Omaha daily bee., 1889-03-08
SOME STATE FARM HISTORY.
Additional Light Thrown on the
Billings Controversy.
TAeoART's SINKING FUND BILL.
Board OF Transportati on Matters Dis
cussed in the House-Dcath of
Representative Hays-Leg-
isIative Gossip.
The University MIDDLE.

The University MIDDLE.
LINCOLN, Neb., March T.-[Special to The
BEE. l-"There is a great deal OF TINS Bill
Jugs controversy and university middle that
is unwritten history says one in a position
TO know. "At the time it was proposed TO
engage Billings letters were received from
the east By Chancellor Manatt saying Bill
ings had been visionary, quarrelsome and
disturbing in the institutions with which he.
was connected. .Manatt consequently OPP
posed his appointment. Billings did not
wait to be called, but came on and camped
on the field of action. Regent Gere, OF the
State journal, and Manatt had been close
friends previously, but Billings gained the
ear of Gere, whose friendliness for Manatt
thenceforth gradually cooled and changed
into antagonism. There is no denying that
Billings is a thoroughly posted man IN ms
particular line and he Is exceedingly
plausible. can't say just what arguments
he used with Gere, but | see on the desks OF
the Legislators II Billings bulletin of nearly
five hundred pages that was printed al the
State journal Office.
"At a meeting of the regents of the state
university, held just a year ago, Prof. Bes-
sey and Treasurer Dales brought in an esti-
mate to appropriate Sl2,0 600 of the state uni
versity's monies for the agricultural expert
mental station. | believe $1,000 OF it was TO
apply on Billings salary (the other Sl,5OO TO
come from the government allowance OF
Sl5, 600 and the remainder was for the equip
ment and operation of the station. Mannatt
had given notice that he would oppose the
diversion of the states money to be squan-
dered on Billings and his hobby, and that
made the open breach between Mannatt and
Gerc which led to the chanceilor's dismissal.
In the meeting of the regents the estimate
was opposed by Regent Burnham, of Omaha,
and Regent Mallalieu, of Kearncy, and was
defeated. This quarrel led up to the dis
mlssal of Mannatt from the chanccllorship in
the July following
Regent Mallalieu is at the capital and was
ASKED about the statement that an attempt
was made to divert $4,000 from the univer-
sity fund to the experiment station.
II cannot recall the circumstances of that
meeting, without referring to the minutes.
but you can say that l strenuously opposed
all propositions to spend on the experimental
station any state money in addition to the
$1,000 allowed by the government"
'What about BillingsE"
81 think l have received more petitions
for his retention than for his removal. Bill
lings is educated, a scientist of ability, but
he is narrow, one.slded, controversial and
impracticable. l think he has demonstrated
the existence of a germ in hog cholora. AS to
the efficiency of incubation, l think the YER
dict must stand mot proven Billings him
self admits that he Is not qualified to carry
his theoi y toa conclusion and make it of prac-
teal benefit. He wants TO separate from the
cholera germ the poison which produces the
disease. That is q chemists work and Bill
lmgs is not chemist enough to do it. Billings
has long been u disturbing element in the
university. | think Mr.. Burnham and Mr..
Hull, like myself, feel that his term of use
fulness has expired. Mr.. Gere and Mr..
Roberts are Staunch supporters OF the pro-
fessor, and l presume that DR.. Davis is also, so
that the board of regents Is equally divided.
AS long ago as last March there was talk of
Diminishing Billings, but he was in the midst
of his experiments. If he had gone to an
other institution and been successful the
regents would have been called fools for
letting him go. But we did this: Instead of
engaging him for a year we employed him
from month to month. He Is now engaged
on that understanding-has no fixed term of
Office and may be dismissed at the end OF any
month. Just now he is experimenting with
smut and claims to have discovered its germ.
He may come forward with a proposition to
inoculate the hills of corn"
would the regents heed a resolution of
the legislature asking the dismissal of Bill
lings"
the part of the public that the regents would
resent any interference by the legislature as
unwarranted,' replied Mr.. Mallalieu, "but l
think the regents have been misrepresented.
While they are an independent body, elected
by the people and not subject to legislative
control, l think such a resolution would be
taken as advisory, be carefully considered
and have great weight in determining our
conclusion. OF course l do not speak for the
board. 1t is my individual impression"
"When do the regents meet next."
1--WE have a meeting called for next
will anything be done in the Billings
,patterW
~ do not know. am only one of the SIX
regents. But / will say this: Even if Prof.
Billings be dismissed, / am in favor of con-
tinuing the Investigation for a preventative
Or a cure of hog cholera. The salary of the
investigator is not to be considered If there
is any prospect OF making a discovery that
will rave Nebraska farmers millions of dol
lars. There are other able scientists who
can carry on the work as well as Prof. Bill
lings without his antagonisms and flights In
other lines"
What about the industrial college and
state farma"
II favored selling most Of the state farm
during the Lincoln boom," said MIR. MALTA
lieu, retaining only thirty or forty acres for
experimenting. That proposition was de-
feated, some of the gentlemen concerned
thinking the boom was permanent, / then
favored leasing the property, but that also
was defeated. think the model farm idea
should be dropped. 1t is expensive and i'm
practicable. The young fellows from the
farm don't come here to learn to plow. They
know more about practical farming than the
professors themselves. My idea is to enlarge
the scope OF the industrial school and model
IT after the manual training schools that have
proven SO successful in the east. If we could
have sold the farm during the boom we would
have had funds To establish such u school on q
strong footing. l am not sure but 1t may be
the wisest thing even now to convert the
farm into money, whatever it will bring, and
make o start in the right direction"
The Sinking Fund Bill.
LINCOLN, Neb., March 7.-lSpeciai to Tue
BEE, -Senator Taggert's sinking fund bill
is one of the most important measures of the
session, but has attracted little notice. Now,
p 40. - " D. 4,