Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1889-01-28

state. Indeed the first year of the
English Preparatory does little if
anything more than common school
work and to that extent it is propos
ed to run a free common school in
the University and tax the state
accordingly. What wisdom! But
these preparatory courses are prop
erly work for a mere high school
or Academy, and as such have prop
erly no place, except by sufferance,
in the University Halls. They
ought and "need" not be sustained
by teachers on high salaries.
Indeed such work is frequently
self-sustaining. Yet leaving out
this preparatory work, we have only
the College proper left with its IS
students.
The income of the University
from all sources other than tuition,
was last yea SIG, ,7OL14, and it was
all expended. Deducting $1269.14
paid to the Law School and there
remains SIS, 1924 or about $5j1 per
student, and just one-half OF these
residents of Eugene. The aggregate
income is not large Tor & University
doing any considerable work, but it
is certainly large for College list of
only % students.
Now as a matter of fact the in
come of the I University is more than
twice that of any like institution in
the state independent of the income
from the state.
1t is as follows:
From Land Fund S7,7OO.OO
Willard " 100000
Tuition 3,GS3.OO
Total $143S3. 90
Ifftee scholarships were abolished
the income from tuition would prob
ably lie something more than 5000.
which would make the total SIS, 700
or m":e. 1t also has a surplus fund
resulting from taxation of some
$4,000.
The University is well manned
with instructors yet there are educa-
tors IN the state who could organize
It's teaching force with equal ability
at an expense easily within this re-
duced income. Other Universities
in the state are doing a much larger
wol k on less than!half the amount.
But says one, "Ought we not to
so support the University as state
institution that we can take pride
in it?" Ought we not first of all to
seek to take pride in doing equal
and eXact justice to all rather than
in unjustly taxing the whole COM
mon wealth to sustain not so much
& fact as an idea!
"But other states do it?' of course
there is no folly that can be propos-
ed but some states can be quoted as
having petpetuated it first. That
proves nothing. The great state of
New York has no State University,
but board OF regents to supervise
and encourage all seminaries and
universities lin the state. Oregon
will do justly and wisely by fostering
ing and encouraging every worthy
institution ..Oi learning in the COM
mon wealth, not by the gift Of money
but by guarding everyone against
unjust determinations in legislation
and according no pi,ilege or right
10 one that is not accorded to all.
Ifit were once understood that the
State Univesirty must depend here
after, not on the State Treasury but
on benevolent patrons like Henry
Willard, wealthy and benevolent
citizens who are convinced of it's
usefulness, would doubtless gener-
ously increase its endowment as
needed. Would not this be better
than an unjust tax grudgingly paid?
1t may be added that the above
statistics are from the University
catalogue and the report of the presi-
dent of the Board of Regents.
Whoever will read these docu-
ments carefully will find abundant
material to confirm the views herein
set forth. CRITIC.