The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-22
DON'T CRIPPLE THEM.
Spare the Schools and the State
University of Kansas
Whatever is Done on the Plea
of Economy
By This Legislature-T Senate Has
Passed a Bill Reducing Salaries
of Professors in Such Way
That They May Have to
Leave.

POpuIfSt legislature is cutting down the
salaries and other appropriations for
the state educational institutions is re-
ceiving the just condemnation of the
people of Kansas. The unnecessary and
| parsimonious reductions in salaries of
| professors and teachers at these 1nstl-
tutions stands as a monument to the
| stupidity of certain legislators VINO
seem incapable of recognizing the value
of a weIl-equipped university, and en-
gage in a persistent effort to destroy
it.
There are states in which universe
ties and colleges have advanced farther
on certain lines than has Kansas, but
nowhere can there be found universe
| ty under the direction of a state govern
ment which is as productive of good re-
suits as the one in Kansas.
| It's departments are under the direc-
ton of professors who are recognized at
home and abroad, as among the most
learned and capable men of the times.
Its graduates are occupying positions OF
trust and honor throughout the west.
! Its progress has been uninterrupted
| Having attained position second to
none in its general character the uni
versity of Kansas stands today the OBJ
ject of an illadVised and injudiciOus at
tack under the f1imSy disguise of econ
Orny Does the POpuliSt party believe
in striking down the educational system
OF Kansas? Do the leaders desire that
their children and future generations
shall be compelled to abide in ignor-
ance, or do they contemplate securing
their educatiOnS in other states where
the people are at least alive to the neces-
sity of perpetuatfng the strongest force
of civilization? If this be true then it
is easy for the people to understand
why narrow minded men assail the men
and women who as educators labor in
cessantly to build up the state
If the Populist majority in the legis-
Iature seeks self destruction, then by
all means pass these vicious bills. If it
desires the respect and confidence of the
people of a great state then let them
show themselves worthy of it by ceas-
ing this dangerous practice of attemp-
ting to weaken the educational insti-
buttons.
Where is there any existing evidence
| of the curtaiiing the expenses of useless
boards? Where. indeed, has the legis-
lature attempted to abolish any of the
numerous boards or officers by which
the state could save enough to give the
| state university what it's needs demand?
In letter to the public G. c. Clemens
of this city presents some of the rea-
sons why the Populist authorization
members should call a halt He says:
when the cry shall be heard that we
have driven ability and learning from
the state, and that accusation can not
be denied, can but blush for my party
and hang my head in silent shame
, Ina CINE the next campaign! When it
shall be proved that we drove from our
university Prof. Blake, a man of emf
hence in the scientific world, in order to
save from his salary few hundred dol
lars to squander on some folly. What
will the people say to us? Prof. Dyche,
| known all over the world as an arctic
explorer and a naturalist-gOne because
of our insulting parsimony- What viii
Kansas say? Pointing to the session
| laws of 1898 where the state in token
| of it's gratitude to Chancellor Snow, vo-
ted him the of the Chancellor's res
idence for life: pointing to the fact that
a fortune of $95, 900, which might have
been Prof. Shows, was given by his
uncle to the university and the nephew
left without a dollar because the dead
| SpOOner had trusted the state of Kan
saS to be generous to his nephew; point
ing to the cold arithmetical fact that
the chancellOr's salary of $4,000, was
less than six per cent interest on his
patrimony given to the state; and that
| having been induced by the gratitude
| act of 1893 to settle down al the uni
Versity for what years may remain to
| him the state legisla ture knew it had
Chancellor Snow at its mercy and in
four short years voted to recall its graf
| itude and betray the confidence of the
dead Spooner, whose beQueSt it retains;
when pointing to all these harsh things
our enemies can also point to cheap
| academy where, until our party wreck
ed it. stood a noble university-what
shall we say to our angry people?
mo malicious or narrow minded poll
| CIV ever vet emanated from the great
common people, and those who pursue
such policies do not represent the gen
erous manner. The people of Kansas
have never demanded illiberality tow
! ard the institutions of the state and
they will never endorse the conduct of
men who, in the name of the people,
|
I tional institutions of the state.
THE committee which sprung this
bill upon the senate and rushed it mad
ly through evaded every effort of the
friends Of the states institutions to be
heard and to give information. my
self sought an opportunity to present
facts concerning the university and was
put off with mere trifiing jests. Rail-
road and book trust representatives
have been given full and courteous
| hearings. But the people have been de-
| yio CT hr9 166d a 6
| lobbyists because they dared try 70
save the educational institutions, and
thereby save their party, too. Let the
Populists of the state who know US both
| Judge between the men, Senator Jump
er, who applied this epithet, and my
self, to whom, in my absence, it was
applied
These words of truth will find a en-
pansive chord in the hearts of all the
people Of Kansas.
The pending fee and salary bill, pass
ed by the senate, makes a total reduc-
ton of $4,000 per year, in the salaries
of state officers and professors connect
ed with the educational institutions. OF
this amount the university is compelled
to stand $4,000, almost half the entire
| amount.
A comparison of salaries now paid by
Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota,
Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana,
| Ohio, Idaho, Colorado, California, Ten
nessee, and Washington, shows that the
pay in the Kansas university teaching
! force is far below the average.
Inc president or chancellor of the
Kansas university receives a salary
which is $500 per year less than the av-
erage salary paid to the same officer in
| the fifteen states named. He receives
80, 600. A Kansas university professor
receives an average of $500 per year
less; the salaries of associate professors
is $155 less: assistant professors salaries
average $342 per year less than the av-
erage in the fifteen states. Colorado
and Tennessee whose universities are
far inferior to the Kansas university
pay $4,000 and $4,000 respectively. Wash
ington, Indiana and Iowa pay the chan
cellor $4,000. Ohio pays $4,000, Califor-
mia $4,000, Illinois $1,000, Missouri 81 600,
| while little lonesome Idaho pays 81. coo.