Arizona silver belt., 1897-01-28
ExpEnSI1EI
What the University, Normal School and Reform
 School Have Cost.
Laws Appropriating Money for Their Improvement Un-
 constitutional.


 constitutional. H. B. N. 2, by Bernard, for the maintenance of the Territorial Univer- sity.
 H. B. No. 6. by Ashurst, to provide for the completion and maintenance of the Territorial Reform School.
 H. B. No. II, by Warren, to pro- vide for the completion of the Normal School.
 The above bills were introduced in the House of Representatives of the Nineteenth Legislative Assembly on Jan. 2l and Jan. 22, and it is pre- sumed contemplate Q new levy upon the taxable property of the several counties of Arizona for the years 1897 and 1898, the acts of 1895 for the same purposes having expired by limitation.
 For the information of members of the legislature who will be called on to vote upon these bills, as well as for tue enlightenment of tax payers, We will give brief statement of the his tory of each of the three institutions named, including the provisions made by law for their maintenance and what they have already cost the tax payers.
 THE UNIVERSITY.
 The University of Arizona was estsb- lished in 1885. but has been in contin- uous operation only since October, 1891. Under the provisions of the act of congress known as the Morrill, bill, the university received in 1890 $l5, 900, which sum has been increased 5000 each succeeding year and will continue to grow until the annual ap- propriation made by the federal gov ernment for the maintenance of the university reaches s25. 900, which will be in 1900. The amount to be re- ceived this year under the Morrill, law is S22, 900. The university, under the Hatch law, establishing agricultural experimental stations, receives the further sum of Sl5, 900 each year.
 Under the act of 1885 of the terri torial legislature establishing the uni versity, bonds in the sum of $25, ,OO0 were issued for the erection and fur nishipg of building, and tax of two and one-half cents upon each sl00 valuation of taxable property was levied to pay the interest on these bonds. After paying the interest there remains a surplus amounting to about S45O0 per year, diverted to the use of the university. This sum was not deemed sufficient, however, and as the funds derived from the federal gov ernment under the Morrill, and Hatch laws cannot be used for any other pur- pose than is specified in those acts, 8 further draft was made upon the tax payers of the territory by a tax levy for the years 1891 and 1892, of one mill on the dollar, which on an assessed valuation of $2s, ,OOO, ,OO0, should have yielded $2S,000. The Eighteenth legislature passed an act providing for an additional levy for the years 1895 and 1896 of two and ne-half cents upon the $l00 valuation. The rev enue from this tax levy amounted to about S14.0U0- (Gila county refused to make the levies for the University, Normal School and Reform School for 1896, which will be explained further oD.)
 REoAPITULATIoN-T University has received from the territory since 1885 amounts as follows:
 Bonds ........ ....$ 1000 Interest fund (about) ... 75,0O0 Levy under the act of 189l.. 28,000 Levy under the act of 1895.. 14,000
 Total territorial revenue. .Sl42, ,000 Federal appropriations 1890 | to 1896 inclusive -. 231 ,0O0
 Total cost of the University,
 building and maintenance, $373, ,000 Federal appropriations for
 lS91.... oI,UuO
 REFORM SCHOOL.
 The act establishing the Territorial Reform School was passed and ap proved in 1893. The act provides fol the incarceration of incorrigible chil dren under ike age of l6 years.
 Why such an institution was deemed necessary. and was established, is | conundrnm which we will not try te solve.
 The act provided for levy for ths years 1893 and 1894 of one-half mil on the dollar, which should have yielded upwards of $2S.00O The ta, levy for 1895 and 1896 added aboul $16,5OO to the fund for building the Reform School, and still the demand,