The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1899-06-22
THE UNIVERSITY AND THE
TAXPAYER.

We note that the University Of the
great and wealthy state of California
will charge its students n registration
fee OF $50 each next year. Any student
from Nevada who attends that insttu-
ton must pay this fee. Again we note
In the annual report of the President of
the University of Nevada that there
were ffty-three California students en-
rolled at our University last year, who
did not pay cent towards the support
of the school. Is this just to the tax
ridden people of Nevada? We think
not.
Free education IS the foundation on
which all of our institutions rest, and
the higher we educate the rising gen
Grafton as a whole. the more stable that
foundation becomes. However, there
Is point where the duty of the State
to further educate the individual ceases
and where the individual who desires
higher education should be required to
pay at least part of the cost OF his in
struction. There is room for a differ
ence OF opinion as to just where theline
should be drawn, but we believe, as a
matter OF fact, that the line is drawn in
most OF the States between the high
school and the university. There are
few, If any, State universities outside OF
Nevada, which do not charge their stu
dents small tuition fee to assist in
paving the expenses of the institution
And it Is right that they should, for
the man who sends his sons and daugh-
tiers to college IS generally well-to-do
and able to pay, while the poor man,
who, by the way, generally pays more
than his share OF the taxes, is Obliged
to put his sons and daughters to work
often before they have finished in the
common school.
The duty of State is first to its COM
mon schools, where rich and poor have
an equal show In spite of the fact
that Nevada pays more per capita for
school purposes than any other State
In the Union, there are still scores Of
districts outside of the large towns
which cannot hold school for more than
three or four months In the year for
lack OF funds. q. EaE
A special tax ote.n1tils vas added to
the State tax levy by the last Legisla-
ture for the benefit Of the University,
and now the Regents are asking the
people OF the State to subscribe $4,000
more to build residence for the Pres
ident. The house IS no doubt needed
and all who arc able to should subscribe
The question presents itself, however.
"Who are more able to subscribe than
the parents of the students who get the
benefit"
There were 366 scholars enrolled last
year II they had been charged fee
OF $40 each. it would have resulted in
revenue OF $3.50, over two-ffths of the
total amount asked for by the Regents
to support the school for one year. We
do not believe that such an annual fee
would be burdensome TO but very few
OF the students, and free scholarships
could be provided for those few. so that
no young man or woman with merit
need be excluded. 1t would simply
take part OF the burden off from the
backs of the taxpayers and put it where
1t belongs.
We are aware that legislative action
Is necessary to effect such change. and
for that reason we would like to see the
matter fully discussed by the Press OF
the State. We are not aetuated in the
above by the slightest feeling of hostil-
ity towards our State University, OF
which every Nevadan ought to be proud
We are simply speaking in behalf OF a
county whose tax rate is SO So, and IN
which the rate OF assessment il the
highest Ia the State, while the length
of the school term throughout the
county does not average six months a
year.