Compulsory Education

Tlio Sonate, on Monday, by a vote of 22 to 2, - Messrs. Morton and Bomkyx alono voting no, - passed House bilí No. 313, entitled " A bilí to compel childron to attend school." Tho bill is as follows : SBOTTON 1. The People of the State of Michigan enaet, Xliat evary parent, guardián or other person in the State of Michigan having control and chargo of any child or childron between the ages of 8 aml 14 years shall be required to send any suoh child or children to a public school tot a period of at least 12 weeks in each school year, commencing on the first Monday oi September, 1871, at least six werk of which shall bo consecutivo, unloss such child or children aro exensed from such attendance by the board of the school district in which such parents or guardians reside, upon its boing shown to their satisfaction that his bodily or mental oondition has been such as to prevent his attendanee at school or applicaticm to study for the period roquiivd, or that BUph child or children aro taught in a private school, or at home. in such branches as are usually taught in primary schools, or havo already aequirod the ordinary branches of learning taught in the public school : ProtidM, In cuso a public school shall not bo taught for threc montlis during the year, within two miles, by the noarost traveled road, of the residenoe of any person within the school district he shall nat bo Hable to the provisions of this act. SEC. 2. It shall be tho duty of tho director of overy school district, and president of evcry school board within this State, to cause to be posted three notices of this law in the most public places in such district, or published in onc newspaper in the township for three weeks, during the month of August in each year, the expense of such publication to be paid out of the funds of said district. 8EC. 3. In case any parent, guardián or other porson shall fail to comply with tho provisions of this act, said parent, guardián or other person shall be Hable to a fine of not less than five dollars or more than $10 for the first offense, nor less than ÍK) or more than $20 for the second and cvery subsequont offense, said fine shall be poQected by the director of said district in the name of the district, in an action of debt or on the case, and when colli 'dl shall be paid to the assessor of the district in which the defendant residod when the offense was committcd, and by him accounted for the same as moncy raised for school pürposes. Sec. 4. It shall bc the duty of the director or president, to prosocuto any oiloiise ooonringr under this act, and any director or president negleoting to proseouto for suoh fine within 10 day.' after a written notioo haa boen served on him by any taxpayer in said district, unless the person so complained of shall be excused by the district board, shall be Hable to a fine f not loss than $20 or moro than $■")(), which shall be prosocuted for and in the name of tho assessor of said district, and the fine when collected shall be paid to the assessor, to be accounted for as in section three of this act. Certainly evcry parent ought to, without compulsión, give every child under 14 years old twelve weeks schooling in cach yoar, but wo doubt whethor this bill will socuro that object. Thore is now a dog tax, with penalties for a neglect to assoss and collect tho same, but who in our city has ever paid a tax on a dog. Thero aro also other penal statutcs which roiuain dead-letter laws. And this law will be moro than likoly to be tho same. Besidos, in dividing tho period of twelve woeks into halves the good intention of tho law is almost nullified by its leading provisión ; and, thon, the power given district boards to excuso non-attendance becausc of the " bodily or mental condition " of the should bo pupil, or bocause " taught in a primate ichool or at home," knocks the bottom squaroly out of tho law, and louves a " skiminer thut won't strain." A botter law and more ad vaneed public opinión will both bo found necessary to accomplish anything in tho dosircd direction. The Supreme Court of tho United States has decided, Justico Bhadi.ey dissenting, that an incoine tax can not be imposod upon tho ealary of a State omcer, or an oöicer holding under State laws This may be correct, but if a mochanic is to pay an income tax on hifi hard earningg why not a State oöicer - judicial or executive - pay a like tax on his fat, andsomo times sinecure's sulary P If tho one may In1 taxed so high thut the offices can not bo fillcd, the other mnij Ie taxed So high that he can not lili the tnouths of thon depondent upon him for support. " - Tho same reasoning would exempt the official bond of an offieor holding under State law from the stamp tax, as Congress could easily fix suoh stamp tax in excess of the emolumenta of the oflico, especially if it be only that ai a Notary Public. In the IIou8e, on Monday, a general amnesty bill, so-called, was introdoced by Mr. Hale, of Me., and passed a suspension of the rules; yeas, 134; n.iys, 46 ; absent or not voting, 47. The naniti of Mes:rs. CoNOEH and WaLDBON, of this State, are recorded among the noes, and in favor of perpetuating tho joint rule oí' tho carpot-baggers and ku-klux. The bill exulndus from the proposed amn :-t v "only merubers of Congrcss who withdrew from Congress and aided the rebelKon ; officers of the army and navy who " swapped horsis " or traded allegiance ; and inrmbors of tüe convention who signcd tho ordinances of seeession."