Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-01-03
STATE UNIVERSITY APPROPRIATIONS.

STATE UNIVERSITY APPROPRIATIONS
Considerable is said in the Iowa pa.
pers, especially those which are pub
lished in the eastern part of the state,
regarding the duty which the coming
legislature owes to the State Univer-
sity. In former legislatures, the subject
of State University appropriations has
not been given the attention which it
deserves. The Agricultural College at
Amcs, the State Normal Schools and
other state institutions have been
looked after and furnished with suff1-
cient money to effect their proper and
convenient operation, but the State
University has been dispensed with
just small and inexcusably inefficient
appropriation.
The question of the support of the
University was made an issue between
the respective candidates in several of
the counties in the vicinity of Iowa
City, where that institution is located.
But this is immaterial, only so far as it
shows that some members Of the AS
sembly 60 to Des MOines bearing
promises that they will work incessant-
ly for better support Of one of our
most important state institutions.
In what way, then. should such ade.
quate support be given? Before an
swering this, let us see wherein lies the
need. In the first place, there is not
sufficient room to conduct the work of
the institution. We have been told by
the students who are and have been i'm
attendance there from this vicinity and
also by one Of the Board of Regents
that recitations are being held in small
and undesirable rooms, as for instance,
in small rooms fitted out above the
boiler and coal house. That classes are
necessarily being divided into several
divisions because there are not ade-
quate recitation rooms. In the medi-
cal department the same complaint is
entered and the medical hospital is not
a fit place for patients, having the APP
pearance of well-regulated livery
barn rother than hospital. We also
learn that the same condition of things
exists in the law department only not
to quite the extent perhaps, and that
there is not sufficient seating capacity
and rooms for the law library students
in that department, being therefore
compelled to forgo many Of the priv
lieges which they should enjoy.
So it would seem that the first md
most Important thing to be done is to
make appropriations for the purpose of
furnishing better accommodations for
students. There is scarcely u reason
why the medical department should
not become one of the leading ones OF
the West. 1t is presided over by mell
whose professional skill is hardly sur
passed in any of the medical schools.
There are men in the collegiate depart.
ment who have been offered better po-
sitiOns in Eastern schools, but in order
to maintain the name Of our Univer-
sity remained in Iowa. The law de-
partment stands high and at the head
Of it is Chancellor Enllin McLain,
whose reputation is national one and
has not superior as teacher Of law.
The honeopathical and Pharmaceuti-
cal departments may also be advanced
If the proper steps are taken.
There is need Of more money to op-
crate the University. The system
adopted in other states is that Of per-
nanent tax, and this Of all ways.
seems to he the most desirable. Our
State University should not only be all
institution which cannot be equallcd
by neighboring states, but should be
the peer of them all and the pride of
the West. Iowa and her people are
worthy of nothing less. We should be
lble to- point to the State University Il.
the Harvard Of the West, the Yale OF
the Mississippi Valley. Herein lies the
duty Of the legislature.
SOME people are still using stoves as
storage room, but the Georgia man
who packed a lot of cartridges in
stove won't do it any more; at least not
in the same stove. His wife will have
to get along the rest of her life with
me eye; she built fire in the stove.
THE people of the United State,
love peace, but that doesn't indicate
that they will stand any bullying from
England or any other country.
If the Mississippi legislature knows
how to appreciate good joke it will
send "private'tJohn Allen to the Sen
ate, where funny" man isvery much
needed.
THE Italian Prime Minister must bc
lover Of jokes, if 1t be true that he
has offered to mediate between Great
Britain and the United States.
SENATOR BRICE is disposed to he sar-
castle Mt MIR, Cleynland's exDense. He