Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-03-24
UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS.
Questions Raised by the Proposed
Donation.
Probability Of Settling the Board of
Regents Question.

Probability of Settling the Board of
Regents Question.
The DEMOCRAT yesterday alluded to a
project on the part of the members Of
the Mining Institute to present the Uni
versity of Deseret with its fine collection
of minerals, and also to Professor Clay
toms intention of disposing of his private
collection in like manner This scheme
cannot but meet the hearty approval and
commentator of every one interested in
educational progress, and, if carried out,
would result in inestimable benefit
to students in Territory, one
of the principal industries of which is
mining. But question has arisen in
the minds OF some of the members of
the Institute which is likely to prevent
the consummation OF this worthy project,
for the present, at least. A great doubt
seems to exist in the minds of many as
to the exact status of the University. 1t
is held that, while it may be the de facto
University of the Territory, it is not such
an institution de jure, and until it be-
comes so it is not advisable to turn over
this valuable collection into the hands OF
its regents.
1t is alleged that the University was
founded in pursuance of an act of
the provisional government of the
State of Deseret At the end of that
States" brief existence, the Territorial
Assembly endeavored to adopt the Uni
versity as Territorial institution, by re-
enacting the law under which it was
! founded, but failed to change that act to
make it conform to the requirements and
forms of Territorial government, and
the institution still remains, therefore,
in law, the University of the State of
Deseret "a commonwealth that has no
existence except on the pages of history.
Another point raised-and it is one
that seems to leave little room for argu-
ment-is that the board of regents of the
University is an illegal board, inasmuch
as its members were not appointed in the
manner prescribed by law. The organic
act, in plain terms vests the governor of
the Territory with the authority to appoint
these regents, with the advice and con-
sent of the Legislative Council. In pursu-
ance with this provision Governor, Murray,
during the last session OF the Legislature,
appointed board, composed of gentle
men who could not possibly be objection
able to the Council. J. R. Walker,
James Sharp, Feramorz Little and John
T. Game, we believe, were four of the
appointees, and the name of the other
cannot be recalled at present. The Coun-
Gil ignored these appointments, refusing
to acknowledge the right of the Governor
to make them, and proceeded to make
the appointments itself 1t was owing to
the fact that the regents were irregularly
appointed that Governor Murray vetoed
the $4,000 appropriation bill passed for
the purpose of completing the University.
1t is owing to this doubtful and unsat-
isfactory condition of affairs that the
Institute collection will not be placed
in the hands of the University at present,
although there is no doubt but that is
where it finally will and should 60 Pro-
lessor Clayton will leave for Idaho in a
few days, and the matter will be held in
allegiance for the present.
A prominent member OF the Peoples
Party was understood recently to say that
the next Territorial Assembly would not
contest the right of the governor to appoint
the board of regents. Should this be true,
there will be nothing to pre-
vent the University from being
placed on a level with similar
institutions, in all respects, as it is now
in many of its features. The Assembly
can grant appropriations to complete the
buildings and place the institution on
rank with any in the West. Something
which is of vital Importance to the Te RI
tory and which should not be overlooked
by the next Territorial Assembly, is the
creation of the Office of Territorial
Geologist, who shall be er o6icio professor
of geology and minerology in the Uni
versty.
The question as to who has the right to
appoint the University regents could be
settled in the courts within thirty days if
any of the Governors appointees felt dis
posed to take the matter up.
The University is by far the most
important institution of the Territory,
and its true status should be finally es-
tablished without unnecessary delay. If
the legislative and executive branches
cannot determine the question, let the
Judiciary pass on it.
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