New-York tribune., 1908-02-24
PETER AND PATLINE.

1t is hard TO convince people that whatever
is truly inexpedient IS not just So abhorrent
Is this axiom to many favor seekers that they
call il the devils ethics, the champions Of
equal pay among local school teachers have re-
peatedly done, in milder and again IN
harsher phrases. Reasoning cannot prevail
against the stubbornness of those who, having
a mild grievance, Insist that 1t be assuaGed
though the roof Of the world collapse at the
deed. And words scarcely of more avail
when directed at those who, having no real
grievance, seek to better their condition by cry
inc "IniusticeI" :" These unpleasant reflections
have, as the colored preacher said. "a suttin
aproposity" in connection with the would-be
beneficaries Of the Co4klin teachers salary BILL
which seeks to establish justice and peace
throughout the metropolis by compelling the
Board of Education TO pay women teachers as
much as their masculine colleagues OF Ike
grades receive The success with which the
women have won supporters for this measure is
due, at bottom, to caSustry, but kind or
casuistry which passes in many quarters for the
soundest Equal pay for equal work is
one of the premises; another is that If the city
can afford to pay man so many dollars for
certain services, il can afford TO pay woman
a like sum for the same work and, just to pre-
vent salary equalization by reducing the pay Of
men teachers to the present scale for women, a
third premise is added, stating that the women
need more money because about 10 per cent Of
them are supporting other persons. We can
freely admit the abstract truth of these con-
tentiOns and still oppose the Conklin bill, be-
cause more important considerations have been
ignored
Little Peter wants to go TO school, and every
body believes he ought to go, for sOcietys sake
as well his own. So, too, with all Of Peters
brothers and sisters, numbering 596.737 last
year. and increasing at the rate of 5000 an
! nually. The present 3-mill school tax does
not come within S651964 Of paying for the
schools. teachers and equipment which the
Board of Education furnishes for Peter and
his friends. Thousands of pupils part
time it ls and teachers too few. The
COnklin bill proposes 4-mill school tax in
order TO pay Pauline and her sister teachers
some eight or nine million dollars more every
year, that they may live in better apartments,
buy more books, dress more pleasingly, enjoy
| their long vacations better and put away more
pennies In the bank. But as this extra mill would
increase school revenues by only ST, 6,S0O,000, the
salary equalization would raise the annual def
icit at least 81 100000. With such burden
how could Peter and his little friends be cared
for by board that has to beg money from an
almost bankrupt municipal administration?
If New York City had been wisely governed
during the last quarter century its fnances
would NOW be in such condition that salary
equalization would be possible if desirable. But
crime, folly ana ignorance have heaped uo debts
so mountanously that from now Oh only the
most urgent demands for extra expenditures
can be needed. Peter must not be robbed to
| pay Pauline; and Pauline, at the bottom of her
heart, knows IT. If she will take pains to dis
| cover that her salary cannot be raiged because