Mexico weekly ledger., 1908-09-24

$5so,ooooo, although other bidders
offered double that amount, and the
men who obtained the bargain were
brothers OF the Republican commits
sioner who made the sale.
During these years OF Republican
rule the tax rate was as high as 6s
cents, and never lower than 50 cents
on the $4,000, but Notwithstanding
ms enormous tax, never a dollar thus
raised was spent in erecting a public
building. The only monument reared
by the Republican party in these
years was a bonded indebtedness of
S2i,ooo'ooo.oo, which they left as a
legacy to their Democratic successors
THE DAWN UNDER. sIIAs woopsoN.
When, in 1873, Democracy. under
3iias Woodson, assumed control al
- otate, we took possession under
NE most discouraging circumstance
Alssouri, a border State, had been
[atvaged by both armies during tba
Slvh war. and the panic destined :
leW months later to sweep over the
eountry was already casting he
snadow upon us. But Democracv
WIN splendid courage, faced the d;fS'
eulties It confronted. Salaries ~ MI
nc ofticials we're reduced: fees 49,
pe.qulsites that had gone to enrich
~ofnceholders were turned into ~
ueasury Property that had escaned
taxation was placed upon the booLs
y the assessor, and for the 6rst t;ms
the great corporations and railroad
companies were compelled to -.
ned snare OF the burden of govern
nen. Under economic Democratic
ADMINISTRATIONS the people of this
otate have seen this entire indebted.
ness pad, excepting only that part in
whicn the State has invested her per-
manent school fund, known as The
school certificates. By a direct vote
on a constitutional Amendment. the
people have determined that tbess
certificates shall remain as an invest
lnent for the benefit of our educ
tional system. euue
All TINS has been done under a tax
rate constantly reduced. until todsw
y IS the lowest of any state in all tbe
union, n OF the II cents that we
ievy cents goes back to the n,,hI;c
schools, so that with a tax az oplv ~
cents on the $4,000, we nav ali ~
expenses of State government
put mad Democracy sacrificed the
reeds OF the hour to meet these de-
nahds OF the past, its would
nave deserved no consideration. On
tne contrary, we have met every duty
ana obligation of statehood. and kent
missouri abreast of the progress OF
the world, and the civilization of the
century.
WONDERFUL GROWTH OF PUBLIC IN
sTrTUTToNs.I
When the Republican party turned
me State over to their Democrats
successors there were eight State in
stliutions, meagerly equipped, pro-
yided tor out of the general treasury
hese have enormously grown and
expanded, and fifteen Others have
been added to them to meet the needs
u our rapidly growing common
wealth.
with that wisdom which recognizes
that the flrst prerequisite in the citi-
zensnip OF a republic is widespread
intelligence, the Democracy has ever
most literally provided for the main
romance OF our common school sys-
TEN. Under their fostering care. our
great University has grown to be one
oI the foremost schools in the land.
and clustered around it, and part of
1t, are the technical schools Of law.
medicine, agriculture, mining, engin-
eering, pedagogy and journalism.
where the Missouri boy may fit him
self for work in any calling of life.
lhree great normals, thoroughly
equiDoed, and two more in course Of
construction, are yearly sending forth
thousands OF trained teachers to take
their places in the country schools
Ten thousand and f~orty-six district
schools, maintained in every school
district IN Missouri, are giving to the
boys and girls of the State an op-
portunlty to obtain a primary educa-
ton that will fit them for the duties
Of citizenship.
STATE SUPPORT FOR DISTRICT
SCHOOLS.
This year from the general treasury
OF the State, in addition to sums
raised by taxation on the property
within the district, we distributed to
these Io,o46 district schools $I,s64.-
10000. This sum raised by general
taxation upon all the property of the
State is the help the weather. coun-
ties extend to poorer communities in
order to enable them to maintain their
schools. Under this system many
counties in Missouri receive from the
public treasury for school purposes
more money than the entire tax paid
by that county to the State.
The school system of Missouri
built up and maintained under Demo
cratic laws, must be preserved. The
common schools, where the vast ma
jority of our youths have their only
opportunity for education, must be
continuously improved and kept al
the highest point of efficiency. A
Democratic Legislature in the past
has and in the future will recognize
! their needs, and just laws will be
t enacted to meet their necessities.
NEGRO CHILDREN AND WHITES II
SEPARATE SCHOOLS.
Separate schools for the negro race
have been provided, and Lincoln In.
stitute gives to them likewise the op.