The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-02-28
SUPPORT THE UNIVERSITY!

| So4 SAht 4tiI O1Nl
Now that the University is at length
upon the gratifying plane of equality in
solid merit with similar institutions in
| tho land, in the courses which it ac-
| tually gives, the Legislature will do
well to prevent it from taking any
backward step, As il has now taken rank
with many other similar institutions Of
good reputation it offers college cdu-
cation equal in its sphere Of operations
to that which our Young men can secure
by going East. The baccalaureate de-
gree of the University is now on a par
with the same degree in the bcst inst-
tutions elsewhere. To permit the head
State school to retrograde at such
time would be an everlasting injustice
to the young men and women Of this
State and a real loss to the common
wealth and it's citizens in both pres
| tige and efficiency.
The young people os Utah have GER
tainlv not forfeited their right to an
education as good as that which those
in other places can obtain in the uni
versities elsewhere, simply because ad
visers Of the last legislative body made
n mistake in their calculations. The
University and it's regents made no mis-
take. They recommended a mill-tax
plan, which would have yielded about
64.d3 per cent Of 80 per cent of the
| State taxation for the maintenance
of the University, just such plan
as has been provided and is in success
full operation in twelve other States. II
occurred, however, to tho Senators most
interested in the plan that percentage
system would be better, DR.. Kingsbury
and DR.. WIdtsoe consented TO the propo-
sition, because it was estimated that
80 per cent Of AZ mills of the State
taxes would be sufficient to maintain
the University. the Branch Normal, and
the Agricultural College.
1t was agreed upon close iuvestiga-
tion that the University should have
64,43 per cent Of this amount. This was
upop the understanding that the as
sessed valuation Of the State would be
5000, 900 in 1871 and in 1912 would
\
mate of the best authority on the sub
ject as TO what tho assessed valuation
would amount to in these years. How
ever, the so per cent rate did not pre-
vail, though some of the legislators
were in favor of IT. What passed both
passed unanimously This bill was not.
signed by the Governor, however, since
he felt that 2S per cent, instead of
the so per cent passed By the Legisla-
ture, would be sufficient 10 maintain the
University and 10 insure its average
growth and advancement. The assessed
valuation, however, fell short of the
amount estimated for 1911 by nearly
six million dollars and short OF the
amount estimated for 1912 by nearly
ten million dollars. Again, IN 1912 the
rate of State taxation was changed from
AZ to 4 mills. There were thus four
causes why the maintenance Of the Uni
versity voted at the last session mas
not beeu Sufficient, and with these
causes the regents of the University
had nothing whatever to do,
These conditions were brought about
by circumstances over which they had
no control and which they could in no
way foresee in time to cut of any de.
partment of the University, even had
they deemed such an expedieut wise or
possible. These four reasons combined
In such way as to leave the Upiver-
sitv $4,000 short for the present school
year and will cause il TO be $4,000
short for the next two years, pro
vided that only the 4mill rate OF
taxation shall continue, The regents
correctly estimated what the University
should have in order to be conducted
on the same basis as before. They did
not get what they should have had for
this purpose, but had 10 be content
with the final estimate and assurance
of some of the legislators that the fund
they had provided for maintenance
would be sufficient. Any attempt tc
hold the authorities of the Univereity
responsible for the present shortage e
therefore an injustice to them.
To lower the standard OF the Uui.
vcrsity simply means to let down the
educational status OF this common.
wealth as whole. and this, again, car
mean only one thing-that the youn.
people of Utah must be content with 2
lower efficiency of college training than
the people Of other States provide for
their youth. 1t is a fact that the peo
pie of any American State are TO-DAY
judged very largely by the kind ot
university they maintain. The develop
mcnt Of any modern country as whole
is strictly related to the efficiency of
the college teaching of tho pure and ap-
piled sciences, the mathematics. Ian
guages, and other branches given in the
universities.
Higher learning is no longer a mat
tor of the study Of words .yI mira ses