duty
tow lrd helping to raise the tuition
money. Whenever you lower the
State tuition levy you will divide
the State school system, into no
ONLY ninety two, but into thousandl
Of petty schools systems, which a
time rolls on will drift farther anc
farther apart until their common
origin and aim is lost. II will thus
become imp ,ssible to raise the poor
er schools tc the standard OF tht
best. Since the State supervises
dictates and controls, i
should not think OF cutting down III
tinancial support.
"The force and power in th'
schools Of Indiana are due to th'
State being the unit. Whenever
the schools Of Irdiana are dividet
into townships or counties as units
for the purpose OF raising all the tut
ton money they need, the grea
school system will fail and fall
W. pyefev seeinC the State n unit /,