Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-12-12
THURSDAY. DECEMBER ~, 1895.
THE MINERAL POINT TRIBUNE
VS..
THE STATE UNIVERSITY.
MINERAL POINT, Dee. z, l8.

Mineral Point Tribune directed against
the University of Wisconsin, an insti-
tuition of which every citizen Of
Badgerdom may well be proud, and TO
refute some Of the charges therein
contained. | assert, without fear Of
successful contradiction that the state
ments contained in The Tribune ar
ticle are either tho result of ignorance
or are purposed statements. !
would further say that 1t Ill becomes
an editor to throw any impeachment
however slight in the pathway Of
learning and education which go hand
in hand with civilization in its onward
march.
Speaking of the appropriations
made by the last legislature for the
benefit of the University, The Tribune
says: 1.-THE large advances in salaries
of professors and increased expenses
of this rich man school within the
past year suggest where the extra tax
Of $4,000 will Co."
AS to increased salaries will say
that during the past few years there
has been general rise In the salaries
of first class educators all over the
civilized world. The people are com
ing to appreciate their merit and are
willing to pay what the services they
receive are justly worth. No man
works harder in his preparatory
studies than one who fits himself for
the calling of an educator, and no pro-
fessional mans services are valued at
80 low a mark. II then the people Of
Wisconsin desire to educate their chill
dren In first class university they
must be willing to pay salaries that
will secure able and competent profess
sors. That they are willing to do 80
appears from the action of their repre-
sentatives In the winter Of '95. Or
the other increased expenses will say
for the benefit of The Tribune that
they were incurred to provide ade-
quate accommodations for the com
bined libraries Of the University and
the State Historical Society. The His
torical Society owns the most valuable
library west Of Philadelphia. The
rooms of the Historical Society in the
capitol are inadequate for the accom-
mediation OF this valuable collection
and tho appropriation was made to
provide a suitable building wherein
this library could be kept reasonably
safe from danger by fire and where II
would be more accessible to the pub
lie. l will say further that this library
Is visited by students and literary men
from all parts of the west and south
80 that no one can truthfully claim
that the people are taxed for the bene-
1T of particular locality. There is
no citizen who appreciates the value of
learning but will commend this act of
the legislature.
The Tribune charges the University
with being rich mans school, and
therein 1t pays it most valuable com
pliment. Only few years ago men
who had means, "the rich men," sent
their sons east to acquire an education,
but today the erich man" can give his
son rs good an education within the
borders of his own state as he can re-
ceive anywhere in this broad land,
The Tribune says it is not u 1T place
for poor young man to go for his ed
ucation. This | most emphatically
deny. There Is not young man of
any force Of character In Wisconsin
who cannot, If he will, go through the
University relying upon his own re-
pride or manliness. Men have gone
through the University on $3.50 n year
and they are doing 1t today of my own
personal knowledge. For $500 year
one can 90 through the institution and
not deny himself any Of the comforts
of life, and the average cost of all
students attending the University is
less than $3.50 per annum.
In addition to this, the young citizen
is receiving the benefits of an educa-
tional institution equal to any in the
country in its facilities for proper in
struction and the ability of its in
structors. The University has in these
latter years, by reason Of the liberal
and progressive policy of the citizens
or Wisconsin. advanced from u strug-