The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-18
Getting Even With the Cities.

Getting Even With the Cltles.
Senator Wilson of Hennepin probably |
understood at the outset that he was MAX
ing a losing fight yesterday when he de-
manded that the state appropriation for
the benefit Of high schools be disbursed
upon the basis Of enrolment. That would
naturally strike any one as fair basis
of distribution and it does not appear that
any one could successfully combat the
proposition. Senator Thompson. the father
Of the bill contended, however. that. the
distribution on the basis of an equal
amount to each school regardless Of the
number of pupils enrolled WAS necessary
in order to maintain high schools in
smaller towns and villages. Granting that
this is true, it does not follow that 1t is
a fair and equitable distribution Of the
money raised by taxes for school pur-
poses.
At present this fund amounts to $685.
600. There are 1915 high school pupils
In the state, that means an average ap-
propriation of $14.70 per pupil. In Henne-
min county there are 3,421 pupils In five,
high schools. This congressional district
will have SIS, 900 to be divided among 3,421
pupils, or 1888 pupil. In other words,
we are getting about one-seventh OF our
share in Hennepin county on a fair per
capita distribution, while the Minneapolis
Central high school, for instance, with Its
1865 pupils gets still less per capita or
about ST a head On the other hand, there
are seven high schools in the state having
an enrolment Of not over 20, with one
teacher each, and each one gets as much
as the Central high school in this city.
One thousand six hundred dollars will
pra ctically run high school of 20 pupils.
When it comes to the amount Of taxes
for school purposes the fifth district has
total valuation Of 1892. 445,519. or in
round numbers, sixth Of the total val
uation of the state. Hennepin Is paying
one sixth of the money appropriated for
high schools and getting back one twenty
ninth of the total amount disbursed. C.
The Journal does not. cite these
figures for the purpose OF protesting
against the basis Of distribution or the
more liberal treatment of the country hlgf
schools thar that accorded to Minneapolis
purpose Of calling the attention Of some
Of our friends In the country, who ar
always ready to play politics by trying e
array the country against the cities t
the fact that good deal Of this prejudice
against the cities is without any, justin
cation. that, as a matter OF fact, tn
country having a, majority of the leEisla
tive je
against the Cities but actually does il
And to show how it, is sometimes don
was Senator Wilson'S probable motive
presenting the facts as they really exist.
1t is unuuestionably good thing to hay
these high schools scattered throughou
the state--high schools which cannot b
supported without special aid from tn
state But let us be fair and just in tn
considerati ton Of these matters and civ
the cities credit for what they do to hel
maintain the cause of education through
out the state.
OF course, we know that the usu;
answer to this is that the state is goo
to the university. 1t is, and Il ought
be. We haven't the figures before us, b,
we venture to say that Minneapolis, 5
Paul and Duluth, which are contribute
so literally to country high schools in tn
appropriation, pay to the university $, SUI
port their proportion of taxes, measure
by their representation in the attendan
at the university, so that they are doi1
their. full share in maintaining that inst
tuition and are getting no more out, of
in the way of education in proportion
the amount they pay for its support thu
the balance of the state.
That Gandrud anti-merger bill seer
to reach almost any kind Of merg
of competing railway lines. The prob
bition Of the power Of control Of tv
or more competing lines definitely appli
to such form of combination as t
Great Northern Northern Pacific merger