Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-03-20

counted as 4 luxury? The cost OF
cigarettes In 1920 IS twice as much
as the salaries OF teachers in Gle
mcptary and high schools. nearly $i0,-
900, 900 more than the total cNpcndi-
lures for elementary and secondary
education. and almost the sam" as the
total cost of elementary and second
AIRY education. public and private. in
Guiding capital Investments in new
buildings and equipment, and the cost
OF the henting and lighting Of school
rooms and All other expenses for up
Keep.
cigars and cigarettes 100000. 900
more than the total cost Of all cduca-
ton in 1913. The total cost OF to-
bacco in all its form. in 1920 was Ave
times the total Of teachers salaries
in 1918. and almost exactly
he same as the total cost for cIc-
mcntary and secondary education for
the three years. 1916. 1917 anh 1918.
II in some moment OF hiEh en-
thusiasm ana patriotic devotion the
people who use tobacco had agreed
among themselves TO smoke two
cigarettes Instead OF three. two cigars
Instead of three. take two cha VS.
instead Of three. ana two dips instead
OF three. ana had paid 10 tn" support
for the year. the salaries OF teachers
in schools OF all grades. public and
private, could have been Increased by
more than 800 per cent. For tobacco
Than wc have paid for higher "duca-
ton sine" tn" founding Of Harvard
coilcg" in Massachusetts ana William
ana Mary in Virginia.
Lu.urirs Cost Much.
Luxurious service, whatever that
! may mean, for The single year cost
more than the total PAID for All pu3-
nc education for the Iour'ycars from
1915 u flylS, inclusive, and 40 per
| cent NOR. tndn higher education has
ever cost US.
So much Tor volunteer expenditures
| .or things ordinarily called iu&uri"S
and not absolutely necessary.
II is equally interesting to com
par. the expenditures Tor education
| with othcr governmental receipts ana
| expenditures. Receipts OF the Fed
| ,r..l government from customs and
Internal revenues for 1870 wcr" 10
73o.y7s.ll7. This is more than SIX
times the amount expended Tor cdn-
| cation IN l3lS. ana NOR. Than one
| third the estimated total expenditures
! for public education and AL higher
| education from the beginning OF our
times the total of salaries OF all
teachers IN all schools. public and
| private.
| government bc added IN. taxes col
| icctcd ~ states. counties and ;uu
! nicipalitics FOR other purposes than
education. the total wii! ia fully
| fifteen times az much the total SAL
aries Of teachers Of all public
elementary and secondary schools.
normal schools. colleges, univcTs !t!es
schools OF all Kinds. To double the
| Saiarics Of all these teachers would
| require the addition Of only one dol
| lar in fifteen 70 the total OF Federal.
For every hfteen dollars paid. Tn.
! average taxpayer would pay sixteen
| dollars, and after his receipts are put
| away he would not know the differ
. 90 H. ff,ss So. - g. =
| from public taxation the average tax
| payer would sim pay fourteen dol
| lars OF the fifteen he now pays. and
| would not remember the difference
| after tho tax receipts are put away.
The comparisons made above ar"
! for the country az whole. For
| Individual stalks the coinpa' tsons
are sometimes even more striking.
] Connecticut Pays S,S2.50u.aoO.
| In the nifty years from 1870 10 1920.
the state OF Connecticut paid for
education sls2. 500, 900 rhe amour,
paid in 1913 was s!0.6Gc. SG3. In 1920
The people pf Connecticut paid Into
tho Federal treasury In direct taxes
I much as they paid FOR public clc-
J mcntary and secondary education in
! 1918. and nearly GO per cent as much
| a. they paid for public elementary
and secondary educ alton !C t4-
years from 1870 to 1890.
| pcnnsylvania's direct Federal tax
| bill IN 1920 VAS 1851, COS :I2. aud It's
bill FOR elementary and high schools
In 1915 was sGy.j2O.24T The tax bill
, was eight times as much az the school
! bill. Pennsylvania bill for clcmcn-
| tary and secondary education for tn"
! n'ty years from 1870 10 1920 was ST.
twice the direct Fedora! tax hill for
| one year.
MaSsa chuset;s has long held the
| leadership In publ" education. but
e iii
, VAS more than ten times its school
hill for 1918. and more than twice