Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-12-02
Circulation Every 1A0c0
Evening Yesterday l4OOO i
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1920,
Consideration of School Code.

CODSlOGf9uOu Oh SChoVs NooN-
In PURSUANCE Of the very practical stel
,sken bv the holding-over members OF tn
ttate Senate. several weeks ago, which iet
20 the appointment Of committee OF
shirty-ive citizens throughout the State
20 o1ye consideration to the subject o
amendments TO the School Code by Tho
next L4zislature, meetings under th'
AUSPICES Of this committee were held or
Monday. in Wilmington and st Dover
and Georgetown At the latter place there
r.s but a small attendance, few persons
having knowledge thst the meeting was te
be held. and 1t Dover no action was taken
,lthoush there was much interest and 9
sii. range Of discussion But the meeting
,eld in Wilmington resulted IN the propo-
ution Of some very important and far
~a%hins changes which in all probability
vln be laid before the Legislature IN due
amc. and their enactment urged.
Briefly stated, the import tant recon-
nendssions Of the Wilmington meeting,
sx,ccsentins New Castle county, based
sron the practically unanimous con-
.lu.u,n that the school system OF the
state inaururnted by the School Code is
1n Improvement over the former system
and should be continued with amend
oaepts, were: That the Legislature should
.utho1-e New Castle county bond lssue
b. tn. suoun. of million dollars, the
proceeds to be applied to the erection OF
new schools N the county, that superln-
,sndente of special school districts be
eliminated and their duties transferred
70 the members Of the County School
Roaris: that investments should be taxed
for school purpoees and uniform schooi
cnxStatiou TAI Of nix dollars imposed on all
persons Of voting aSr.
Naturally. the subject of most OF the
criticism or condemn alton OF the Sohooi
Code at the Wilmington and Dover meet
ines. especially the latter, WIS the taxa
ton that IA. followed the Inauguration OF
the new system, although the fact that
this important element is still largely with
m the control Of the people, under the
Code. through referendum, seems 70 be
saDsraIly ignored The resolution re-
trrripg 90 this subject adopted at the VIII
u,incton meeting recommended the taxa
ton of bonds. mortgages and other invest
rnents, as well 40 Of real estate, for school
purposes Such tax, however, has al
Ways been looked upon as dubious
proposition, on the ground that Il would
result IN either driving investment capital
out Of the State or imposing the bulk OF
sne taxation on the debtors, and opposi-
tion to this resort, in ell probability,
would be further melted by the existence
of the State Income tax, which Of itself IS N
large part q tax on investments.
But the other proposition ID respect OF
taxstion-the imposition Of q uniform
rapitation tax Oh all persons Of voting age,
II the rate of SIX dollars per year-has
sufficient merit 70 entitle It 10 serious con-
sideration. Probably 3 much lower rate
would be sufficient, but even capltation
AK Of three dollars per year closely collect
ID, would realize a fund Of probably $780,
300 annually. which might operate TO re-
iuoe the burden Of taxation on real es-
tate. which already is as heavy as rea-
sonable human beings can be expected TO
endure with any degree Of good feeling.
II Is fact, long in existence, that citizen
ship N this State. and the benefits Of
government are practically free as air 70
thousands Of residents Voting imposes no
purden whatever upon the electorate.
There was q time when citizens were re-
,uired to pay fee Of one dollar each TO
sntitle them To registration for voting at
'lections, but because this requirement led
N the corrupt act of voters registration
sees being provided by partisan agencies,
Notwithstanding II was prohibited by the
Constitution under heavy penalties, the
Legislature. instead Of endeavoriDg TO
the corruption, removed the
,pgistration tax The loss in revenue by
TINS change. nov that the women may
vote, will average one hundred thousand
dollars every two yeaTs Here is one Of
the defects that Irritste holders Of real
property already bearing excessive tax
burdens aid a reasonable, well-enforced
Capitatlou Tax law, for school purposes if
for nothing else, would inaugurate a de
rided reform, and possibly impress some
of those who now enjoy all the privileges
of citIz nsliP and the benefits Of public adj
ninisTauon without cost, with a more
realizing sense Of their duties as citizens.
However, it is well 10 have the School
Code apd the interests Of our State educa-
.ional system, brought forward for serious
md intelligent public discussion Let the
movement continue. until the result is
manifested in the formulation Of prao-
icai and efficient amendments 10 the
school Code. for presentation to the Gen
raj assembly at it's coming session.