Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-03-08
HOUSE STARTS ON
CONSIDERATION OF
NEW SCHOOL BILL
Interesting Discussion, OF Wsde
Range. at Yesterday After
Moons Sitting.
AGAINST NIGHT SESSIONS

Stan Correspondence or Every Evening
state House. Dover, March 8.
with the public exhibiting great in
varest. and In the presence OF many
hsents of private corporations. the
House OF Representatives resumed con-
rideration Of the State School bill yes
serday afternoon.
After mentioning that he. DR.. r.. w.
Cooper and Robert C. Houston. com
prising the executive committee of
citizens committee, had been COM
nussioned by legislators to draft the
hill. he told how IL differs from the
3resent State School law The execu-
tive committee he said, had been in
xtructed TO arrange for q reduction Of
TAX on real estate and personal prop
erty at least one-half. to omit provi-
eions for the transportation of pupils
and to provide more than six grades
Tor rural schools II desired and had
drafted a bill in accord with these in
ktructions.
Best That Could BE Drawn.
You have under consideration the
best School bill we could draw. and we
believe il is good for Delaware" he
stated We have omitted provisions
for the transportation OF pupils and
have provided more than six grades for
TAX on real estate and personal prop
erty to % cents on each SI00 Of assess
Ucut At present the tax rates are 80
rents in rural New Castle county. %
in Kent and SO in Sussex"
He declared the bill is democratic
saying the people would elect four of
The five members Of the State Board of
Education and would also elect the
ACounty and district boards
II Is true broad powers have been
provided for the State county and
aiistrict boards" he remarked. but such
sowers must be placed somewhere"
He explained that the bill increases
personal income tax rates providing
graduated income fax. and guards
against deficit by also taxing corpora
dlon franchises He said the trainers
of the bill do not want To drive away
corporation business. If the State in
tends 70 impose such taxes ii should
have sufficient machinery to collect
them
Pointing 70 school budgets he
showed expenditures could not exceed
sums authorized by the Legislature.
He claimed revival Of the school law
mat operated previous 10 1919 would
permit continuance of the hated at
tendance officers. The State Board Of
Education would have broader powers
under the old law than under the pres
ent Law or the pending bill Under the
old law the Legislature would have to
provide for financial deficits The old
law and the present law are undemo-
cratic and do not adequately provide
for the schools. We have proposed /
. better law and provided means for
maintaining it he stated
For Ipforoa5
Nr Hughes, replying 10 Representa- |
tive ) (. Wilson, announced that the /
bill would not permit the appointment |
OF attendance officers without the con !
sent Of the Legislature
In response to Representative Whites /
questioning. Mr.. Hughes defined the ex-
PRECISION doing business in the State
as being engaged in some sort OF 1
business in the state. He said a
clarifying amendment given 10 Rep f.
resentative Clark, chairman az the /
House committee on education makes
clear that no company any part of .
whose 0apital stock is invested in Della
ware shall be taxed by the bill
Representative White asked whether
the bill would tax corporations main
tanning Offices in Delaware and manu-
featuring goods or doing business out
side the State
Mr.. Hughes replied that il would tax .
such corporations only on the business
they do in Delaware.
Representa- tive J. E. Wilson elected /
, the statement that the bill would not
tax the Pennsylvania Railroad. whose
state taxes have been commuted by
Law . lump sum.
yagaries OF Tax Provision.
Seeking a concrete example, Senator
Short ascertained that the bill would
rot tax the Ford Motor Co. II il merely
SHIPS cars 10 Delaware. but would tax
the company if il esta blishes In the
state plant for manufacturing or as
s-rnbling cars.
Dr. Cooper contrasted old and new
conditions and pleaded for improve
-nt Of educational facilities. On be
half of the executive committee he dis
aimed ownership Of the bill. He stated
Il belongs TO the members of the Sen
ate and House. II is the best bill the
executive committee could draft Work
ing six weeks in the bill the executivs
committee did not have an easy task
Danger lies in the Legislature not hav-
ing time TO thresh the bill. Men who
stay up until midnight 70 find objec-
tons 10 the bill ought 20 stay up until
midnight TO find substitute.
Financial Needs of Schools.
Delaware has $4,000 school children
(