The San Francisco call., 1896-11-21
At TACK MADE
ON BERKELEY
Professors Rise in Defense
of the University of
California.
Agricultural College Declared
Useless by Southern CAL
ifornia Press.
Professor Hilgard Says That the
Accusations Are Lot of C:n.
scienceless FalSehoods

|
fessors at the State University, especially
those in the agricultural department, are
highly incensed at an editorial which ap-
peared in a recent issue of the Los An
geles Herald, and which they say has put
the university in false light before the
public.
The article referred to attempts TO estab-
lish the proposition that the university is
of no benefit to the people of Southern
| California, and further that the depart
ment of agriculture in particular is "a use
/ less institution and productive of harm
! rather than good.
Professor E. W. Hiigard, head of the
| department of agriculture, says the arti-
Gle is meant to lash the whole university
over the back OF the agricultural depart
ment.
THE whole thing" said he to-day, sis
| constituencies misre presen tation from be-
| ginning TO end. Falsehood after false
! hood is printed in it"
The editorial which has caused all this
stir and which has urged the faculty to
rise in defense of the university is in part
as follows:
all the institutions for higher learning in
Southern California. All our institu tions are
supported by private donations and by stu
dents dues, while the university receives the
public money and the pubic taxes from South
ern well as from Northern California. The
benefit to Southern California is little, II any
greater in the existence of the Berkeley and
San Francisco colleges than in those of Yale,
Harvard, Cornell, Princeton or any other
American college or university. We might
say, indeed, that Stanford, supported from do
nations, is of quite as much service 10 the
community as the Berkeley University, sup
! ported by taxes or State bonds. We say this
| with the greatest respect for the university in
] the north. What we call attention to is tn at
| this costly institution is too far away to be in
any true sense part of our life in Southern
! California. Southern California has colleges
| and universities of its own. These should re-
! ceive the support OF any public taxes in this
| section for such purposes.
The next Legislature will be asked TO appro-
pirate at least half a million for grand new
! buildings at Berkeley, and to Inappropriate
! 100000 for the new Affiliated Colleges at
San Francisco. This means, in al, nearly
81, 600, 600. Doubtless this will be merely a
preliminary appropriation, TO be followed by
| others, to complete ana then to carry on the
| proposed splendid buildings and establish
| ment.
The question has been asked our farmers,
| viticulturists and forestry men what they
have gained from this distant northern uni
versity's Agricultural College annex. This
college is the only one having direct dealings
with Southern California The answers are
] not in single case favorable 10 the utility of
| the college. Richard Gird says that they ad-
vised him that he could not grow sugar beets
at Chino. Think of what would have resulted
in the loss 10 the community had Mr.. Giro fol-
lowed such advice.
E. C. Bichowski of the great Sunny slope
| winery and estate says that the college intro
duced vines from infected districts in France
| and has th hus caused the destruction of millions
| of dollars Of property in the raisin market and
wine-grape vineyards. These gentlemen in
. Berkeley have quarrels from Santa Barbara to
4 San Diego and with men like Giro, Ellwood
Cooper Bichowski, etc.
The agricultural college is apparently worse
| than useless and does damage where it might
| do good. 1t has our forestry interests IN
! charge vet not word on forest fires has
escaped any OF its officers. Their whole inter-
est seems to be centered in keeping our citi-
zens in Southern California from any ad-
vantage in our forest station. In view of this
| condition we would suggest that before our
Legislative representatives from Southern
California consent to the large appropriations
| TO be asked for in the interest OF Berkeley
they secure local control for our local indus
trial scientific work.
In all probability we can obtain also our
| share of the large Federal appropriation
which now goes TO the Berkeley College OF
Agriculture. The fantastic agricultural col
| lege, with It's self-praise men, political lobby
lists, large salaries and one and half gradu-
ates, is noun ntain in labor that brings forth
a mouse. Southern California should be freed
from this remote college control and mistakes
local control in our scientific agricultural
work. This should be practical with local
men to whom farmers and fruit men can go
direct with their questions. Berkeley is too
lar OF TO be usefuI TO US. Our farmers insti-
tutes, agricultural, chemistry, entomology,
ana all our scientific work in agriculture,
should be done here, with local headquarters
preferably In central location. easy of access
10 ell OF southern California and easy equal y
for the scientific man to visit the point of in
terest; our soils, crops and climate are Pc
culiar TO this section and our taxes should go
/ not too lar up and TO hostile northern men,
but to our own scientists for our own work.
In reply Professor Hllgard says that he