Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-12-19
OF The State University.

worthy champion as Mr.. Herbert
| N. Latin to the defence Of his alma
mater. 1t Is impracticable to reprint
Mr.. Lafiin's letter, which occupies
over a column of the Iowa County
Democrat, but below are excerps en-
bodying Its substance. After the
stereotyped reference to the uniyer-
sitg as IAN institution ofwhich every
citizen Of Wisconsin may well be
proud (which is so familiar about
the state capitol when appropriation
bills are pending in the legislature,
Mr.. Latin says:
assert without fear Of successful confirm
dlction. that the statements contained IN the
Tribune article are either the result 81 igno-
rance or purposed iuistatements. AS
10 increased salaries will say that during the
past few years there has been general rise In
the salaries of first class educators all over the
civilized world. II then the people OF
wisconsin desire TO educate their children In a
frst class university they must be willing 70
nav salaries that Will secure able and compe
tent professors. VI Tue OAhSr lnSiVuoNN
expenses will say for the benefit OF the TRI-
HUME they we're incurred to provide adequate
accommodations for the combined libraries OF
the university and the state historical society
Only a few years ago men who had
means, the rich men, sent their sons east 10
acquire an education, but today the rich man
can give his son as good an education within
the borders of his state as he can receive any
where In this broad land. There Is not
a young man of any force OF character In Wis
consin who cannot. IL he will. go through the
university relying upon his own resources and
without sacrificing his pride or manliness. Men
have gone through the university on 800 year
and are doing 1t TO day of my own personal
knowledge. For $500 year one can go through
the institution and not deny himself Of any Of
the comforts OF life. and the average cost OF all
students attending the university is less than
$3.50 per annum."
We leave others to decide as to the
TR1BUNE's ignorance" respecting
the matter under discussion, but pos
itively deny any "purposed misstate-
ments." As preface to what may
follow in this or succeeding articles
on the same subject, it should be
said that the writer disapproyes the
policy of the state attempting the
work OF general education, beyond
that furnished in the high schools,
as impractieable unnecessary, and,
as practiced in this state, inequitable
and incompatible with the funda-
mental American principle of gov
ernment, that all laws should operate
to secure the greatest good to the
greatest number
The TRIBUNE denominated the
university as "a rich mans school, -
in which the young man or
young woman OF spare means
and common modesty is at disad-
vantage, dwarfed and discouraged
by exclusion from circles Of amuse-
ment and progress readily accessi-
BILE to those of plethoric purse, what
ever their paucity of brains. Is this
Ii misstatement2 If so it is not a
"purposedn one, for it is based on the
evidence OF credible young men and
women who, ut this substitution of
which every citizen should be proud,
have felt "the oppressor's wrongs and
the proud mans contumely." The
fact that "rich men, now send their
sons to the university, when % years
ago they were sent elsewhere for ed
ucation, may seem to Mr.. Latin to
disprove that it Is essentially rich
mans school" but in our ignorance"
we fail to comprehend the force of
such university logic. The marked
increase iii cumbersome salaries OF
professors and tutors, Mr.. Latin inn
plies, was in order that the uniyer-
sity might be brought up TO stand
ard such as would meet the require
ments OF '.rich men, who before bad
sent their sons east to be educated.
This does not strike the plebian mind
ms conclusive evidence that the
lmanagemen ~ tile institution has
been especially concerned to make it
more eoegenial and advantageous
for the student struggling through
with lean purse.
This article is growing beyond con
venient proportions, therefore the
taxation phase Of the subject must
be abruptly taken up. General tax
alton for the maintenance of the uni
versity is unjust and un-Ameriean,
because 1t Is tax on the many for
the personal benefit of the few.
The university was founded on an
endowment Of lands by the general
government when the state was adj
United 70 the Union, The first state
tax levied for its maintenance was
some ~ years ago, when law was
passed making very small annual
levy on the property Of the state. This
was tire entering wedge. From thence
ON the levy was gradually raised un-
til in 1924 it was yielding annually