The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1920-04-01
FACTS SHOW NEED
OF MILLAGE BILL
(By Mark E. Moe)

/ the outcome of the millage tax bill tc
/ be voted on May Il. Do you know the
facts Of the higher educational crisis
in Oregon? Do you want the ratings
/ of these institutions lowered or raised!
When the present millage tax was
proposed, seven years ago, 1t was sufti'
cient to meet the needs Of the institu
tions at that time. Since 1913 the mill
age support for higher education in
| Oregon has grown only 3.8 per cent.
! The university's enrolment in the
same seven years has increased l52 pei
/ cent. In 1913 there were 69l students,
now there are 1745. The agricultural
| colleges enrolment has increased l4e
per cent. In 1913 there were 1864
students, now there are 1878.
| If the cost of living had declined
during the seven years the three
schools might have had a chance tC
maintain their standard of work. Ey'
eryone knows what the cost Of living
has done since the millage bill was
| first passed. II has risen at least x
per cent. A dollar today has the buy
! ing power Of As cents in 1913.
| The cost of maintenance Of the three
schools has doubled since 1913. The
salaries Of professors of these institu'
tions has increased less than 20 pei
cent. For this reason the schools are
| finding it difficult to keep their good
men. Poor salaries forced many OF
| the faculty members TO resign during
| the past year, 109 having turned in
their designations at the agricultural
college alone.
Classrooms were too few, and labora-
tory space was insufficient even sever
years ago when the agricultural college
and the university had only 2055 stu
dents. Now that they have more than
800 students room conditions are hope
less. They are "educationally impos-
sible.
The university needs buildings for
the general sciences, for commerce and
economics, for household arts, for
journalism, for the school Of education
and for. library study. 1t needs also
dormitories and student hospital and
infrmary, for housing conditions are
extremely bad, as almost any student
can testify.
The agricultural college needs build
inps for engineering classes and engin-
eering laboratories for physics and
other branches Of general science, for
commerce, for pharmacy, for several
phases Of agriculture and for dormi-
tories. 1t needs these at once, and
over a term of years, as the enrolment
grows, will need others.
Since the present millage support
was passed, classroom and laboratory
room has been increased about 10 per
cent. whereas the number Of students
has increased $50 per cent.
The proposed new millage support
would permit building program for
both institutions, as well as more ade-
quate maintenance.
The average cost per student per
year in typical higher educational in
stitutions before the war was 1925. In
1920 the cost per student at the Uni
versity Of Oregon is only S203, at the
Oregon Agricultural College, $3.50.
Even with the new millage support
OregOn's higher institutions would be
comparatively low in annual student
cost.
Taxes are higher-b but the tax valu.
uation does not exceed 80 per cent of
the value of property in Oregon. If
this measure carries ii means that for
every $1,000 assement only $l.26 will be
paid.
The Joint ways and means committee
Of the last legislature, after consider
ing carefully the crisis at the three in
stitutions, recommended to the legisla-
ture a levy of 2 mills for the agricul-
tural college and the university, and
six -hundredths of a mill for the
normal school.
The legislature was prevented by the
6 per cent tax limitation from voting
the appropriation itself, so it referred
the bill to the people.
The attorney general gave the bill
the title Of Higher Educational Tax
Act and under that name it will APP
pear on the ballot at the primaries
May n.
Because the levy Of 1.26 mills could
not become effective until 1921, and
becuse nearly two years would pass be-
fore the institutions could meet their
critical building and maintenance prob
lem, the bill carries an appropriation
to meet the emergency now. The
amount is the same as the amount the
levy viii raise i'm the first year Of its
life.
This new millage support isl to be
used as follows.
On a building program that will be
a permanent educational asset to Ore
gon.
TO meet the increased cost of opera
ton brought about by the worldwide
advance in prices, and 10y the vast
growth Of the student bodies.
To avert the designations Of the best
faculty specialists.
TO maintain and improve the quality
Of training.
To buy equipment, scientific appar-
atus and instruments, and to build up
the Libraries and state museums.
To develop and promote research,
since it is the duty of every state TO
make its share of the annual contribu-
tions to the sum of human knowledge,
and Co the application of new ideas and
methods of agriculture and industry.
To purchase additional land for build
ing expansion and for agricultural eX-
pertinent work.
To improve and extend the extension
service of the three schools TO the
state at large.
A MERCILESS JUDGE