The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-03-19

tons for higher education in Utah.
viz, the University and the Agricul
tural college. 1t will be unwise TO at.
tempt to combine the institutions at
this time and by constitutional pro-
vision, for the following reasons:
"First-The constitutional provision
to that effect could not go into opera.
ton until the constitution had been
ratified by vote of the people in No.
vember. By that time both the Uni
versity and the Agricultural college
will have been in session for two
months Of the school years 1855. be-
ginning in September.
"Second-Each institution must con
tinue during the school year till June
1896, even if the constitution contains
provision to unite them.
''Third-It would be most unfortunate
to have either institution continue in
session whole year after
it's removal to another To-
cality had been decided upon. Such a
condition would arouse resentment
among the friends of the institution
to be removed. and might lead to
further complications
"Fourth-The legislature will meet
in Januray-a much better time to eff
feet the union, if that shall be decided
upon, as well as TO name the conditions
under which and the proceedings by
which the union is to be effected. The
institutions could then be united at
the close of the school year-three
months after the adjournment of the
legislature without unnecessary losses
and without breaking into the work of
either.
'Fifth-To indicate how injudicious
would be the attempt to unite the in
situations at this time by constitutional
provision, need mention only one
fact by way of Illustration; we are
now about to publish our announce
ments, as is usual at this season, for
the ensuing year. Professors are en-
gagged in the spring; and all the con.
tracts for the ensuing year would have
to be completed months before the
vote of the people could authorize the
union of the state institutions for
higher learning. The objections would
not apply. of course to a constitutional
provision that should permanently To-
cate the educational institutions where
they are now located, since such a
provision would simply permit each to
continue as heretofore.
''Sixth-The title to the present univer-
sity grounds is in Salt Lake city; the
title to the Agricultural college grounds
is in Logan city; the territory holds
only conditional fee: each of these
properties is worth about $250,000, and
each will revert to the city named in
case the present use of the premises is
abandoned or replaced by some other.
''Seventh-As a guarantee Of good
faith, therefore, on the part of Salt
Lake city, fee simple to the univer-
sity grounds should be given to the
territory and a guarantee, or bond, Of
$3.50, 900 given by the citizens of Salt
Lake to indemnify the territory against
the loss that would otherwise be occa-
stoned by the removal of the college
from Logan in the menner contem-
plated.
"Eighth-The cost of suitable build
ings for the accommodations of both
the University and the Agricultural
college on the Fort Douglas reservation
could scarcely be less than $25O,O0O.
Unless the precautions recommended
in section are taken; therefore the
territory may suffer total loss Of
some $750000 by the union of these in
situations in Salt Lake city, as pro-
posed by a Salt Lake member of the
convention.
.Ninth-The details of legislation
necessary to a proper consolidation Of
these institutions will in themselves
make a law of considerable length and
intricacy; since, owing to the fact that
the college is both national and
territorial institution, legal and equita-
BILE questions of great nicely are likely
to be involved.
"Tenth-To place in the constitution
a proposition to unite these institutions
and to fix the place Of location also.
will arouse great hostility in one sec
ton or the other, and may even en-
danger the ratification of the constitu-
ton itself.
In all this I do not express any
opinion as to the ACCESSIBILITY or the
desirability of either OF the courses of
action named above, but simply COM
mend the further course open to the
convention of taking no action in re-
lation to the matter. The length to
which this communication has already
grown, prevents me from stating TO
you at this time some further facts
of Importance on this question