Douglas Island news., 1907-03-27
That Communication


 at the tine, aud what this article shall contain is not meant in the spirit of criticism, out in the same kindly spirit which we are sure our correspondent intended. We say intended, for in some ways it was not plain through the veil of sarcasm and irony and ridicule carried by the writer's argument. The language of the street is the com mon "show me" expression. The street corner loafer and the bum have noth- ing to do with the case. What the peo- ple of Douglas want is truth, plain and uuvarnished.
 The matters and things pertaining to the Douglas public school may prop erly be divided into two parts; first, the tinaucial, and second, the operative,
 Into the first part enters the ques- tion of the amount of money that the town of Douglas can in reason and jus tice expeud for schools. In this con' nection we should consider where the money comes from, whether or not that source can be depended on, what would be done if it should fail, and what other uses there are for the city's revenues.
 Of the present revenues of the city, fully ninety five per cent comes from saloon licenses. The saloons exist be- cause of the sentiment of the people in their favor This sentiment may change and the saloous cease to exist. It Is a matter of local option. If we had no saloons we would be dependent entire Iy upon direct taxation for our reve- nues. except few hundred dollars paid by merchants for licenses.
 The highest tax levy which the city council can make is two per cent. This would bring in to the city treasury about s4,OOO, net, annually. Add to this say $500, which might be collected in licenses from business men, and you have a grand total of S4,500o.
 The salaries of city officers amount to S2.4OO per annum. Add to this the other absolutely necessary expenses of the town such as election expenses, re- pairs to streets, street lighting, fire de partment, care of destitute, etc, and it would easily consume the balance, and we would have not cent for our city schools.
 This may all happen at any time. Every saloon in Douglas may be closed on the first day of next July. Now, we will ask the business men and property owners of Douglas the one, practical question, is it good policy, in the light of the above possibilities, to go on spending S6OOO year on the public school when such an expense is not necessary?
 We realize that in taking up the sec, ond part of our subject we are treadipg on dangerous ground; and any intima' tion that the teachers in our school are anything but the acme of perfection is liable to bring down storm of wrath upon our head So, we will just admit for the sake of argument, that they carry with them anyway from hand full to a boxcar load of beautifully em bossed certificates, ornamented witt any number of gold seals and strips o baby ribbon, and telling of their attain ments and literary triumphs, achieved in every state in the blessed union anc some parts of Indiana. And, to furthe show our liberal and kind-hearted dis position-where it doesn't cost us any thing-we will suggest that the schoo board secure copies of these beautiful badges of pedagogical astdteness frame them and hang them on the walls of our twelve-thousand deilar schoo house, that future generations ma! know that at one time in history Doug las was so honored. Say nothing abou the cost.)
 Meanwhile, if we may be allowed t' drop from such airy clouds to thing of common life, we may suggest that workman is judged as to his proficienc, and skill by the product of bis toil If his finished product is excellent, tn ability of the artizan is not questioned If it is bad, two excuses may be offered a poor workman or poor material. Sc the very practical people of Dougla look to the pupil rather than the sheep