Ift* gjfMoril |ni)inm
IS PUBLISHED
EVERY FRIDAY MORNING
I, ft. DLKBOftROVt AXD JOHN LITZ,
ox
JULIANA St.. opposite the Mengel House
BEDFORD, PENN'A
TERMS:
82.00 a year if paid strictly in advance.
II not paid within *l* months 82.5°.
If not paid within the year B.LOO.
3(r*frjs.sio&ai &
attorneys AT LAW.
JH. T.ONGENECKER,
. ATTORNEY AT LAW, BEDFORD, PA.,
All business entrusted to his care will receive
prompt attention.
with S. L. RrssEL, Esq., nearly
opposite the Court House.
°_ ct ; M, '66.-6 m.
a. F. J. W. DICKF.BSON
M YEItS & DICKERSON,
ATTORNEYS AT LAW,
BEDFORD, PESS'A.,
Office same as formerly occupied by Hon. W. P.
Schcll, two doors east of the G'-zettc office, will
practice in the several Courts of Bedford county.
Pensions, bounties and back pay obtained and the
purchase of Real Estate attended to.
Afa/ If, '**— tjr.
JOHN T. KEAUY,
ATTORNEY AT LAW.
BEDFORD, PEXS'A.,
Offers to give satisfaction to all may en
trant theii legal business to him. Will collect
moneys on evidences of debt, and speedily pro
cure bounties and pensions to soldiers, their wid
ows or hens. Office two doors west of Telegraph
office. aprH:'66-ly.
T B. CESfcSN A,
.J . ATTORNEY AT LAW,
Office with Jonx CESSNA, on Juliauna street, in
the office formerly occupied by King A Jordan,
and recently by' Filler A Keagy. All business
entrusted to his care will receive faithful and
prompt attention. Military Claims, Pensions, Ac.,
speedily collected.
Bedford, June 9, 1865.
J- M'D. K - R - KER
CIHARPE A KERR.
A TTORNE YS-A T-LA W.
Will practice in the Courts of Bedford and ad
joining counties. All business entrusted to their
care will receive careful and prompt attention.
Pensions, Bounty, Back Pay, Ac., speedily col
lected from the Government.
OB) co on Juliana street, opposite the banking
house of Reed A Schell, Bedford, Pa. mar2:tf
TOHN PALMER.
tJ ATTORNEY AT LAW,
Will promptly attend to all business entrusted to
his care.
; &S- Particular attention paid to the collection
of Military claims. Office on Julianna St., nearly
opposite the Mengel House.) junc-23, '65.1y
J. B. DDRBORBOW JOHN L.L'TZ.
DU Ft BORROW A LUTZ,
ATTORNEYS AT LAW,
BKBFORD, PA.,
Will attend promptly to all business intrusted to
their care. Collections mado ou the shortest no-
They are, also, regularly licensed Claim Agents
and will give speciai attention to the prosecution
of claims against the Government for Pensions,
Back Pay, Bounty, Bounty Lands, Ac.
Office on Juliana street, one door South of the
'Mengel House" and nearly opposite the Inquirer
April 28, 1365:t
M. ALSTP,
J ATTORNEY AT LAW, BKDFORD, PA.,
Will faithfnlly and promptly attend to all busi
ness entrusted to his care in Bedford and adjoin
ing counties. Military claims, Pensions, back
pa v. Itontltr. Ac. rpeedtv
Mann <t Spang, on Juliana street, 2 doors south
ol'the Mengel liouso. apl 1, 18ot. tf.
M. A. POINTS,
ATTORNEY AT LAW, BEDFORD, PA.
Respectfully tenders his professional services
to tho public. Office with J. W. Lingenfclter,
Esi!.. on Juliana street, two doors South of the
••Menule House." Dec. 9, lSfi-i-tf.
JoHN MOWER,
ATTORNEY AT LAW.
BEDFORD, PA.
April 1,1864. —tf.
KI.MMERL AND UNOtENFBIiTER,
ATTORNEYS AT LAW, BF.PFORD, PA.
Have formed a partnership in the practice of
the Law Office on Juliana Street, two doors South
of the Mcngel Jiou<-
aprl, tl.
UK VI'IST*.
C. s. HICK OK j. c. SIISNICH, Jit.
DENTISTS, Bedford, PA.
Office fit the Sank Building. Juliana Street.
All operations pertaining to Surgical or Me
chanical Dentistry carefully and faithfully per
formed and warranted. TERMS CASII.
Too th Powders at d Mouth Wash, excellent ar
tides, always on hand.
jan6'6s-ly.
DENTISTRY.
F. X. BOWSER, RESIDENT DENTIST, WOOD
bi-.khy, Pa., visits Bloody Run three days of each
month, commencing with the second Tuesday of
the month. Prepared to perform ail Dental oper
ations with which he may be favored. Term*
within the reach of all and xtricily cash except by
xpecial contract. Work to be sent by mail oroth
wise, must lie paid for when impressions are taken,
augo, '64:tf.
PIIYMCIAXS.
DR. GEORGE C. DOUGLAS
Respectfully tenders his profession*! services
to the people of Bedford and vicinity.
at Maj. Washabavgh's.
ffiST Office two doois west of Bedford Hotel, up
stairs. aul7:tf
IlfM. W. JAMISON, M. D.,
VV BLOODY- RON, PA.,
Respectfully tenders his professional services to
the people of that place ind vicinity. [deeSrtyr
DK. B. E. HARRY,
Respectfully tenders his professional ser
vices to the citizens of Bedford and vicinity.
Office and residence on Pitt Street, in the building
formerly occupied by Dr. J. 11. Ilofius.
April 1, IStU—l|,
JL. MARBOVRO, M. !>..
. Having permanently located respectfully
tenders his pofessmnal services to the citizens
of Bedford and vicinity. Office on Juliana street,
opposite the Bank, one door north of Hall A Pal
mer's April 1. 1864—tf.
JKWKLER, Ac.
ABSALOM GARLTCK,
CLOCK AND WATCH-MAKER,
Bl.oonr Rrs, PA.
Clocks, Watches, Jewelry, Ac., promptly re
paired. AH work entrusted to his care, warranted
to give satisfaction.
He als.-. keeps on hand and for aale I VA TCll-
ES, CLOCKS, and JE WE Lit Y.
Office with Br. J. A. Mann. iny4
JOIiX RKIMUNDv
CLOCK AND WATCH-MAKER,
in the United States Telepraph Office,
BEDFORD, PA.
Clocks, watches, and tilt kinds of jewelry
promptly repaired. All work entrusted to his cage
warranted to give entire ratisfaeti'>n. [nov.l-lyr
lAANIEL BORDER,
A J PITT STREET, TWO DOORK WEST OF THE BED
roup HOTEL, BEEF HID, P*.
WATCHMAKER AND DEALER IN JEWEL
RY. SPECTACLES. AC.
Uo keeps on hand a stock of fine Gold and Sil
v*r >3teh*, Hpect*el** of Brilliant Doable Befln
*'• Glw- , aUa Scotch Pebble Glasses. Gold
a '-ch Chains, Breast Pins, Finger Rings, best
quality of Hold Pens. He will supply to order
thing in his line not on hand.
MR. 28, 1885—JMJ.
( 100K AND PARLOR STOVES, at
B. Me. BLYMYER k CO'S.
fl3eMoYi> 3Tnqnirer.
URBORROW Si LUTZ Editors and Proprietors.
fwfrfl.
THE OLD CANOE.
Where the rocks are gray and the shore is
steep,
And the waters below look dark and deep,
Where the rugged pine, in its lonely pride,
Leans gloomily over the murky tide ;
Where the reeds and rushes are long and rank
And the weeds grow thick on thewindingbank;
Where the shadow is heavy the whole day
through
Lies at its moorings the old canoe.
The useless paddles are idly dropped,
Like a sea bird's wings that the storm has
looped.
And crossed on the railing one o'er one,
Like the folded hands when the work is done;
While busily hack and forth between,
The spider stretches his silvery screen,
And the solemn owl, with its dull '"too-too,
Settles down on the side of the old canoe.
The stern half sunk in the slimy wave,
Rots slowly away in its living grave,
And the green moss creeps o'er its dull de.
cay,
Hiding its mouldering dust away,
Like the hand that plants o'er the tomb a
flower,
Or the ivy that mantles the falling tower ;
While many a blossom of loveliest hue.
Springs up o'er the stem of the old canoe.
The currentles3 waves are dead and still-
But the light wind plays with the boat at will,
And lazily in and out again
It floats the length of the rusty chain,
Like the weary march of the hands of time,
That meets and part at the noontide chime,
And the shore is kissed at each turning anew,
j3y the dripping bow of the old canoe.
0, many a time, with a careless hand.
I have pushed it away from the pebbly strand;
And paddled it down where the stream runs
quick,
Where the whirls are wild and the eddies are
thick,
And laughed as 1 leaned o'er the rocking side,
And looked below in the broken tide,
To see that the faces and boats were two,
That were mirrored back from the old cauoe.
And now, as I lean o'er the crumbling side,
And look below in the sluggish tide,
The face that I see there is graver grown,
And the laugh that I hear has a soberer tone,
And the hands that lent to the light skiff wings
Have grown familiar with sterner things.
But I love to think of the hours that flew
As I rocked where the whirls their white spray
Ere the blossom waved, or the green grass
grew.
O'er the mouldering stern of the old canoe
IMsffllantw,
Ol li COMMON SCHOOL SYSTEM,
The following articles were prepared by
us last winter and published in successive
numbers of the INQUIRER, from January
.5, to February 2, 1*66. They were intend
ed to call the public attention to the impor
tance of a revision of our school law, and
prepare the way for the introduction into
the Legislature of measures looking to such
revision by our Senator, Hon. G. W.
Householder. At the request of a number
of friends of education, wc republish them.
It may be necessary to state that the calcu
lations were all made on the basis of the
school report of 1864, before we received
the report of 1865. The results arrived
at, would be somewhat modified, by the
report of 18C5 ; but as the general princi
ples remain the same, wc did not deem it
necessary to revise the figures according to
the later report.
"Some weeks ago, a few stray thoughts
on the absurdities and inequalities of our
present common school system, found their
way by accident iuto our columns. We now
propose to give the matter a more thorough
investigation, hoping that our humble effort
to call attention to a subject of such vast
importance to our grand oldCoiumonwealth,
will call forth and rally around our standard
wiser heads and abler pens than ours,
through whose instrumentality the cause of
education and the diffusion of goneral intel
ligence may be promoted.
Our common school system was originally
designed, not only to equalize the facilities
for obtaining a liberal education, but also to
equalize the taxation necessary for the accom
plishment of that object. The great funda
mental principle, upon which this design was
founded, consists in the fhetthat the promo
tion of general intelligence is always accom
panied by an improvement in public morals,
the infusion of energy and enterprise into
communities, and as a consequence, increas
ed wealth and prosperity. Upon this ground
the tax upon the rich man's property, for
the education of his poorer neighbor's sons
and daughters, was considered as fairly re
paid, not only in the increased security of his
person and property, butalsoin the lessened
taxation necessary for the building of pris
ons and the prosecution and punishment of
criminals, as well as the increased value of
his property, consequent upon the diffsion
of general intelligence. These were fair
and just deductions, and the experience of
many years, even in the present imperfect
condition of our school system, has abun
dantly proven the wisdom and foresight of
the eminent statesmen who first laid the
foundation of that noble structure. Our
object shall not be, to impair the system
from which we have already derived so
much benefit, but on the contrary to point
out defects and suggest improvements, that
shall assist in completing the proportions,
harmonizing the various parts, and prepa
ring for greater efficiency and usefulness,
that which has already been the instrument
of much good. It is at the very foundation
of the structure that we find the defect, that
A LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWSPAPER, DEVOTED TO POLITICS, EDUCATION, LITERATURE AND MORALS.
more than all others, has marred the fair
proportions and impaired the powers of the
whole system. It consists in confining the
application of the great principle of equal
taxation, equal appropriations, and furnish
ing equal facilities for education, to the
smallest possible extent of territory instead
of extending it to its utmost bounds. It is
limited to single school districts (of which
there are 1825 in die. State, each with a rate
of taxation differing from the others, and
varying from i of a mill on the dollar for 5
months school in Oley district, Berks county
to 25 mills on the dollar for -1 months school
in Red Bank district, Armstrong county)
instead of being applied to the whole State
alike. Wo cannot for a moment believe
that the men, who framed our school laws,
either designed the application of this great
fundamental principle to be thus limited, or
such gross inequalities of taxation to be
imposed upon the people. Great reforms
are not accomplished in a day. They require
time. It may have been an oversight in
the framers of the law, but it is more prob
able, that, because of the bitter opposition
with which the system first met, the
friends of the reform consented to limit the
application of this part of the law in the
beginning, hoping to extend it gradually, as
the opposition, which always meets great
relorms, should give way under the benign
influence of education and the propagat ion
of liberal ideas. Why the effort to extend
it has never been made we pretend not to
know. Perhaps the barriers of ignorance
and prejudice have not yet been sufficiently
broken down. If they have not, we hope
the day is not far distant when they will
have forever disappeared before the tide of
advancing civilization. We design to show,
from the school returns and statistics for
1864, in the first place,,the gross inequality
and injustice of the present mode of taxa
tion, not only between the various districts
of the same county bat between the various
counties of the State. In the second place,
that like inequality and injustice result from
the present mode of distributing the State
appropriations, that the present methods of
both taxation and appropriation discrimi
nate against the poorer districts and in favor
of the richer, and that the only way in which
our schools can bemade permanently efficient
throughout the State, and our school sys
tem made to accomplish the object designed
by its framers and desired by all good citi
zens, is by the abolition of district taxation
and the substitution of a general and equal
system of taxation for the whole State, and
on urnrnnrinfian o/vuinlina ia
of schools existing or required, instead of
as at present, according to the number of
taxables.
INEQUALITY OK TAXATION.
In order that we may the better appreci
ate the significance of the figures which
follow, it may be well to state that the law,
as it now stands and is enforced, requires of
each district to keep open its schools four
mouths in each year or forfeit the State
appropriation. Under this requirement,
we find in Jefferson county that a tax ofl-3
mills to the dollar is required to keep open
the schools four months, at an average rate
of $2O per month to teachers in Knox dis
trict, while its richer neighbo - Corsica, is
enabled to obtain 6 months school, at an
average teacher's salary of $25, with a tax
of only five mills to the dollar. That is, in
order to obtain the same advantages, the
poorer district would have to endure five
times as high a rate of taxation as the
richer.
In Indiana county, Canoe district obtains
four months school at $l6 per month for
teachers, with a taxation of 13 mills to the
dollar, while Saltzburg district with 3J mills,
obtains the same length of term and pays
her teachers $lB per month. Here again
we find the same advantages gained by the
richer district at less than one-fourth the
rate of taxation of the poorer.
In Lancaster county, East Hempfield has
six months school at $2O, with a 13 mill tax,
while West Lampeter has eight months at
$3O, with a 1.5 mill tax. Here we find the
poorer district would be obliged to bear 12
times as high a rate of taxation in order to
gain the same educational advantages as its
richer neighbor.
In Centre county. Taylor district has four
months school at $2O, with a 12 mill tax,
while Farmer's mills district obtains six
months at $28.83 with a two mill tax, or
about one-twelfth again.
Iu Bucks county, Now Britain has five
months at $25, with a 12 mill tax, while
Northampton has ten months at $20,25
with a two mill tax, or less than a twelfth, j
In Luzerne county, Dennison has five
I months at $l7, with a 13 mill tax, while New
| Columbia has seven months at $18.86 with
a 1.5 mill tax, or less than one-twelfth.
In Lebanou county, Ileidleberg has five
montho at $2O, with a 12 mill tax, while
Cornwall has six and one-half months at
$23, with a 1 mill tax, or one-eighteen
rate of tax of tho poorer district.
In Potter county, Hweden district has
four months at $lB, with a 13 mill tax,;
while Coudersport has eight and one-half
months at $26, with a 2.5 mill tax, or one
thirteenth the rate of Sweden.
In Northampton County, Moore district has
four and two-third months at $2O with a
20 mill tax, while Bethlehem Borough has
nine months at $33.85 with a 1 mill tax, or
gets the same advantages at one fifty-fourth
part the rate of taxation of the poorer
district.
The average rates of taxation in different
counties, by comparison, show a like ine
quality. Thus: Bucks county with an
average taxation of 1.12 mills has an average
of 8.28 months school at an average salary
of $25.29.
McKean, with a tax of 6.8 mills, obtains
6.07 months school at $21.09. To enable
McKean to obtain the same length of school
BEDFORD. Pa., FRIDAY. DECEMBER 21, 1860.
term at the same salaries as Bucks, would
require of her a rate of taxation nearly six
times as great.
Lehigh county, with a tax of 2.15
mills and a teachers' salary of $22.39
has 5.76 months school, while Clearfield
county has 4.29 months, with a salary of
$24.48 and a tax of 9.27 mills, or about
five times the rate of taxation required in
Lehigh to obtain the same advantages.
Montgomery county pays her teachers
$25.50 per month, and obtains 7.34 months
school at a tax of . 66 mills.
Jefferson county has 4.7 months school
at $20.96 salary, with a tax of 9.6 mills.
Here we find that Jefferson county, to enable
her to pay the same wages to teachers, and
to have the same length of school term
would be compelled to levy a tax about
twenty-six times as heavy as .Montgomery.
The average rate ot taxation throughout
the State is 3.27 mills. Yet leaving out
the disparity in length of school term, we
see the poor district of Moore in Northamp
ton county, enduring a tax of 20 mills, or
over six times the average of the State while
the rieh district of Oley in Berks, pays but
three-fourths of a mill or less than one-fourth
the average of the State.
These are but a few, of the hundreds and
even thousands of instances of the gross
inequality and injustice borne by the people
under the present most unjust system of tax
ation. Surely no one will pretend that such
results as these were intended to be produ
ced by the framcrs of our school laws.
INEQUALITY OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Before making any comparison of the ap
propriations we would reiterate the fact that
the various school districts are required to
keep open their schools for the full term of
four months, in order to obtain their poition
of the State appropriation. It follows there
fore that, where a tax has been laid sufficient
to keep open the school six or eight months,
the amount must be reduced to the propor
tion required for four months, in order to
show the actual inequality existing. Thus
Clearfield county, raised by taxation $19,080.
15 and obtained 4.29 months school, at the
same rate the amount required to keep open
her schools four months and to secure her
share of the appropriation would have been
$17,790.35, this amount she was obliged to
raise to obtain an appropriation of $1,765.10
or not quite one tenth of the amount of the
tax. The rate of taxation absolutely neces
sary for this purpose was 5.01 mills.
Delaware county raised by taxation $38,-
413.68 and had 9.13 months school, at the
* -".uuat required to keep open
her schools four mounths ana ootam ner ap
propriation would have been $16,792.56 ena
bling her to obtain an appropriation of
$2,673.44, or nearly one-sixth of the amount
required to be raised by taxation, and only
requiring a rate of taxation of .57 mills.
Here we see the rich and densely populated
county of Delaware is enabled to obtain
nearly twice as large an appropriation from
the State, in proportion to the amount re
quired to be raised by taxation, as the poor
er and more sparsely settled county of
Clearfield and this with less than one-eighth
the rate of taxation.
Fulton county raised by taxation $7,929.
55, and kept ber schools open four months
and obtained an appropriation of $788.58 or
less than one tenth of the amount required
to be raised by taxation. This required a
rate of taxation of 4.74 mills.
Montgomery county with a tax of $62,
193.46 had 7.34 months school, at the same
rate, four months would have required $33,
892.89 enabling her to obtain an appropria
tion of $6534.94 or nearly one fifth of the re
quired tax, while her rate of taxation was
only .3 mills.
Here again we find the richer county of
Montgomery obtaining twice as large a pro
portionate appropriation as the poorer
county of Fulton. Though Fulton to obtain
herpittance of an appropriation has endured
nearly sixteen times as high a rate of taxa
tion.
Forest county raised by taxation $1,609.
03 to secure four months and obtain an ap
propriation of $81.12 or about one twenti
eth the amount of its tax. To obtain this
amount required a rate of taxation of 7.75
mills.
Bucks county raised by taxation $62,936.-
83 and had 8.28 months school. At the
same rate, four months would have required
$30,404.98 while shqtreceived a state appro
i priation of $5,825 or almost one filth of the
amount she raised by taxation. To obtain
i this amount only required a tax rate of .54
mills. Here we find the richer county ob
j taining four times as large a proportionate
appropriation as the poorer, though uecessa
; rily enduring less than one-fourteenth as high
a rate of taxation. These are but a few in
stances out of many that may be faur.d by
reference to the report of 1864, but they are
sufficient to demonstrate the fact that the
present method of appropriating the public
: fund, set aside for school purposes, is as
grossly unequal and unjust as the present
method of taxation, and that it in like man
ner discriminates against the poorer and in
favor of the richer counties.
EVILS ARISING FROM UNEQUAL TAXATION.
We have demonstrated in previous arti
cles that gross inequality arises from the
present method, both of taxation and
appropriation. Our present object is to show
that this inequality and injustice constitute
but a mall proportion of the evils arising from
this source. It is a fact well known to every
person who has given attention to the sub
ject, that the development of all its resources,
is of the highest importance to a State, it
increases the value of land, creates diversity
of pursuits and thus adds to the revenue of
the State and the comfort q§ the people.
With these views every State endeavors to
offer inducements, not only, to its own citi
zens, but to citizens of other States to enter
upon, occupy and improve its wholly or
partially unoccupied lands, to fell its forests,
open its mines and manufacture their pro
ducts into fabrics for the use of man. It is
also well known that the richer sections of a
country are quickly settled, while the poorer
are left unoccupied, and that in all civilized
communities there is a natural tendency to
congregate in towns and cities. Idleness
everywhere and especially iu cities and towns
is the source of untold evils and crimes. It
is obviously the interest of every State to
promote the settlement and improvement
of all its territory, and obviate the tendency
to centralization. How does the present
working "of our school laws operate upon
this point? What inducement does it offer
to tho settler in the sparsely settled dis
tricts? Oppressive taxes, short school terms,
the smallest proportionate assistance from
the State, and hard labor and comparative
ignorance for himself and hischildren. On
tho other hand, we find in the rich and
already densely populated districts are held
out the inducements of lands already clear
ed, long school terras, light taxes, compara
tive ease, with intelligent society and the
largest proportionate assistance from the
State, to bring still more where the popula
tion is already overflowing. Who can
wonder then that tho farmer moves to town
to educate his sons and daughters, even at
the risk of all the dangers of town and city
life, or to the far West where the new States
hold out inducements superior to those he
has enjoyed among his native hills. Is it
any wonder under such circumstances that
towns are crowded with idlers, while the
rural districts are crying for laborers and
the farms lie waste? Is it any wonder that
the sturdy sons of our noble State are
pouring in a steady stream into the wide
West, while her own broad acres are un
occupied, her mineral wealth undeveloped,
her manufacturing facilities unimproved,
and her oil flowing ungathered to the
ocean? Yet these are the legitimate results
of an oppressive system of taxation in the
sparsely settled districts of the State. If
it were patiently borne the evil might be
less, though the injustice remained ; but it
is not patiently borue, on the contrary it is
steadily and surely driving the young, enter
prising, and most valuable portion of our
population from their native State to seek
more favored homes in the far West. Such
are the legitimate results of the present
unfair method of raising revenue for school
purposes. A system that discriminates
against the poorer portions of the State and
in favor of the richer, while the reverse
should ho the ruW. They can only ho ob
j j, ieu[ife in their majesty de
mand, that the laws be so amended, that
the poor shall 110 longer be oppressed be
cause of their poverty, nor the rich pam
pered because of their wealth, but that
even-handed justice be dispensed alike to
all. How this may be done we will endeav
or to show in our next.
A REMEDY FOR SOME OF ITS DEFECTS.
With so great a diversity of surface, soil
. climate, density of population, &e., as exists
in our State, to obtain exact uniformity and
equality of educational advantages is prac
tically impossible.
But a much nearer approximation, than is
obtained by the present system, is certainly
attainable. The plan we propose for obtain
ing such approximation and equalizing
taxation is as follows ; viz : First, by a sys
tem of general and equal taxation through
out the State, to obtain a fund sufficient to
defray the expenses of instruction and keep
open the schools a minimum term of four or
five months, at the average salaries of
teachers for the whole State, leaving the
present system of taxation in force, for the
purpose of raising a building and contingent
fund, and keeping open the schools
as much longer than the minimum term as
each district, for itself, may deem expedi
ent. Second, to distribute the general fund
among the various districts according to the
number of schools in each, instead of, as at
present, according to the number of taxa
bles. Since writing the last article, we have
received the speech of Mr. Householder, in
the State Senate, in favor of a revision of our
common school system. We shall avail our
selves to some extent, of the labors of Mr.
Householder, by making use of his
statistics. By a laborious calculation
he has ascertained that a tax of
two mills to the dollar upon the
valuation of the real and personal prop
erty of the State and about ten per cent, of
the gro-s receipts annually coming into the
State Treasury, a school fund of at least
$1,600,000.00 can be obtained. This nearly
equals the cost of instruction for the whole
State in 1864, fot an average of 5,55
months' school at an avernge teacher's sal
ary of $22.79, and by the proposed method
of equalization would be obtained at a rate
of taxation 1.27 mills less than the average
rate for the whole State in 1564. This is a
general system of taxation such as we have
had in view, and at the proposed rate would
secure a minimum term of at least five
months to each school in the State at the
average teacher's salary for the State, of
$22.79. Thus far we agree. In the matter
of distribution we differ radically, not only
from Mr. Householder, but also from the
suggestion of Mr. Coburn our present excel
lent State Superintendent. They both pro
pose a distribution per capita, according to
the number of scholars. That this leaves
the distribution as uncertain and unequal as
that according to the number of taxables,
must be evident to every one at all familiar
with either school orccnsus statistics, as the
proportion of children to adults, and of
adults to taxables, under ordinary circum
stances is nearly the- a me, and every varia
tion, produced by this method, from the re
sults of the present one, is as likely to ag
gravate as to ameliorate the present ine
quality and injustice. After a careful ex-
VOII'ME 39 J XO 52.
animation of this point, we are constrained
to adhere to our own proposition, as first
made, to distribute the fund according to
the number of schools. This wc believe to
i be the only method by which any near ap
| proxiuiation to equality of taxation and uni
formity of educational advantages can be
obtained. The chiefiobjectionto this method
would be its tendency to unnecessarily in-
I crease the number of schools; this we believe
would be entirely obviated by requiring each
j school district to provide for building and
' contingent expenses by local taxation. This
would doubtless be a sufficient check upon
jan undue multiplication of schools. We
will now endeavor to give a few additional
reasons, why we deem our plan the more
likely to accomplish the desired result. At
first thought, it would appear that the pres-
I ent method of distribution, according to the
number of taxable?, ought to produce tbe
result desired, and it was doubtless intended
so to do at its adoption, but on a careful ex
amination it will be found that its failure
results from well established laws of popula
tion and,itseffect upon the value of property;
These are, that as population increases the
value of property increases, and that as the
density of population increases the average
cost of'education per scholar decreases, while
the reverse of both these takes place where
population decreases, that is, the value of
property falls while the average cost of edu
cation increases; thus in Bucks county, we
find the average cost, per month, per capita,
is bui 43 cents while in Forest county it
amounts to $2.12 or nearly five times as
much as in Bucks. These differences in
cost arise from the fact that in densely pop
ulated districts each school has the maximum
number of sckoolars, perhaps 70 or 80, that
a single teacher can successfully instruct,
but in the sparsely settled districts it often
becomes necessary to have schools where, by
reason of distance and bad roads, there will
be but 15 or 20 scholars at most, yet there
must be such schools or a large portion of
the children of the State be left without the
means of obtaining even the most elementary
education. This single case will fully ex.
emplify the utter impossibility of arriving at
any near approximation to equality by Mr.
Householder's system. Taking his own
figures we find Forest county would get but
$090.75 when the actual cost of instruction
in 1864 for four months was $1,242.00.
Thus by his distribution she would get but
two months school. Bucks county would
get $35,000. OU W licit: tin. vvov
in 1864 for 8.28 months was $47,924.92.
Here wc see the rich county of Bucks would
receive from the State an amount sufficient
to keep her schools open 6 months at the
average salary of teachers for the whole
State, while the poor county of Forest,
though paying precisely the same rate of
tax as Bucks, would only get sufficient to
keep her schools open 2 mouths. Does this
look like equality? Ah uno disce omncs.
This is probably an extreme case, but the
same general principles prevail throughout
the State and render any system based upon
population, whether of children, adults, or
taxables, objectionable and incompetent to
produce any near approximation to the de
sired equality. By the method we propose,
of distributing according to the number of
schools, the $1,600,000.00 would give to
each of the 12,566 schools in operation in
1864, $127.32 enabling each to keep open 5.
14 months with the average teacher's salary
of $22.79. This would give Forest county
and Bucks and onnlila
each to keep its schools openthe same length
of time while bearing the same rate of taxa
tion.
This fte believe to be the nearest approxi
mation possible at present to the true spirit
of our common school system. With this
view of the subject we shall await the action
of the legislature, with the hope of seeing it
acknowledge the true and fundamental prin
ciple of our school system and make the
richer portion of the State assist in provi
ding for the education of the poorer, instead
of as heretofore making the poor assist in
supporting the rich.
Judicial Kctorm in England.
It is considered certain that the British
Ministry are preparing a bill for judicial re
form, which they will lay before Parliament
early in the approaching session. The
details are not known, but it is believed that
tlili bill will routalli piuvblotw ior longfeliuu
ing terms of office, for rearranging the
circuits, and for increasing the number of
judges. The reasons for the proposed re
form are forcibly stated by the London lie
vine. It says: "The condition of the
nation has entirely changed, yet we attempt
to make the old machinery answer. The
judges still hold the assizes with little more
frequency thau they used to hold them in
the reign of Henry 111. The courts still
sit in banco at A Vest Minster for the same
number of days as they sat before America
was discovered, and when the commerce of
the whole country was not equal to that
which now belongs to a second or third rate
town. The time has surely come for the
abolition of arrangements no more suited
to modern times than the armour of a cru
sader would have been to the combatants at
Sadowa."
NEIGHBORHOOD FEUDS IN NORTII CARO
LINA.—The Wilmington Journal says : "In
certain portions of our State, especially in
the extreme western counties, where commu
nities anil districts were divided in their
support of tho State and {Confederate gov
ernments, we are sorry to see that the enmi
ties and ill-feelings engendered then, are
still rankling in the hearts of many, and in
some neighborhoods the most deplorable
condition of affairs exists. The criminal
and civil dockets of their courts are crowd
ed with indictments and suits for offences
or injuries committed upon one another
during the war. The efforts of their best
citizens and the advice of friends have failed
in many instances of stopping these prose
cutions. and in not a few cases violence,
even to the taking of human life, has at
tended these unhappy affairs."
HONEST poverty is no crime, and God is
no respecter of persons. "It is the mind
that makes the man," not worldly honor,
wealth or station.
RATES OF ADVERT ISINQM
Ail advertisements for lers than 3 months
cents per line for each insertion. Special notic^H
oneh&if additional. AII resolutions of
tion, communications of a limited or mdividuflH
interets and notices of marriages and deaths, eBS
ceeding five lines, 10 cte. per line. All legal notlifef
CM of every kind, and aU Orphans' Court an >ffl
other Judicial sales, are required bv law to be pub-|9
lishei in both papers. Editorial Notices Ift eentlßj
per line. All Advertising due after first Insert itnj®
A liberal discount made to yearly advertlzere. i-fl
3 months. 6 months. 1 year®
One square $ 4.50 $ 6.00 slo.o®|
Two squares 6,00 0.00 16.00'*
Three squres 8.00 12.00 20.64®
One-fourth column 14.00 20.00 35.0<jhl
Half column 18.00 26.00 45.09®
One column 30.00 46.00 80. Mil
BED RIVER NEWS.—The Caddo GazetlA
ays that with fine weather for the next terig
days, half a crop of cotton will be made. Ii
adds :
"Confidence in the labor of the freedmen
is being restored, and the lands on Red RiV'
er are commanding high prices, either f'oi
rent or sale. As they are the finest cotto*
lands in the world, and not subject to over
flow oftener than once in ten years, capital
ists will purchase them, being fully assured
that they will steadily enhance in
in proportion as the country recovers from
the effects of the war and the revolution in
the labor system incident upon emancipa
tion."
LOUISIANA CROPS.—The West Baton
Rouge Sugar Planter of the 24th says : j
"Since our last but little rain has fallen,
while the weather remains cool and clear.
Every hour of such weather is worth gold
to the planters, many of whom have not
cleared their fields of cotton. The rain we
had last week did but little damage to the
cotton, although it was of great benefit to
others. From appearances we shall have
good weather until the cotton 13 out of the
fields, unless "Mr. Freedman gets into his
natural stubbornness about the price of
picking—usually about one-half of what the
cotton is worth."
THE Jleraldoi this city publishes extracts
from letters written by a citizen of Montreal
who served in the American army, and af
terwards was in the Papal service. When
ir. the South he bccarie acquainted with
John 11. Suratt, whom he identified in Italy
serving in the Zouaves.
This person informed the American Am
bassador at Rome, who sent for instructions
to Seward. In conversation, Surratt is re
ported to have said that the assassination of
President Lincoln was planned at Richmond ,
and with the assent of Jefferson Davis. 1
This informant against Surratt is now on his
way to Washington.
ECCLESIASTICAL. —In the Southern Gen
eral Assembly, now in session at Memphis,
overtures have been adopted, and delegates
appointed to bear to the Associated Reform
Church and the Cumberland Presbyteries,
in order to effect the union of those bodies
with the Assembly. The attempt to re
move the Theological Seminary from Co
lumbia (S. C.) to Memphis has failed. The
report of the committee on the freedmen is
eliciting much attention, and the indications
are that the debate will be violent and pro
tracted.
ffist_The rock-boring machines that are
boring the Mont Cenis Tunnel, it is estima
ted, will have to drill 1,500,000 holes before
that work is completed. The total depths
of these holes will be 4,205,890 feet, or 105
times the length of the tunnel, and to drill
them, nearly 13,000,000,000 blows will have
to be struck by the perforators. The. en
— - riuuca Brae IS
3,945 feet above the level of the sea, and on
he Italian side 4,380 feet.
PURCHASE OF LOWER CALIFORNIA.—
This transaction took place in Washington,
with the tacit consent of the government,
and through the active agency of Senor
Romero. It has now been formally confir
med by the J uarez government. It is the
largest purchase by private persons in mod
ern times. It covers 46,800 square miles,
extending from gulf to ocean, between the
parallels of 24 degrees and 20 minutes and
30 degrees of north latitude.
A VALUABLE REPORT.—A dispatch from
San Francisco says: "J. Ross Browne,
United States Commissioner for collecting
mining statistics, has transmitted to the
Secretary of the Treasury an elaborate re.
port on the mineral resources in the states
and territories west of the Rocky Mountains.
It is pronounced by competent judges the
moat comple digest of statistics and geolog
ical information respecting our mineral re
gions ever yet compiled for public use."
A GOOD COUNTRY FOR GAME.—The
Santa Cruz Sentinel anyb that Tuesday last a
party 01 gentlemen went out on a hunting
excursion, and so fortunate were they that
one day's shooting sufficed to load their
vehicle with game, and satisfy them and
astonish their firieuds with their extraordi
nary skill. They brought back 1 deer, 15
dozen quail, 5 dozen rabbits, aud any quan
tity of woodchucks and other small fry, and
several dozen empty bottles.
JOHN MORRISSET is now the favorite
subject for conundrums in New York. He
was some time ago compared to Daniel
Webster because he is the great, ex-pounder
and now it is asked why he is like a iamb:—
because he gambles on the green , —and
why he ought to be an influential member
of Congress,—because he is heavy on the
eye 3 and nose.
CL'T-TFIROATS IN Missorßi.—Governor
Fletcher has declared martial law in Ray and
Platte counties, Missouri, and has marched
a strong force to those couuties._ It was not
safe for any one manio show .himself out of
His nou'c tnera. Horse-thieves, robbers
and murderers infest the frontiers of Mis
souri, Kansas and Nebraska, but detectives
arc at work, and it is expected they will pick
them all up.
A HOTEL proprietor in San Francisco an
nounces that he has opened "a large read
ing room, containing five hundred volumes
of standard works, which is entirely for the
use of patrons." This excellent example
moves a correspondent to write us: "What
a boon such a library would be in some of
our hotels at the East 1"
JAMES RIVER AND KANAVVIIA CANAL.—
The Richmond Wk iff soßcits government
aid to complete this canal to the Ohio River
as it is a work of national importance, "and
will benefit not simply Virginia, but all the
states touched by the Mississippi and its
tributaries."
A BUSINESS WOMAN.— It is said that a
woman has gone into the freighting business
between Nebraska City and Denver. She
owns a train of five wagons, which she con
ducts herself, receiving her freight, hiring
her hands, and superintending the loading
and discharging.
TNE BRIDGE OVER THE OHIO RIVER.—
The suspension bridge over the Ohio, at
Cincinnati was opened on Saturday, and
forty .six thousand persons crossed, Mr. I
Roeblmg, the builder, says the cables would
readily sustain a double procession of lorom- k
river over its entire length.
THE first proclamation for a
in Connecticut was issued in 1664,
a model of, brevity, as follows: "itg|H
ed, there shal be a pubiiek day oj®
riving through this Jurist
Wednaday oora fortnight.' vgH