While, however, to meet the necessities of the case fully and absolutely would call for enormous annual appropriations, yet as the utmost conservatism and moderation should govern all experimental legislation involving large appropriations, so in legislating upon this subject it were safer to adopt the basis and estimate of least requirement heretofore given, and adopt $50,000,000 as the amount that should be annually appropriated for this important purpose. It is to be kept in mind, also, that an annual appropriation to this extent need not add one dollar to the burden of taxation now borne by the people. In this connection it is not necessary to discuss any of the questions relating to the methods of raising our national revenue. Whatever differences of opinion there may be touching those methods or means, it must be conceded that our nation, under the present system and laws, holds a high and even commanding position among the civilized governments of the world, and that our people are enjoying more than an average degree of prosperity. It is our duty to use every effort to advance to still higher prosperity. In the meantime, however, any bill appropriating national aid to education should be based upon our present condition. Our revenue now exceeds our expenditures per annum by fully the amount ($50,000,000) sought to be appropriated by the bill referred to. Hence its enactment would not add one dollar to the taxes already imposed. It follows, then, that should Congress be asked to support a measure making annual appropriation of $50,000,000, derived from the internal revenue taxes and the sale of public lands, for school purposes, opposition to such a measure on the pretext that it would impose additional burdens upon the people would be flimsy and without force, and only transparently veil an opposition to increased facilities for educating our children. If our children are to be provided with adequate facilities for proper and necessary instruction, the burden must be imposed in some form; and none can be devised that will bear more equally upon all, and be felt as little as this.