The Smoky Hill and Republican union. [volume] (Junction City, Kan.) 1861-1864, 1862-12-20
STATE UNIVERSITY.

STATE UNIVERSITY.
The location of the State University is one
of the questions which will probably be dispos-
ed of at the coming session of the Legislature,
hence its proper location is o question Of in,
terest to the people of the State. The State
Constitution requires that it shall be located
"at some central and eligible place." The
propriety of such q location is evident, if we
reflect moment on the fact that this institu.
ton is to be permanent one, and suited to best
subserve the convenience of the masses Of the
people of the State. 1t cannot be legally loca-
ted, and it should not be, on the border Of the
State. and the question presents itsilf, where is
the proper place for its ]oc alton? We answer,
that it should be located at point in the State
as near as may be in the centre of what must
ultimately be the most densely settled portion
of the State, regard being had to the means of
access to the point.
With this proposition before us, We pcoceed
to examine the fitness and claims of the differ
ent localities which now present themselves as
candidates.
And first of these is the city of Lawrence
While it may be true that at the present time,
and perhaps for o year or two to come, this
point will be the centre of the population of the
State, still, it cannot be but for a very short
time. Besides glance at the map if you run
q line north and south from the north east cor.
ner of the State, you will see that Lawrence is
Int of hot lint hot
distance from the great bcdy of the land of the
State. We consider that the University cannot
be legally located at this point, as it cannot be
said that it is a " CENTRAL F" position.
The second point is that Of Emporia This
place is more central than Lawrence, and one
day, not far distant, will be much nearer the
centre of population.
But Of all the points yet named as candidates
for the University, we regard our neighboring
town of Manhattan as the best located and
suited as the place for this institution. The
population of the State must, for the next fifty
years, be found in the three grand divisions of
the State. viz : in the Southeast, Northeast and
Northwest portions. Manhattan is very near
the centre of these divisions, and being on the
Kansas Branch of the Pacific Railroad, will be
at the door of Eastern, Northeastern and North.
western portion of the State; while the whole
Southeast portion of the State, so soon to be
united with this valley road by railroad facili.
tiles, will be but step distant from the Uni
versity.
The University should be located on the line
L -
almost valueless to the State. Manhattan is
not, perhaps, as near the geographical centre
of the State as Emporia, but the vast tract of
waste land in the Southwest portion of the
State, and the numerous Indian Reserves in the
Southeast portion, to net notice the fact that it
will be long time before it will be in railroad
connexion with even one section of the State,
causes us to decide for Manhattan.
But aside from being the point most accessi-
BILE, and central of population, it has some
offered most beautiful and elevated tract of
land, in the centre of grand ampitheatre of
the most beautiful scenery to be found in Kan
sss, in the centre of which, and on the highest
point is located most substantial and Well
constructed edifce, worth at least 10000.
This land and beautiful edidce, together with
a most valuable library of carefully selected
books, and quite an amount Of apparatus is
offered to the State, provided it win locate the
State University at that point.
Though Manhattan is to some extent rival
town, and some twenty miles distant, still We
feel it our duty 10 advocate her claims to the
State University.
There has been a disposition to ignore what
is called Western Kansas, and if Southern Kan |
sas has had some ground Of complaint, We
have had more; for the entire headwaters of
the Kansas Valley, covering far more than half
the State, has not, as yet, received at the
Legislature the smallest crumb.