Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-11-30
FREE HIGHER EDUCATION.
Some Arguments, POlntedIy Expressed, In
Opposition 10 II.
Salt Lake City, Utah,

Nov. go 1897.
To the Editor:
A strong feeling pervades the COM
munity against high taxation, and
there Is great desire for rigid econo-
my and notably tax reduction. There
Is also strong sentiment against taxa.
ton for schools. excepting common or
district schools on the score of fair play
for all The strenuous advocates OF
taxation for higher education assert
that all who are opposed to such taxa
tion are enemies of high schools. That
is positive falsehood, mere political
sophlstry
Many others besides myself are in
favor of high education, high schools,
colleges and universities, but are in
ilexibly opposed to the taxation of all
the people to support such institutions,
for the very valid reason that 1t Is
rank injustice. A workingman who
averages a dollar or less n day the
year around cannot send his four o.
five children to the high school, college,
or university from childhood up to 20
or 20 years old, and consequently he
pays school taxes, not to educate his
own children, but the children of those
who are rich and well to do. What
would be as reasonable to tax the poor
to feed, clothe and lodge the rich as to
educate them. for food and raiment
are quite as necessary as education,
especially the higher education, which
practically is only for the rich. There
would be a great deal more true states
manship in the rich paying for the
education of the poor, than in the poor
paying for the education of the rich.
III ! were rich man ] would scorn
to have my children educated at the
expense of the poor. / would be too
proud and independent for any such
UNFAIR business.
Under present methods the result is
often like this:
What is Tom dolng?"
ooh, he goes to the High school,"
What is VIII dong?"
He goes to college,
what is Joe doing?"
He goes to the University"
what is Dick doing?"
"He is boss football player
What is Harry DOING"
ooh, he is trying to he a lawyer"
What is Bob DOING"
"EIe is studying to be n doctor''
what is the old man doing?"
"Oh, he is working himself to death
to support all the family, pay the big
taxes, and keep interest and mortgage
from eating up the family house. AL
coed rents, and that way bankruptcy
lies"
Advocates 70 High school taxation
cry in highfalutn, spread eagle
sort of way-"o, the High schools are
the glory of Salt Lake!" Are they.
as supported by general taxation? /
never knew before that there was any
glory in injustice, in expressing the
poor for the benefit of the rich. / al
ways thought injustice was a curse
rather than blessing. What advan-
tage are high schools and high educa-
ton to man whose home Is sold over
his head to sustain them? Do his fam
lily realize the blessedness and glory
of high schools and high education
when turned out of house and home
by the high tax collector and set
adrift on the prairie to make a dug
out to live in and drag out a miserable
existence.
How should high schools, colleges.
and universities be sustained? BY
those who are able to do 1t, and who
renp the advantage of them. BY en-
dowment, donations. and other ways
by the rich. Not. by depressing the
poor. That would be fair.
At the most, II high schools, colleges,
and universities must he sustained by
taxation. II should be by progressive
income tax on NIL incomes exceeding,
saw about 81. 900 per annum. That
would be coming nearer to Justice than
the present general taxation does,
Lastly, If the taxes were. low in.
stead of being ruinously high, and If
the CITY had three millions in hand In
stead of being three millions in debt,
taxation for the higher schools might
be n little more plausible than 1t is
under present circumstances.
TANED TOO MUCH.