Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-03-13
TUE GOVERNOR ANDTHE SCHOOL
BILL.

IT IS 4 matter Of regret that His
Excellency should drag politics into
the consideration Of the school bill.
The Council showed more wisdom
than has either Of the other two
branches of the Legislature. While
that bill was in the Council the
"Liberal'' members worked the
hardest for if, but when it reached
the House the ''Libersl'' members
there saw Z chance 10 force political
issues in connection with it, and
the result Of their tactics was
in no sense beneficial. I'm
fortunately the Governor seems
bent upon sacrificing the interests
Of the schools to those Of
party politics. In the States ward
politicians sometimes venture an
attempt Of the kind, but invariably
the wiser and better classes Of the
people denounce such efforts.
Keep the schools out Of politics.
is a maxim among Americans
everywhere.
In criticising the bill in respect 70
the qualifications Of electors at
school meetings, His Excellency
takes the position that 1t conflicts
with the laws Of Congress. This
view is erroneous. There exists
no legislation by Congress which
relates to the qualifications Of
electors at school meetings, and is
TO this Territory. This
has beeR sufficiently shown in these
columns heretofore. The Governor
indicates more or less definitely
what amendments shall be made to ,
he bill to cause it to conform to his
views, but as the latter are illogical |
and erroneous upon this point, no
amendment respecting it should be
insisted upon.
The Governor criticizes the sys-
EN- under which such rich and
,opulous counties as Cache and
Utah draw more out Of the Terri.
orial school fund than they pay in
o It. The justice Of such a system
5 a Legitimate subject Of argument. \
IN the one hand can be urged the
uty Of such counties to pay at least
S much as they draw for
ehool support, and on the other
and is the maxim which lies at
he basis OF all taxation for school ,
namely: "The education
the child is the concern Of the
tate" Is it the concern Of the
commonwealth as whole, or ofits
lbdivisions in 4 county and school
istrict capacity? In some States
is determined in one /
'ay, and by Others in other. In
lew OF conditions existing in this !
erritory We favor n small Terri :
rial tax, distributed according to I
.hool population, but would have
D objection to seeing the Cover s
or's suggestion adopted, to the !
lect that a county having n
,pulation Of yer 10000 should
1t receive more than it paid =
T school purposes. This. as n
e Governor suggests, would partly l.
iset inequalities in assessments as a
tween different counties, and the .
ct that SPOON" prices are BEGIN
ng to prevail in some counties
1t not in others is an additional n
'cessity for some safeguard against te
,cessive inequality il assessments
nder such an amendment to the
u, the weaker and poorer counties N
ould continue TO receive the same =.
rs Heretofore, save that It would s,
increased in Consequence of cl
ooms" in the stronger aud richer Il
unties. %
The remaining amendments suc. e.
sted by the Governor relate to h
nor matters and defects, and vary 70
importance, none Of them being n n
specially vital nature. The "
rritory needs school code very Ct