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simply increases with growth in population to the State to justify enlarged university expendit、 educational progress generally, and for that rea abreast with general competition, is neither burdenso able. In some States the tax has been largely increas even doubled, without any manifest disapprobation; product of but minims from the mass of the people as an a it is a great source of university revenue resulting from a assessment seemingly too insignificant to ruffle the composure of the most recalcitrant taxpayer, one-tenth of a mill on the dollar, for instance, being but 1 cent out of the $100. In a number of States, unless changed by recent legislation, the university tax is as follows: In California, where it was formerly one-tenth of a mill, it has been raised to onefifth of a mill on the dollar, or 2 cents on the $100 valuation. The tax in Colorado is three-fifths of a mill, divided one-tifth for the university, one-fifth for school of mines, and one-fifth for agricultural college. In Michigan, as stated, it was raised from one-twentieth to one-sixth of a mill. In Nebraska it is three-eighths; in Ohio, one-tenth; in Oregon, one-tenth; in Indiana, one-fourth, and in Wisconin, unless recently changed, one-eighth of a mill, while singularly enough not a Southern State has been sufficiently progressive, not to say so well advised, as to make such provision for university education. Kentucky has a tax of one-twentieth of a mill on the dollar for her Agricultural and Mechanical College, but nothing for her university.

California was not admitted as a State till four years after Texas was, and, despite her great mineral wealth, is only about equal with Texas in property values, while in 1880 her population was more than 700,000 less and in 1890 over 1,000,000 less than that of Texas. She was, besides, like Texas, isolated, far away from the denser populated, student-furnishing States, yet, unlike Texas, with the advantages of a university tax, she got her university into operation in 1869-fourteen years before the Texas University was opened, and now has about 2,500 students against about 1,000 likely to be enrolled this session in the Texas University. Even sparsely settled Colorado, which was not admitted into the Union till thirty years after the admission of Texas, but operating under the advantages of the tax system, opened her university six years before the University of Texas was opened.

Wisconsin, with nearly 300,000 less population than Texas in 1880 and over 500,000 less than Texas had in 1890, was not admitted into the Union for a year after Texas was admitted; yet with the advantages of the tax system she opened her university in 1849, only two years after she became a State, but thirty-four years before the University of Texas was put into operation, and for the session of 1895-96 had 1,150 male and 448 female students a total of 1,598 against 736 in the Texas University. Think of Texas delaying her university

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zation a third of a century longer than Wisconsin did. Yet, thus laggard has this great empire State of the South been in promoting university education. Are not the figures presented, even without regard to the comparative resources of the several institutions in teachers, buildings, and general equipment, enough to forcibly impress Texas legislators and stir them to more liberal and promptly effective action toward their State University? Certainly they show that every State should promptly and efficiently organize and liberally maintain such institutions.

MRS. HEARST'S GRAND UNIVERSITY ENTERPRISE.

In the light of the facts presented, it would seem that Texas statesmen should feel impelled, not only by a spirit of pride, but as a matter of policy, to more liberally and actively foster the university as an incentive to private benefaction. Let them reflect how Mrs. Phebe Hearst, for example, has been prompted by State liberality to the University of California to devote several million dollars of her princely fortune to endowing one of the greatest educational enterprises on record in behalf of that university. Her action in this direction, as the mainspring of the movement, is so grand as a matter of public interest, and her designs and efforts, prospectively so marvelous, are yet backed by such powerful resources as render them possible of execution and justify reproduction of her magnificent plans. As an illustration of the possibilities and growing tendencies of private munificence they may not be without effect in exciting the liberality of other philanthropists, and possibly in behalf of the University of Texas, for which reason, as well as for general inspiring effect in the interest of higher education, they are here reproduced.

Following is a copy of the printed prospectus of the "Phebe Hearst architectural plan of the University of California:"

The University of California has undertaken an enterprise which it is hoped to make one of the most notable in the history of architecture, and in this hope it asks, through the wise and loving kindness of Mrs. Phebe A. Hearst, the cooperation of the architects and artists of every land and clime in the preparation of a plan for an ideal home for education. The purpose is to secure a plan to which all the buildings that may be needed by the university in its future growth shall conform. All the buildings that have been constructed up to the present time are to be ignored, and the grounds are to be treated as a blank space, to be filled with a single beautiful and harmonious picture, as a painter fills in his canvas.

The University of California was founded under an act of the Congress of the United States passed in 1862. It received a large land grant and subsidies and still receives, in addition, a yearly income from the United States. The charter of the university was granted to it by the State of California in 1868, and a part of its income is derived from a tax of 2 cents on each $100 of the taxable wealth of the State, which income is of course constantly increasing in amount. It will thus be seen that the university has both a national and State character. Its present resources are valued at about $9,000,000, and in addition to the revenue derived from part of such

resources it has a yearly income of about $40,000 from the United States and of about $250,000 from the State tax. The university has trebled its number of students in six years. It had 777 in 1891; it has 2,300 now, and it will probably have 5,000 after ten years, which is the number of students for whom the architectural plan should be calculated.

The site of the University of California, at Berkeley, comprises 245 acres of land, rising at first in a gentle and then in a bolder slope from a height of about 200 feet above the sea level to one of over 900 feet. It thus covers a range of more than 700 feet in altitude, while back of it the chain of hills continue to rise 1,000 feet higher. It has a superb outlook over the bay and city of San Francisco, over the neighboring plains and mountains, and the ocean. It is the desire of those who have charge of this enterprise to treat the grounds and buildings together, landscape gardening and architecture forming one composition, which will never need to be structurally changed in all the future history of the university. It is thought that the advantages of the site, whose bold slope will enable the entire mass of buildings to be taken in at a single coup d'œil, will permit the production of an effort unique in the world, and that the architect that can seize the opportunity it offers will immortalize himself.

It is seldom in any age that an artist has had a chance to express his thought so freely, on so large a scale, and with such entire exemption from the influence of discordant surroundings. Here there will be at least twenty-eight buildings, all mutually related, at the same time entirely cut off from anything that could mar the effect of the picture. In fact, it is a city that is to be created-a city of learning-in which there is to be no sordid or inharmonious feature. There are to be no definite limitations of cost, materials, or style. All is to be left to the unfettered discretion of the designer. He is asked to record his conception of an ideal home for a university, assuming time and resources to be unlimited. He is to plan for centuries to come. There will doubtless be developments of science in the future that will impose new duties on the university and require alterations in the detailed arrangements of its buildings, but it is believed to be possible to secure a plan so in harmony with the universal principles of architectural art that there will be no more necessity of remodeling its broad outlines a thousand years hence than there would be of remodeling the Parthenon had it come down to us complete and uninjured.

In the great works of antiquity the designer came first, and it was the business of the financier to find the money to carry out his plans. In the new building scheme of the University of California it is the intention to restore the artist and the art idea to their old preeminence. The architect will simply design; others must provide the cash. Mrs. Phebe A. Hearst, widow of the late United States Senator George Hearst, and a lady well known for her philanthropy and public spirit and her interest in and taste for all things artistic, has provided ample funds for securing the architectural plan. For this purpose she has appointed a board of trustees, consisting of the governor of the State, James H. Budd, representing the State; one of the regents of the university, J. B. Reinstein, representing the board of regents, and one of the professors of the university, William Carey Jones, representing the university. While the method of obtaining the architectural plan has not been decided on in detail, it is thought that it will be done by an international concours, open to all the architects of the world, with an international jury of five members, who will have full charge of the concours and of the award of all the prizes. This concours, while partaking in some degree of the nature of the usual competition, will possess all the main features of an actual co-operation of the best architectural and artistic talent available for the purpose. As will be seen from the programme, it has been prepared with that idea as a controlling one. There will be two competitions, and ample prizes will be provided. Maps, casts, and photographs of the ground will be placed at various accessible points in Europe and America for the convenience of

architects desiring to enter the concours; and the programme thereof prepared by Professor Guadet, of the School of Fine Arts of France, is now under consideration by the trustees, and it is hoped to distribute the same within the next sixty days. Copies of this programme, when issued, may be obtained by architects from the various architectural societies in America and Europe or upon application to the board of trustees at their office, 217 Sansome street, San Francisco, Cal.

The University of California is destined in no long time to be one of the great seats of learning of the world, and the architect who plans for it a home worthy of its future, and of what a famous authority has called "the most beautiful site on earth for the purposes of a university," will make his name imperishable.

Dated San Francisco, Cal., August 31, 1897, and signed by the trustees named.

The programme for so elaborate an enterprise, embracing some forty pages of printed matter for information of architects, seems commensurate in detail with the grand design, and is naturally interesting in connection with such a scheme. It has Mrs. Hearst's guaranty for the performance of all of its conditions and covenants. It recites that she has deposited securities of the value of $50,000 for securing plans. The jury of award will retain at least 10, possibly more, of the plans. The authors will receive a premium of $1,500 each if only 10 plans are retained, not less than $1,200 each if not exceeding 15 plans are retained, and not less than $1,000 each if more than 15 plans are retained. Competitors successful in the preliminary competition wishing to study the site of the proposed buildings on the ground will receive first-class transportation and expenses for the journey from their places of residence to San Francisco and return. A total sum of $20,000 will be devoted to premiums for the best plans. At least $8,000 of this sum will be awarded to the plan classed as No. 1. At least 5 of the plans will be awarded a premium. Each department of instruction will have, as nearly as may be, its own buildings. The plan is to include provision for the residence of the students. Important divisions for the common use and service are to be provided. Provision for free access and easy communication, both open and covered, within the university limits, is an essential part of the programme.

Who, it may be asked in connection with such enterprises, will be ambitious enough, in like or less degree, to cast his or her shadow far down the ages for the University of Texas as Mrs. Hearst proposes doing for the University of California? To one of her means the project is no Aladdin dream, and at the same time is a brilliant example of the public benefits which may result from individual accumulations of vast fortunes when devoted to such benefactions.

INACTION AS TO A UNIVERSITY TAX.

The constitution of 1876, which is the present organic law of the State, provides that "taxes may be levied and burdens imposed upon