REPEAL OF TUB TAX TO CREATE A PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND
OF SIX MILLION DOLLARS.

So much comment has been made and so much misappre-
hension exists concerning the Act of Assembly, ratified by the
popular vote at the last general election to repeal the section
of the Constitution requiring a tax to be levied to create a
permanent School fund, that the facts and principles of this
decision ought to be recorded.

I recommended the repeal and sustained it by my vote, aa
a friend of Free Public Schools. Such was the sentunent
which controlled those who voted for the repeal in both
houses of the General Assembly. The desire then was, and
if I do not greatly err, is to devote all the available resources
of the State to the present support of Public Schools. There
is a present, pressing need of good School houses, qualified
teachers, and more complete appliances for work. We cannot
without gross injustice to the children of the present gene-
ration, devote one dollar of their money to those who will fill
the Schools 30 years hence.

When it is remembered that we are now building School
houses which are permanent structures and will be used by
our children's children, we are doing something for the
benefit of posterity, and can claim that to this extent we are
their benefactors.

But apart from the present need of every dollar which can
be secured, grave doubts may be urged of the utility of such
a permanent fund as will do away with the necessity for
direct taxation. The nearer such public interests as thooe
connected with the Public Schools are brought to the people
the Letter for the Schools. If they be supported without
direct taxation; negligence, apathy, indifference may be the
lamentable consequence. But while Schools depend upon
revenue derived from the annual levy, the people who pay
will take care to have the work well done. Officers and
teachers will be held to strict accountability, and the children
profit thereby.

For these reasons the repeal of the 6th section of the 8th
Article of the Constitution was proposed by the General
Assembly and ratified by the people. Nor can any harm
come to the cause of universal education. With full confi-
dence in the progress of Maryland in wealth and general
intelligence, we can safely leave future generations to provide
for themselves in this matter of Public Schools.

That these views are correct, further evidence is given by
the fact that in many Counties, among them Allegany, Bal-
timore and Washington, the question of a local tax for the
continuance of Schools longer than the 6 months provided for
by the State revenue, was submitted to the popular Vote.
This local tax for present use was carried by majorities as
large as that which repealed the tax for a permanent fund.