The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1922-03-17

to work in harmony with Legisls
ture that will reduce the farmer
taxes and by system of equalization
bring personality out of hiding froI
the tax collector.
Mr.. Bratton opposes the method
by which the political school ma
chine of the State is able to contrC
the actions of the Legislature. H
opposes the railroading of bill b
which the University Of Tennessee
is able to get snap action in the Leg
islature and thereby secure an OK
emption from the sliding scale an,
| the increase of the university ia,
from two to five per cent, or an an
nual appropriation increased by ;
sudden jump from $4,000 to $3.50,
900.
Mr.. Bratton opposes the tax ere
ated for the State Fair and others III
the State. This at present amounts
to $4,000 a year. The people OF
Tennessee will no doubt uphold Mr.
Bratton upon both these questions.
In regard to the three State normal
schools and the polytechnic school,
which are very expensive to the
State, Mr.. Bratton favors deciding
these properties to the counties in
which they are located and return
ing to the system, which was prac-
tically as complete and thorough in
every way, of preparing the public
school teachers by cooperation with
one of the leading universities of the
State, or by reducing the threee nor
mails to one school and eliminating
the duplication in normal work. The
school system of the State is top
heavy. The elementary schools are
sacrificed for the benefit Of the uni
versity and normal schools, and this
Mr. Bratton thinks, is an injustice
to the school children of Tennessee.
The expense of the normal schools is
out of all proportion to the benefits
derived in the way Of educating
teachers for the schools of Tennessee.
If it were known how many teachers,
in the three Tennessee nor
mails, are actually in service in the
Tennessee public schools there would
be a general demand all over the
State for a change in the system. In
regard to the University of Tennessee
Mr.. Bratton thinks, from general re-
port, that the cost of education there
to the student is equal to the cost in
private universities and that mil
lion dollars year for that school is
not justified and altogether too ex-
pensive. That is practically what
The University gets out of the State
'or maintenance. The tax amount
ng to sS5O,000 annually is supple
nented by an interest account which |
s paid on University of Tennessee
ponds.
In regard to the Obion County
Dad law, Mr.. Bratton made a gem
raj statement in his letter in this
,aper November rs. The old road
work system and it's successor, the
district commissioner system, having
allied, new law was created for the
ounty, patterned after the Federal
aW. This law is operative with
supervisor and five commissioners.
The commissioners receive no pay.
he supervisors salary comes out of
he general road fund. Now, this
aw has given general, but not COM
'lete, satisfaction. But the law has
lot had a chance for fair test. Last
ear was the first under the new law,
nd the $4,000 road money had all
een spent in advance the year be-
ore but four thousand dollars.
therefore the commissioners had
cry lEtll0 W WOlh On. Hcy udu
Practically nothing but for the do
nations from the State Highway
which amounted to sew
raj thousand dollars for the
AXE road. This law is working in
lany States and counties with great
over the old system, and
yherever it has been thoroly tried
he people could not be induced to
hange it.
Mr.. Bratton would, if it were pos ,
bile, join in reducing the member
nip of the Legislature to workable
re and make it possible to get able
nd honest men to represent the va ,
ious sections of the State. 1t is not
emocracy to create more offices, but
and in time if the in .
reases continue as they have in the ,
asst there will be perplexing condi- :
on Of having as many public office =
olders as citizens and of taxing one
an to support another in office. Mr.. .
ration is in favor Of reducing the
lumber of State officials as well as
lie members of the Legislature and
49,. III