The Monroe journal., 1907-01-22
The Catching Effects Of Some
School Taxes.

AArshFiile HoHse.
Two petitions for election on the
local tax question we're presented
at the recent meeting Of the board
Of education at Monroe-One from
Vance township and one from
New Salem township. The people
OF these districts are TO be con
graduated for their progressive
spirit, and We hope those who are
'endeavoring to promote the inter
est of education in their home dis
trlcts will win out for the cause
they have espOused.
The Monroe Journal SAYS there
are seven districts adjoining each
other IN this county that are work.
ing under the special tax system,
and all, except one, have modern
school buildings. We have con
tended all along that the special
tax system is the best and cheap.
est plan to educate. The fact that
seven adjoining districts have
adopted this plan is suggestive
enough. II it means anything at
all, it means that the people
who have observed and ex
perieneed the local tax system in
practical operation are pleased
with it aud the popularity of the
plan grows most rapidly in a sec
tion where it is tried. These seven
adjoining districts are living ex,
amples to prove this contention.
We have nothing TO say against
the "high schools of the county. |
Or, to make ourselves better I'M
derstood, We want TO see the time
come when every district in the |
county will have its own "high
sehool"-in which every child in
the district, regardless of the fnan-
cial condition of its patrons, will
have an equal chance for mental
culture. There may be some who
call that kind of government "pa-
ternalism," but call it what you
please, it's right and just. We are
one who considers that it is the
business of the State to educate.
After the State and county have
done what they can, then it is the
duty of the district to provide for
its own by voting a special tax to
bring in a supplemental fund for
its school interests.
4 X
There are men who have accu-
INFLATED a little more property
than the average and who, with an
air of selfimportance, ridicule the
less fortunate by saying it's their
own fault that they, too, didn't
get along better, aud they feel,
therefore, that it's none of their
business to educate "other peoples
children. Nine times out of ten
hat kind of successful men
would have never been successful,
4 they had not been able to take
advantage of inferior intelligence
md appropriated by cunning,
lever business tricks, the fruits of
he labor of others. II is just and
light that they should return a
mall pittance of what they have
worked" others out of to educate
he children of those who have
'een the victims of their cunning
md shrewd business schemes.
When a child is born into the
world it has no right to ask the
'tate, county or district for any ,
and of property. But the princi ,
lie of law that ''protects the weak
rom the strong makes it the duty :
# the State, county and district {
o provide an educational oppor. +.
unity for that child that will give
an equal chance with the aver '
ge in the race of life, and a "pa.
ernalism" that forces every old !
uman hog to do his part in this
FORK is the kind of paternalism !
hat will make more steady and ,
ndearing the basis of a truly dem.
cratic government. The govern.
lent has to apply the principle of
'paternalism' enough to make
ama do a napt ~ u,hat 3. ,,.,,,ol | n