Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-02-27
THE srArn uNIynnsIr, .
Two Important Measure. for ITS Sup

| ~ $50 A-AAN IiHAkg Vi ANhhS PtiAAAllk ~
fore the legislature-one to give the
university regents control Of the uni
! yersity lands, the other TO grant for
Its support tax OF / cent OF whatever
rate In cents may be fixed for either
the free school fund or the states gem
eral revenue.
The appeal OF the regents in this
behalf is not n matter OF personal con-
alteration, since tho university does
not belong to them. but It is their
highest duty. as intermediary agents
FOR the state equally with the minori-
! ", to perslstently present it's claims
! upon the state to promote Its interests
as state university, and, rs delegated
agents for the university itself to raise
II 10 the highest standard as IA first
class institution Of learning and apex
to the states educational system. In
other words. It is no less their duty to
the state than to the university to
present and urge every possible meas
ure they can suggest to make the uni
versity the peer Of any like institute
ton in the Union. capable OF affording
the all-satisfying reports of the high
est advantages OF university education
to the ambitious boys and girls OF
Texas.
Certainly, since knowledge ~ one of
the greatest powers Of government,
the state cannot pledge It's faith to
nuhler enterprise for Its political well
fare than the support OF the universe
~ as state school and. in fact "A
great free school in line with the 9TH
er free schools supplemental, as the
latter are. by the university as essen
TALLY the greatest free high school OF
the states entire educational system.
Every state should establish and
foster Its state university so as not
to deny tho advantages Of the highest
education to any class OF her citi-
2ens who pay taxes for the support of
the government. Such institutions may
not exert so general ordinary benefits
as the free schools, but they rpdlate II
far brighter intelligence, scntillating
their effects from the highest sources
OF knowledge with 4 lOftier and fuller
glow and intenser heat OF Intellectual
effulgence. They may not be 50 gem
orally useful In the minor affairs OF
life as the common schools but still
are us highly necessary for the pub
lie good. involving as they do the
higher instruction requisite for round
Ing and perfecting the ordinary educa-
ton OF the masses OF the people.
Texas has prospectively provided lib
orally for the university, as its two
million acres grants to II must some
day be very valuable. but as COM
pared with other state universities,
much remains TO be done for the I'M
mediate benefit OF the institution to
keep step TO the music OF educational
progress. and the grand march Of this
empire state In political Importance.
The university OF Texas does not yet
AFFORD all the advantages of great Ii
braries. laboratories and polytechnic
schools Of the arts and sciences and Ia
cllities for inventive experiments nee
essary to keep our youth from being at
traCted to the finer endowed and more
literally equipped universities of other
states. The fact IL. there are younger
states than Texas with younger and
more ilourlshing state universities, be-
cause Of their more Immediately prac-
tlcal endowment with available re-
sources, by means OF a state universl-
ty tax, bringing them immediate and
increasing revenue In pace. not only
with the growth Of the state ia wealth
and population. but also with the prog
ress and growing requirements of the
higher education OF the whole coun-
try As n result, other universities are
far better provided than the Texas uni
verslty, the buildings OF wlsconsin's
university, for Instance, costing $780,
600, and those OF the university Of Min
nusota $4,000.
AZ TO liberal appropriations, the state
of Missouri, by u single enactment, APP
proprlated every dollar OF Its direct
tax" money--in round figures, $685. OOO-
to the university OF Missouri. In con-
lrast with which Texas appropriated 10
her own university only some $40, 900,
out Of something over 100000 OF In
demnlty funds" received from the fed
erul government.
The advantage OF university tax is
best demonstrated by its results in
other states In affecting the revenues
of their respective universities. In
Minnesota, for example using round
figures, 1t realizes annually sos 600; In
Nebraska. S6i, 800: in Ohio, SIS 900; In
California $4,000; in Wisconsin, si47,-
1a0 and in Michigan $lSS, 300 In TeNus
about $4,000 would result from the pro-
posed l cent tax.
As to the university lands, they are
at great disadvantage In quality and
location, as compared with the railroad
alternate schoo, sections brought into
active competition with them by rail-
road extensions and diligence OF rail-
road officials in bringing their own
lands into demand.
For this reason, and In all fairness.
tho university lands should not be |
subjected by the state to the same |
terms for their disposition. whether by |
sale or lease, and for the further rea- I
son that the state has failed to make I
them as productive as they should be. /
realizing but S7i 900 from the two mill .
Hon acres In twelve years. 1t would .
seem but just 10 the university for the
state TO conhne their management to
the more immediately Interested
agency of the regents OF the university,
IL Tor no other reason than the logical
result that the regents, being actively \
engaged all the time ia watching OPP
portunlties and dcvislng means to make
the lands Immediately productive OF
available resources for the university,
would naturally accomplish more than
could be done by the state acting only
In biennial sessions OF the legislature.
The alternate sections Of school
lands, IL VIII be remembered, We're
located by the railroads. and as to the
every tenth section of the lands thug
located and originally donated TO the
university, far less in quantity and far
less valuable lands were substituted
TO the university for the sections OF
which II was arbitrarily Invested by
the constitution OF 1876. divertng the
land TO the school funds. Al one time
the regents We're offered Ave cents an
acre for the lease OF six hundred
thousand acres OF the university lands.
but had no authority to accept and
me state land board would not change
us minimum figure to that figure be-
cause the board had fixed six cents as
the minimum for the school lands.
The regents OF the university of New
YORK nave s2sooo,0OO of property under
their control. and 80 successfully man
asea that no complaint has ever been