The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-17
Indiana University Trustees Want the
Fractional Tax Increased to One
Tenth of Mill.
PURDUE ALSO NEEDS MONEY
OLD FIGHT OF THE STATE AND NON
STATE COLLEGES.
Legislative Committee Visits Several
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Gossip
of Interest.

The legislative committee on visiting state
institutions returned yesterday afternoon
from the trip 20 the southern part or the
State to inspect the Jacksonville Reforma-
tory and the State University at Blooming
ton. The committee was at Bloomington
but a few hours yesterday forenoon, as lit
tie time was required In the inspection Of
the university.
The trustees of the university will make
requests of the Legislature this winter that
may precipitate lively fight. In the first
place they ask that the fractional tax for
the benefit of the university be increased
one-thirtieth of a mill. The tax is now
one-ffteenth of a MILL and the increase will
make 1T one-tenth. At present the revenue
derived from this tax amounts to about
$4,000 a year. and the proposed increase
will make ii at least $1S5,Oo0 In addition
to this the trustees ask specific appro-
priation of 900 for the construction Of
wings to the library building and another
of several thousand dollars for the i'm
provement of the heating and lighting plant
Of the university.
President w. L. Bryan, of the university.
who is in the city to attend the meeting
of the State Board of Education. stated
1.-The increase In the tax is asked" he
said, because the present income Of the
university Is inadequate to meet the needs
of the rapidly growing institution. The
tax was fixed several years ago when the
number of students at Indiana was only a
little more than half what we have this
year. and 1t certainly cannot be expected
that sum that was only sufficient for
maintenance at that time will be sufficient
for all time to come. Indiana is growing at
the rate of two hundred students a year.
Last year we abolished tuition and ma
circulation fees. and hence our income is
really less this year than in previous years,
and we must have more money from the
maintenance tax or cali a halt on the graft
flying progress the university is making in
all lines.
1.-The additional rooms for the library are
greatly needed At present we are SO
crowded that one-fourth of the library is
in the basement. and we are greatly handi-
capped in our work as result. The heat
ing and lighting system has never been put
on substantial basis and does not work
satisfactorily. The money required to i'm
prove it is not a large sum-.
REQUESTS MADE BY PURDUE.
Purdue University is also making large
requests from the Legislature, asking spe-
cific appropriations in excess of $500, 900 for
and as a result legislators anticipate that
the old fight between the friends of the
state and nonstate schools will be on
again this winter. Practically every ap-
preparation that has been made for Indiana
University or Purdue In recent years has
been opposed by the friends OF the denom-
national schools, and il is not regarded as
situations get all they ask this year with
out registering vigorous protest. A MEM
Der OF the Senate In discussing the requests
made by the trustees of the State Univer-
sity said last night:
II suppose that we shall have a fight
again this winter. 1t will resolve itself into
the old issue as to whether the State shall
continue it's work of building up great ed
ucatiOnal institutions. Personally while
am not prepared to say that 1 shall favor
giving Indiana the increase in the tax. do
not see how the State can very well afford
to stop the work that has been carried on
so successfully. They have close to 15OO
students at Bloomington and they must be
given means TO take care of that number.
There are no better managed institutions in
the country than our State schools. The
money that the State has provided for
thsm has been well expended and remark
able progress has been made. To continue
the work mayl cost the taxpayers of the
State considerable money. but they cannot
afford to let Indiana take an insignificant
position in the educational world
A member of the House, whose sympa-
thies are with the UNCONVENTIONAL schools,
TOOK the opposite view OF the case. 1.-THE
State schools have an Unsuitable maw'
he said, land their demands grow every
year. There is no limit to the demands
they will make on the taxpayers of Indiana
and L cannot see why the State should be
called on to give them large sums every
year when the UNCONVENTIONAL schools of
fer practically the same advantage to stu
dents without asking dollar from the
State treasury. OF course, the State could
/ not withdraw all support from these
schools, but it certainly ought to draw a
| limit some time and somewhere"
Concerning their visit to Jacksonville
| the members of the legislative committee
were extremely reticent, but ii was learned
/ last night that Representative Cravens,
| the minority member of the committee.
| questioned the board of managers and for
mer Superintendent Hert closely about the
/ coal-land speculation in which several of
| them were interested and concerning Mr..
/ Hert's connection with a firm employing
on contract the prisoners of the Reforma-
\ tory.
The committee will visit the Eastern Hos
| pital for the Insane at Richmond to-day.
/ Tomorrow a trip will be made to the
| asylum at Logansport, and on Friday the
| committee expects TO be at the School for
/ Predetermined Youths at Fort Wayne.
| ~