The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-04-27
Public Schools Of Salt Lake CITY.

The public schools are only nominally
so. The school houses are oftener
spoken of as ward meeting houses, and
Ire used indifferently for Mormon wor-
ship and for schools. They 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 Church, or
whether they act for the school district,
is one of those things that gro 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 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 repaired,
added to, and renewed out of the public
taxation. The teachers are all required
to be Mormons; tuition fees are charged
all the pupils, additional to the public
tax; the grades of study are extremely
low, and the teachers incompetent; the
text books are 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 s~ectarian 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 to.
Yet none the less is their property
heavily taxed to maintain and support
them, and the tax is much more a
church tax than a school tax. In addi-
ton to this, the Americans have to pay
for the schooling of their children in
private schools, established and housisL-
ing here under the control of the
E-piscopalians, Roman Catholics, Pres
byterians, Cengregationalists, and
Methodists. The local taxing power is
exclusively in the hands of the Mormons.
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 Elk
tent of $40 for each person. But taxes
on Americans are not RENTED. Neither
are they able to obtain any showing O
what is done with their money. In ad'
dition large blocks of the finest property
in the city Escape taxation under the pre-
tense that they are owned by the Nor
mon Church, but not used for church
purposes; and the collectors book
show, besides, long columns of take
paid by James Jack, Territorial Treas
urer, probably out of the public moneys
on assessments against the favored one
of the faith. 1t is substantial grievance
like these of which the Americans o
Utah complain, and to which they pom
whenever the Mormons put forw.r
their usual claim of good and fair admin
istration of Territorial affairs. We don
hear of them putting forth any claims {
this kind at home, reserving them fo
the on Inside world, where the knowledg
of the facts is limited. But we subn
that this is a showing which entities tt
people of Utah to relief at the hands
/ their fellow citizens. They have lon
? asked it, but have either got nothing
( something Intellectual. Many 9th
( things might be named in the way
. abuses in Utah, and many qualification
. of Congressional law cited; but all CT
not be given in n newspaper, or
limited space. I quit here, with Il
explanation that have used the wo
! American as the reverse of Mormon.
f is a distinction taught the Indians
q the Mormons in past years, and mai
an american has been killed simp
q because he could not claim to be a Nc
( mon. There is no reason why this d
4 tinction of their own should now
dropped when the conditions are change
8 Salt Lake City Letter.