Morris tribune., 1913-05-09
BIG INCREASE IN
AID FOR SCHOOLS
Advance Of Is to 40 Per Cent
in Many Instances,
GOVERNOR ISSUES WARNING
Extravaganza Must Be curbed or
State Tax Rate Will Increase
Tremendously.
GOVERNOR ISSUES WARNING
Especial Correspondence

him to indulge in the language l have
used in calling attention to the fact,
but when he says this is too much
In calling attention to the principal
burden of taxation this year, which is
state aid to schools, you can bet your
last dollar he has not made the state
ment without proper investigation OF
the facts. Governor Eberhart never
shoots unless he knows his target and
In this particular matter a pull on the
trigger means a bulls eye every time
There is no chance of missing Three
whole days last week his excellency
gave over to a consideration of the
four appropriation bills offered for
his signature and his conclusion was
this: The present legislature has
Increased the state aid for schools in
many instances from % to 40 per
cent and if the present rate of in
crease shall continue year after year
q tremendous increase in state taxes
must necessarily result. am heart.
and soul for the advancement of edu-
cation in the state, but this is too
much" Continuing, his eXcellency
dTelt at length on the increase in the
tax rate deplored his inability to
shave down the various items and in
Rulged in the hope that succeeding
legislatures would see their way clear
90 curb the growing tendency toward
extravaganza.
:. :. =
Of course it should stop, but it
won't until some one big enough to
handle the situation takes the bit in
his teeth and cries halt. Quoting a
friend of the governor, had he taken
the bit and drove a carriage and four
through the omnibus bill instead of
topping off a paltry S21S,000 from a to-
tai appropriation of S21,000,000 he
would be the biggest man in the state
today. OF course there would be sore
spots-even the $218,00O he Topped off
has brought him enemes-but the
great mass of taxpayers would have
been with him. Few appreciate the
tremendous power the educational
trust Yields in Minnesota, and | use
the word trust" advisedly, for that is
teaching the young idea has grown
to be. The university is its chief
stamping ground. When it is not on
the job the annual meeting Of the
State Educational association supplies
the necessary ammunition. Between
the two it is state aid for this line of
endeavor, state aid for the proper
baking of doughnuts, or perhaps some
line of domestic science that has ex-
listed since the time of Adam, but
which experts are confident is not
properly taught at home. And SO on
down the line it goes, .,.g.x
+z....-,....,se=e~-1 ssr>~~-~ --taaszz~>! e -
ss.''@"22E'- :. X =
But if it stopped at the baking OF
dOughnuts, the teaching of lacemaking
or the hundred and one things that
experts looking for a job succeed in
foisting on the legislature, one might
not kick. But it does not. Many dis
tricts, seeing this state aid poul
into their Golfers, have found in it g
way to cut down local support fol
their home schools and they are now
pushing the thing for all it is worth
Let the population centers pay the
bill, is the cry; but, gentlemen, the
population centers may rebel some
day and then look out. This comins
year the people will vote on al
amendment to the constitution pro
viding for the initiative and referen
dunn and unless | miss my guess thert
will be trouble if the amendmen
passes and the voters in the popula
ton centers wise up to its curves l
is a tWo-edged sword and Governo
Eberhart had it in mind when he ad
vised the lawmakers have care.
!. !. :.
The old saw about penny wise an
pound foolish" has examplifcation i
the heavy cattle shipments to Sout
St. Paul and other packing points A
a result of the deluge which packer
Say is because of the desire of tn
cattle owners to get away from tn
assessor, who started on his round
May 1, the price of cattle has bee
forced down many points. Had tn
cattle been in the farmers pens o
May 1 thew would have been 2
sessed as personal belongings. E.
cause of the heavy shipments it wi
take weeks for the market to recovt
and in the meantime not only will til
farmer be out of pocket but likewis
the. state.
We are sure funny lot of nut
Now the interested are finding OF
what the late legislature put ov
them in the way Of laws and the hoy
that has gone up in some quartz
because of this and that infliction
something frightful. And yet fl
three months this same bunch of