The Indianapolis journal., 1895-05-16
INDIANA UNIVERSITY.
s.U. l.. See" Tells Why the State Should
Cease to Pay Its Expenses.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
1t is not an hour too early for the tax
payers of Indiana TO look squarely in the
face of the act of the late Legislature,
which not only levies burdensome tax
upon them for the present demands Of our
so-called State University, but makes futher
larger assessments inevitable. If there
any adequate compensation for this to
be seen as the results of past appropria-
tions or to be hoped for in the future the
case would be different. 1t is plain that
rot one in ten of the taxpayers, IL one in
a hundred. approves this. and it certainly
is not a case in which the superior intelli-
gence of the few is justfable in voting
burdens upon the many. To a large ex-
tent our system of hasty legislation is
responsible for the blunder. No time is al
lowed for deliberation. OF the $50 legisla-
tors. not ten were familiar with the his
tory of the university, and no time could
be taken for investigation. Under these
conditions the Legislature was at the mercy
of the well trained lobby of cultured gen.
tlemen whose biennial visits to the capital
have made them masters of the art. They
put up at our best hotels and the State pays
the bills through the funds il provides for
the university. and one or more OF them
sion to PROFOUND and answer questions,
that for more than fifty years appropria-
tions have been made. every succeeding one
larger than the preceding, until now, en-
boldened by the past success, they have
levied special tax upon every chicken and
COW in the state. as well as upon every
is but the beginning. What the end shall
be no human here can foresee. The pres
ent amount probably not over 100000 an
Of the future? Every one KNOWS that this
small amount will be practically wasted
unless IL is followed in tie future by many
The truth is this whole business is an
anachronism which should have been buried
at the expense OF the State. Ii IS not an
uninterestlng or an insignificant historic
fact that the thought of conducting state
institution of learning and that of building
d road from Madison on the Ohio, 10 Lake
Michigan, and a canal from Lake Erie TO
Evansville, on the Ohio. were born of the
same parentage and so nearly the same
day that they may be called twins The
necessity of roads and canals was felt just
as was felt the necessity OF education, and
the poverty and inexperience OF the people
to undertake both. But from one canal
the scheme soon took In half dozen,
sprang TO the front, and get there We're
hundreds of. localities that had 10 build
justice of taxing those who mad TO build
their own roads for the purpose OF building
some bigger but no better road by the
State soon became apparent: besides, the
burdens soon became unbearabie. and the
whole system collapsed, leaving miles OF
unfinished bitches where canals were in
tended. with millions of bonds which had
10 be paid by the hardest work. Who ever
now thinks OF the ownership OF roads and
canals by the State except that enterpris-
inc class which pays taxes and seldom
rides on a railroad?
The history of the education twin sister
is an exact parallel to this. except that the
State University ard its branches YET re-
main leach upon tho treasury. still cry
ing ..givei yirer' The fostering of a college
AT Bloomington made il necessary sixty
years ago 10 undertake a branch college In
every county. Meanwhile the people had
TO provide for their local wants by private
schools of every grade. some oe which cost
immense sums OF money. The injustice OF
this was SO maEifes. that the whole acedem-