Brookings register. (Brookings, S.D.) 1890-1894, 1893-05-05

Mayor Collier, introducing the speak
er, said: Ladies' and gentlemen, we
have the honor OF having present
with us to-day Governor Sheldon and
Attorney General Crawford. Gov,
| Sheldon has kindly consented to give
the students and the people Of the
town IA talk. We are glad to see SO
many present. Gov. Sheldon will
now address you
The Governor was greeted with ap-
plause, and spoke as follows Mr.
Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen:
1t is not necessary for me to tell you
why we are called together here this
evening: but perhaps it is necessary
| for me TO- tell you that, so far as | am
concerned, it is IN some sense an un-
pleasant duty | am called upon to
perform. 1t is also proper for me to
say to you. at the outset, that if there
are any who labor under the impress
sion that it in my power, as the Gov
ernOr of this State, to set at rights
anything connected with this school
that is wrong they labor under a mis-
apprehension Of my duties and my
powers.
The law commands me, as the gov
crnOr, to appoint one Of the governing
boards, the Board of Regents, those
who have charge Of all of the cduca
ti0nal institutions of this state. 1t
also provides that they shall appoint
the Boards Of Trustees, those who are
the immediate governing Board in
each separate institution.
1t is not new to the people of this
state that there has been something of
turmoil in connection with this school,
for the last year, or perhaps for the
last term of years. At times it has
been more open: at other times il has
been subdued. | knew that this
state of things existed when | had
the honor of having been elected gov
crn0r of this state, and | knew that
would have very serious question
confronting me. One that would call
for the exercise of the brOadeSt intelli-
gencc was able to command. One
that elected my SympathieS, and my
hearty desires that something might
be done that should place this Agri
cultural College upon its feet in such
a way that it would subserve the pur-
poses for which it was created. That
would make the people of South Da-
kOta glad that it had been done. and
would give them full confidence that
in the future it would be one of the
grandest educational institutions in
| the whole, broad land. And felt this
because | knew something of the cir
cumstanceS surrounding il. | knew
| that it was possible, under proper con-
ditionS, for it to be one of the grandeSt
institutions that has ever been erected
in any of the states. A school that has
now $3f,0O0.OO per year. and that to be
Increased 81 10000 each year until it
reaches $40, 600 directly from the gov
crnmcnt: an endowment of 10000
acres Of land that cannot, under any
circumstances, be sold for less than
81 GOO, ,000.0 the interest upon which
at & per cent would endOw this school
with $96.00O.0O a year. added to the
SAC, 900 90 from the government, max
ing $l36. 10000, which could hardly be
we'll expended under any circumstance
cs until the enrolment of the school
would reach perhaps a couple of thou
sand. With magnificent buildings.
not only credit to the city of Brook
ingS. but a credit to the people of
this state, of which all might well be
proud.
| knew all these things. | knew
that the school was in disturbed con-
ditiOn, and | knew that something
would have to be done if it was pOSSi-
bic to set it to rights. Not long after
the legislature met, all that came to
be talked about, and, finally, it cul-
minated in the charges which were
brought upagainst President McLouth
and other members of the Faculty. |
want to talk to you about this because
in some things can talk by the book.
Now great deal has been published
in the newspapers touching not only
the actions of the Faculty and the
actions of the students, but the ac-
tiOnS of the people of the city of
BroOkingS. | believe great deal that
has been charged against the people
of BrOOklngS is untrue: and L say to
you most emphatically that | would
be extremely sorry if believe that a
very large per cent OF II was true.
(ApplauSe.)
But these things have been publish
ed none the less, and they have gone
out to the world. The matter has
been notorious, not in a small degree,
but in the mouths of the people over
the state. Many people wanted to
send their boys here. and they wanted
to send their girls here, but they said
we cannot do it because of this
trouble in the Agricultural College.
Finally, the charges were sent up, and
the case was brought on for trial.
Seven men were selected by the Senate
as their Committee of Investigation.
Now | do not suppose that | shall be
altogether connected in each state
ment | make of this matter, but |
want to take my own way and talk
about it just as plainly as | possibly
can, and make my own statements.
| will cndeaVnr 10 tell NOu not one