Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-14
lemon'tration Of How II Would Work Out
in Various Districts
7oBS SOME FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS
Move to Have it Sent Back to the Committee
Meets Failure.
CHANCE OF FINAL PASSAGE GROWS LESS
state superintendent Fowler Likely
TO Burn His Fingers if He Per-
sists in Advocacy of
the Measure.
From a stan corrcspondent)


LINCOLN, Feb. 3--(SpeciaD-The Timely
exposition of the real purpose OF the bill
by The Bee has given a serious. II not
fatal. setback to II. X. 1885. by Tooley OF
Custer. This bill. as was exclusively
brought to the attention Of the people OF
the state by The Bee, seeks to divert
large part Of the school apportionments OF
Douglas and the other more populous coun-
ties to the channels OF the smaller and
sparsely settled ones. And, while IL al
ready has been recommended for passage
in the house by the committee OF the
whole, its final outcome is now fraught
with great uncertainty. Tho Omaha aud
Lincoln men believe they can encompass
its defeat.
The measure certainly would work hard
ships upon these larger counties. As vas
pointed out this morning by The Bee. its
plan is to take one fourth OF the appor-
tionment to the several counties and divide
that among them on the 1asis Of the num-
ber of school districts. This, as pas also
been shown. simply r-sans that the thinly
settled counties, where districts are numer-
Gus and pupils scarce, would get the lions
share of this one-fourth, while these coun-
ties with few districts and n large aum-
Der of school children. would go begging for
their share. Manifestly this would be uu-
just to the populous counties
How It Would Work.
It is of interest to consult some Of the
figures found in the office of the state su-
perintendept of public instruction in ref
erence to these matters. The aggregate
apportionment for the state last year was
in round numbers 1854, 900 and the number
of pupils entitled 10 share in this Rppor-
tionment in round numbers 374,000. This
would give a per capita of S1.Ti. Under the
proposed law, deducting the one-fourth OF
the aggregate amount and dividing II
among the several counties on the basis of
the number Of districts, the per capita.
taking one-fourth from this $1.7i, would be
$1.31, a difference OF AZ cents. The number
of districts in the state approximately Is
1000. This one-fourth, therefore, divided
among them would give to each $2s-$23
for the. district in Omaha with its thou-
sands Of pupils and $23 for the district 1ut
in some remote corner Of the state with lite
ten or fifteen pupils. BY this computation
a district with 100 pupils would. under the
present law get $174, but under the pro-
posed law $13l, plus the $23 making
loss Of but 500. But on the other hand the
district having only ten pupils would, in
stead Of lose, gain $3.50, for under the old
law its apportionment would be $1740 and
under the new $3.50. The difference be-
tween these two, plus the $23, therefore,
would give the result, showing the gain as
stated.
Herein lies the mischief OF this bill. It
would, for every district having 100 pupils
in a populous county, represent loss of
500 while TO every country district with
ten pupils mean a gain OF nearly $40. On
the face Of it the men who are opposing the
measure contend its own condemnation is
wrought to any fair and impartial mind.
violates Original Intent.
Speaker Mockett, who is ardently hght-
ing the bill, has very clearly pointed out
that the original purport Of the law Is
averse to such bill as this, for he recalls
that the money for these school purposes
arises from the sale and lease OF school
lands and that these lands were Intended
for general state purposes. Likewise, he
shows, would any and all profits accruing
from them revert to the same general chan
nels Therefore, as he plainly demon
strates, the counties In the western part
Of the state, those counties which are
sparsely settled and are clamoring for this
bill, have no right whatever to claim a
greater portion OF these land funds than
any other counties, and could not, he thinks
legally carry out the provisions contem-
plated in this bill.
The speaker oints out another imposi-
tion which this bill would make possible
He says the tendency Of the smaller dis
tricts would be to divide and subdivids
in order to claim assistance under this act
One of the main controversies OF the day
in the house was over this bill. It came Ut
upon motion by Wilson of Pawnee tC
bava the action of the hou1e yestardSY IN
accepting the vote Of the committee Of the
whole OF recommendation for passage OF thii
bill, reconsidered. The author of this mo-
tion and others who spoke on that side o
the question and who were not all from
the more populous centers OF the state
forcibly set forth the injustice OF this bill
and urged that further consideration b.
given it that all might fully understand
and appreciate what is really contemplated
! The motion was lost. But Il had the effec
OF bringing the matter more distinctly be
fore the house and disclosed some stauncl
| opponents OF the bill in the ranks Of tn,
country members. This lends ground to th,
| belief of the Douglas and Lancaster Count!
| delegations that the bill will be defeated
While the measure was drawn with tn
| knowledge and approval OF State Superin
J tendent Fowler and II is known that he 4
| heartily in favor of It now, II Is ques
! tion of much moment whether he will ALLOW
| his friendship for the measure to eItent
! to the limit Of fighting for 10 passage. /
| has been plainly stated by enemies OF tn
bill that II the superintendent does this
they will array themselves against anothe
measure in which he is even more deepl
interested and make its. passage decided,
uncertain, II not impossible.