Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1906-04-26
State Aid for Public Schools.

upon Jne tenefal Assembly the
duty of providing "for the main
tenance and support of a thorough
and sufficient system of public
schools, wherein all the children of
the Commonwealth above the age
of six years may be educated" F."
TO this end it is further provided
that at least one million dollars
each year shall be appropriated for
the purpose out of the State funds.
The General Assembly has of
late years far exceeded the mini
mum of aid for the schools made
imperative by the Constitution.
About six million dollars are now
contributed by the State toward
defraying the expenses of the com
mon school, but this is only about
one-fourth of the aggregate of year
ly expense. About $18, 900, 900 is
raised by direct local taxation.
The school tax is perhaps the heav-
lest direct burden borne by the
taxpayers of the Commonwealth.
The willingness evinced by sue
ceeding Legislatures to shift a
larger and larger proportion of the
burden of school support upon the
general revenues of the State has
been notable. The State revenues
were so excessive that the diversion
was no less feasible than popular.
But appetite grows by what it feeds
upon. Some of the grangers in
Bradford county and other parts
of the State are organizing Gree
School Clubs" whose aim is to
abolish the direct school tax and
put the whole burden upon the
shoulders of the State.
This scheme is full of taking
possibilities. 1t would require the
collection of about SIS, ,000,0 900 adj
ditional State revenues. The
grangers urge that the corporations
are fat and prosperous, and can
easily be made to come down with
the necessary cash. They take no
note of the fact that the public
service corporations are themselves
experts in theart of taxation. For
every dollar they pay to the State
they are sure to add a dollar, with
use, to the tolls exacted from their
customers. 1t is the vice of in
direct taxation that, like the YAM
pire, it sucks the blood of it's vic
tins without their knowledge.
The farmers who shift their burden
upon the corporations will never
suspect the share OF it they are
made to pay back. They have
been educated to believe, as re-
suit of the policy adopted by the
State in abolishing direct State
taxes, that they have been relieved
of anv share of the cost of carrying
on the State government. They
are quite logical in desiring an ex-
tension of the policy.
This new movement is interest
ing. If it shall gain headway it
will clash with the other granger
movement to direct about 81, ,O00,-
600 of the State revenue from per-
sonal property taxes and licenses
to the County Treasures. 1t
would also be likely to halt the
proposed payment Of millions of
dollars to the Improvement of the
roads. But sufficient unto the day
is the working out of the tax
problem. 1t is the riddle of the
ages.-Philadelphia Record.
Fred Bliss Practical Painter.
It's sound sense that we tell you.
Your work costs less dollars and is best
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You do more painting with one gallon
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other paints and the l.. & NJ, Zinc
hardens the L. & NJ, White Lead and
makes the J.. q NJ Paint wear like iron.
-Four gallons L. & NJ, mixed with
three gallons Linseed Oil will paint
moderate sized heuse.