The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-04-28
Public Schools of Salt Lake c;,v

The public schools are only. nor,inally
so. The school houses are oftener
spoken of as ward meeting houses and
are used inditferentlY for Mormon wor-
ship and for schools. Thev we're
originally built by donations as meeting
houses. The title TO the land ON which
they are situated Is in trustees but
whether these are sub-trustees for the
Trustee In trust of the Churcb or
whether they act for the school district,
Is one of those things that "no fellow
| can find out. 1t is openly charged
here that these buildings are all owned
by the Church, and the charge is not
disputed. But one thing is sure: if they
are not owned by the several school
districts, then there are no school houses
at all so owned They are reDaired,
added to, and renewed out of the nnblic
taxation. The teachers are all reduired
to be Mormons; tuition fees are charged
all the pupils, additional TO the nnblic
tax; the grades OF study are extremely
low, and the teachers incompetent; the
| text books arc carefully selected TO see
that nothing inimical to Mormonism is
IN them; and the Mormon doctrinal
| books are read and taught In these
schools. They are, therefore, simply
| Mormon sectarian schools, supported
| largely at the public charge. Under
| these circumstances it is impossible for
| Americans to have their children educated
in these schools, nor DO they pretend 10.
| Yet none the less is their property
| heavily taxed to maintain and support
| them, and the tax is much more
church tax than a school tax. In addi-
ton to TINS, the Americans have 10 pay
| for the schooling of their children IN
| private schools, established and hounsh-
ing here under the control r the
| Episcopalians, Roman Catholics Pres
! byterians, Csngregationahsts, and
! Methodists. The local taxing power IS
exclusively in the hands of ne Morhons.
/ The consequence is that Americans are
assessed much higher than Mormons on
! similar property, and the latter receive
large concessions besides, in the shape
| of remissions of taxes. which the county
court is empowered to make, to the ex-
| tent of so for each person. Bnt taxes
on Americans are not RENTED. Neither
/ are they able to obtain any showing OF
what is done with then money. In ad-
dition large blocks of the finest property
in the city escape taxation under tilt pre-
tense that they are owned by the MOT
/ mon Church. but not used Tor cnurch
purposes; and the collectors DOCKS
/ show, besides, long columns oil taxes
| paid by James Jack, Territorial Treas
urer, probably ont Of the public moneys,
on assessments against the favored ones
/ of the faith. II is substantial grievances
| like these of which the Americans OF
Utah complain, and to which they point
whenever the MermOns put forward
their usual claim Of good and far admin
istration of Territorial affairs. We don I
hear Of them putting forth any CLAIMS OF
this kind at home, reservlng them Tor
I the outside world, where the knowledge
| of the facts is limited. But We submit
| that this is a showing which entities the
people of Utah to relief at the hands OF
their fellow citizens. They have long
asked if, but have either got nothing or
something Intellectual Many other
things might be named in the way OF
! abuses in Utah, and many notifications
of Congressional law cited; but all can
not be given in one newspaper, or IN
limited space. L quit here, with the
explanation that I have used the word
American ms the reverse of Mormon. 1t
i is a distinction taught the Indians 10y
/ the Mormous in past years, and many
J an American has been killed simply
| because he could not claim to he Nor
| mon. There IS no reason why this dis
| tinction OF their own should now Toe
| droppedwhen theconditions are changed.
/ mil LAKE. ('fftI Letter.