Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-02-21
THE SCHOOL TAN.

lHb lollowlng appeared in the
Ogden Standard of yesterday, as a
part of Its report of the proceedings
Of the Legislature:
The article in the DEsEREr News
relating to free schools has awakened
much discussion among the members.
One member stated yesterday that
free schools ought 10 be established
throughout the Territory IF any
county is wealihier than its neighbors
il Is because other counties have con-
tributed TO its wealth, and therefore it
should justly bear its share Of the
public burden. The NEWS argues on
the point that where taxes are levied
the benefits should be equally distrib-
uied. and where wealthy counties paid
more than they received in return in
benefits accrued, poorer counties re-
eeived more than they had paid, and
the tax thus became unjust. II this
applies TO the Territorial tax il applies
to the county tax, for the districts OF
the county bear the same relation to it |
that counties bear to the Territory. On
the same principle man residing in
a school district who has no
children and pays SIS in taxes.
has been unjustly taxed as
compared with a citizen having
several children OF school age, and |
paying tax OF but $40. Again, il
this principle apply, Salt Lake County
should alone pay for the erection of
state buildings, whereas the fact is
that the remOtest county has TO con-
tribute to such erection. Yet. will il
be said that the county in which such
buildings are erected. does not direct
ly get greater benefit and increase
in wealth than other cities? Tha. point
cannot be disputed. II. then, the
poorer counties assist in enriching
Salt Lake County, why should not
Salt lake County justly contribute Of
such increased wealth TO the support
OF schools in poorer counties? / fail
to see the logic Of the News argu-
ment. III the argument Of the NEWS
means anything. il means that the
support OF free schools by taxation is
Illegal. At least I can see no other
meaning in its statement that II the
Territorial school tax shall be permit
ted to remain at three mills, the peo-
pie OF all the counties will probably
submit without very great complaint,
but an attempt to double the burden
borne by few countie. 10 the profit
of the rest will certainly meet with
resistance"
The NEWS has not opposed the
establishment of free schools. IL has
merely disapproved of a certain
method by which it has been pro-
posed to accomplish that end. A
school isa neighborhood affair to a
great extent, and that circle over
which is radiated its immediate
benefits, should contribute to its
support. But as those benefits ex-
tend beyond the school district into I
the county, it is proper that the
county also should aid in its main
tenance; and as the Territory has ,
varied and vital interests dependent /
upon the intelligence of its citizens {
it is proper that Territorial school
tax should be collected. The !
amount to be paid by the Territory +
must OF necessity be fixed; but the 5
amount to be contributed by the :,
county and school district re- i,
should be determined v
within certain limits fixed by
aw, upon a principle OF To- 7
al option. Upon this plan such r,
ounties and school districts as de. 81
ire may have free schools. while d
UGH as prefer to have a portion OF r
he cost Of a child's education paid a,
n the form Of a tuition fee, NAV
dept that plan. This is the truly
ShAoSAalS luGOIg.
The statement that elf any coun- o.
= is wealthier than its neighbors Il "
because other counties have
ontributed to its wealth, and there
IRE that 1t should justly bear its tn
lare OF the public BURDEN, is faIIa- a
Gus and misleading as here used. :,
he fact is, much of the wealth &C
und in the poorer counties has been de
attributed by the richer ones, by ev
igration and overflow; and the ~,
aim of those poorer counties upon fol
g richer ones for sufficient means m'
defray the greater part of the cost no
schools in the former, does not ~
pear to us to be founded in JUS
e. Why not ask the richer coup- J
8 TO pay most Of the expense for ere
ads, bridges, prosecuting Grimm 81
!, ETC., in the poorer ones? ~
A three mill Territorial tax will
'bably pay about one half the cost !
maintaining district schools in thu
st Of the outlying counties. This COZ
giving great deal TO them from eng
Weather ones, and the other era
II of the burden should be borne In
ally. 1t is, we believe, a fact bal
It there are fewer families mr. WI
tionately in the outlying counties GA GA
o are really poor than in the inc
althier ones. The population OF tive
former almost universally own socl
homes they occupy and have b bn /,
slant employment by which they Ma
n n livelihood. For the richer Dire
mites TO be taxed to give them Che
schools Is not equitable, and f,aIS
appear still less so when tits
embered that when the rich
mites pay tax high enough to II
vide free schools in the poorer ridg
5, they are themselves without M