Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1888-03-22
MINNESOTA FARMERS KICK.
THEY CLAIM TO HAVE BEEN ROBBED
OF 100000.

turaI College Said to Have Been Di-
1.-The Alliance Demands That an Agri-
cultural Institute be Established for
Their Benefit as Intended.
ST.. PAUL, March 21.-In a long letter
the State Farmers alliance calls the at
tention of the agriculturists and me-
chanics Of the state to the fact that they
have been defrauded out of about $500, 900
given to them by the United States for
the purpose of establishing and main
tanning an agricultural college.
The charges made are about as fol-
lows: There was granted to the state Of
Minnesota by act of congress approved
July 2, 1872, 10000 acres of land to
establish a college for the benefit of
agriculture and the mechanic arts A
portion of this land has been sold and a
portion of the proceeds applied to the
purchase of an experimental farm be-
tween the twin cities. The funds thus
arising, computing the present value of
lands held would reach rully $4,000
cultural college department" was
added to the state university and the
funds absorbed by that institution. OF
this the Farmers Alliance says: That
this department of agriculture was only
intended as a stool-pigeon to enable the
regents of the university, under SEM
blance of law, to draw the proceeds of
the appropriation, intended by congress
to build up grand educational institu
ton for the benefit of the agricul-
turists and merchants of the
state, cannot be doubted when we re-
view what has been accomplished by this
so-called agricultural department.. This
department was created in 1868, and has
consequently been running twenty years.
Up to three years ago not one farmer in
100 knew that there was an experimental
farm. Nothing has been accomplished
and no effort has been made to secure
students. In 1886 committee of the al
lance investigated the experimental
farm and found it in most slovenly
condition. Prof Porter testified to
this committee that but three stu
dents had attended during five years,
and that but two had been graduated
since it was established. The committee
drafted resolutions calling upon the leg
islature to establish a separate agricult-
ural college, which resolutions were in
dorsed by the alliance. In the past two
years nothing further has been accom-
plished by the department. Two
more have been graduated and
The alliance formulates its demands as
follows:
We want an institution second to none,
where farmers sons of the highest in
telligence will be proud to 90 and be-
come educated. An institution that is to
the agriculturalists of our state what
West Point is to the army and navy.
An institution where the hand, the eye
and the brain can be educated in har-
mony. An institution in which
the ;tudent will be taught
certain number of hours each
day, no matter what other studies hs
may have, the feeding and care of ami.
mails. the growth and development OK
plants and fruits, the chemistry Of soils
and whatever else may pertain to the
profession of agriculture. We want agri-
culture made beautiful and attractive to
our boys. That is what we
want, and that is what congress
intended by its appropriation
we should have. Twenty-three states
received appropriations of lands from
congress under the act of 1862, the same
that gave us ours. Sixteen of those
states, including our own, attempted to
make an agricultural annex to their
universities, and in every instance
they have proved failure. While
of the seven that have established
separate colleges, four have proved to
be very successful. The Michigan Agri-
cultural college average from 300 to 400
students, and reports so per cent. of her
graduates engaged in agricultural pur-
suits. Mississippi has full as many, and
in some instances have turned away ap-
plicants for want of room to accommo-
date them. Kansas also averages from
300 to 400 students, ard Iowa from 200
to 800.
Nearly so per cent. Of the children of
this state belong to agricultural classes
and the alliance demands for them the
opportunity for such an education. They
ask all the agriculturists and mechanics
in this state to make this matter of separ.
ating the two institutions an issue of the
coming campaign.
Natural Gas in FaribauIt County.
EAsToN, Mimi, March 21.-Parties en-
gagged in putting down an artesian we'll
on the farm of Allen Cory, two miles
north of this village, at the depth Of 125
feet struck natural gas A tWO-inch nine