The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1921-12-05

plo. They resented the plan that
school lcvies between 10 and 10 mills
be submitted 10 an intcrnu
diate checking authority. "a was
BY ths Taxpayers association
On tho ground that school money
be az carefully guarded and
ms economically spent as any other
public moncys. and hat waste ms
extravagance IN their disposal Is fully
reprehensiblo AS IN any other Inns
OF public expenditures. We 0dNo
Gated he amendment because We be
lieNcd material SAVINGS IN school ex-
penditares could. by the method pro-
posed, be effected without IN any way
interfering with school efficiency. \
believe that a good many people have
since the recent c,eruon come 10 the
conclusion hat these views were cor
rect and that the amendment which
urged would have had a whole
some and beneficial effect
'@ghis whole matter Of school coAie
Ia one which merits the most CAREFUL
public scrunity FOR there Is no branch
Of governmental activity that so close
~ touches the average citizen as cdu-
cation. There ~ no public charge
generally 30 gladly accepted as tht
tax for schools. nut when the taN
burden IL so overwhelming. as at pres
VIA Wv - ANHNNNNNAAH
niand that be know how Wisely these
school funds are being used. lie be
gins TO ASK what. In faots our pro
Gram uf public instruction actually ~
He finds that there cxisgs much con
fusion In the public mind as bttwecr
thecrystaiizad opinion ofthe peoplo and
the aspirations OF the individuals ant
groupH who are devoted 70 the ceua'
or education. Ho finds that much oI
the data which enter into eNistini
conclusions as 20 educational coos ar'
not reliable. And " he goes deepel
rs Will find many eases OF high cos
In both personal and material item
for purely adventurous activitteI
which represents the caprice OF indy
iduais rather than the consistent par
Of an ORDERLY aud authorized program
liz viii demand what the Legitimate
cost OF fully dnd actually carrying on
OF q legitimate progsam premisinl
competent teachers and other Off
GERS should be. iic will inquire deep
~ Into the relation OF the uost o
school services and other pubic ser
vices, and try TO definitely conclud
whether Il iA economically possibl
20 aflord a continuance OF the presen
program.
~Furthermo.e. attempts are noN
heing seriously made to disttngul-
the value Of education at. differcn
levels. to the individual form its val
ue 80 society at large. The whoi
program Of free education is pred
Gated on the assumption that ~
social advantages OF education pre-
dominate over the individual advan
sages- Whether this " actually III
rase IN "A very pertinent inquiry, cspos
ially IN view OF the opinion racitly q
openly maintained That educntiona
costs should DO Judged tom a differ
ent angle from other governmer
costs.
Public For Guod llOads
80 with the matter u highway e,
pcnditures, which have for "a Ion
time been tho source Of more or le'
acrimonious discussion. Tho rooof
election demonstrated the fact TN
the public generally h. strongly tu'
r orailo 60 good roads. n did not moe
the election to demonstrate that fa'
which is universally admitted. m
I, question hs to how FAR we are lustifie
NE going IN Wow Of our economic cot
dluon In the building uf new roads u
mains unanswe cred. We all want a
l OF them that We can afford 20 pay Z,
and maintain. ! think a fundameutI
b error In uur conception OF this matt
and this We have all along matt
} tained-ia that We have become a.
. "" - 1HAA 20 "HHAA ANNRHNN o
nance from tho standpoint 81 Cnpit
costs rather than from that u carr
ing charges. We figure too much
the t.ems Of CONSTRUCTION. and 4,
littls from the standpoint Of maintel
nncc-nnd v highway BUDGETS al
generally too x as to how ~
roads built are to he maiutaino
Doubtless the higher the initial GO
T, thr less the ratio OF subsequent al
nual maintenance cost. hut even Oh.
formula is subject Go discussion. Il
expensive surfaced roads. huWrV
WHll built. soon require expensive o.
pairs while with graded roads neua
stating what amounts 90 uluiu
yeHrlA recDnsrructinn. tho unit cost
construction and m-1iuteuanrr mBy
much l,ss than with the top-uot,
highWuys Nuw that the whole rui
program for the state has been del
nlteN settled for 20 period Of veal
d. would DE well FOR an OF as tu sta
anew ON u careful uud frank iuuui
ns To- what the future ran rcnHunaJ
promise from this point of Wow. "
ar" entitled 10 definite ]iuforuiatil
/ us 60 the matter OF maintcuau
costs.
"Oistinct advances nave OF late be-.
made toward adjusting various impo
tant matters which have b,ou si
I Jcrts of general cuntrotrrny and
considerable comment on the part
the taNpaye y association,
Under e recent opinion Of the Il
torucy general The commissioner
public lands has turned Into tho fti
treasury about "a halt million uT do
I lars held for some timH by tn lai
department Most of this was mon
\ advanced on oil leases. The comml
D. sion sin holds ON deposit some 8IGl
o. ! 600 heretofore advanced un lenso 900