The advocate., 1897-09-01


work of their several departments. AS
documentary evidence in our possess
sion shows, we have endeavOred, re-
gardless Of politics, to secure for the
vacant places men and women Of the
most thorough equipment. We have
elected men to important positions
without inquiring or learning their po-
liLical preferences, and we have elected
to the chair of economic science pro-
fessor whose views on certain economic
questions we know to be widely differ
ent from our own. Our sole object, we
assert, in effecting the recent reOrgan-
izatiOn is to raise the standard, in
crease the efficiency, and enlarge the
usefulness of the institution committed
to our charge.
AS to the purposes Of the board, 1t is
our intention (D to increase the guam
tity and quality Of the agricultural in
structiOn in the course; (2) greatly to
strengthen the mathematical depart
ment by increasing the quantity and
improving the quality of Its work; (9
to increase the amount Of economic
and sociological work in the required
course, and to ascertain, IL possible, by
scientific investigation, the causes OF
Industrial depression and the path to
truer individual and general prosper
ity; (D to facilitate the opportunities
for the instruction and training Of
women in the lines Of domestic eco
nOmics, by constructing and equipping
the much needed and COmmOdiOus
building allowed the college by the last
Legislature, and placing at its head
an authority of international reputa-
tion on questions Of domestic eco
nomics; (5) to reOrganize the force Of
the experiment station, placing in its
charge men who will make this branch
of the institution more genuinely help
full to the agricultural classes; (6) TO
encourage the Development Of indivtdu-
ality, and the capacity and opportunity
for students to specialize more closely
in agricultural and mechanical lines;
(O to systematic the postgraduate
course, and to substitute regular in
struction with laboratory and library
work, for work largely desultory and
undirected, and thus to make the mas
ter's degree more truly representative
Of the work for which 1t Is supposed
to stand; and (8) to raise the institu-
tion above the level Of partisan politics
by insuring to competent men the Op-
portunity to teach in this college, re-
gardless Of the ticket they vote.
1t remains for this board to state Its
attitude toward the question Of the
freedom of science and teaching. We
hold the principle Of freedom Of science
equal in rank and Importance with the
principles Of freedom of thought, Of
speech, of the press, and of the ballot.
We note with deep concern the menace
to this and other forms Of true free
dom through the steady aggrandize-
ment Of power in the hands of organ
ized wealth. Wefind alleged economists
in cases prostituting their science to
the service Of their masters, while men
of unquestioned attainments who re-
fuse thus to distort and conceal impOr-
tant truth, and to sell their manhood
for bread, are tried for economic heresy
or dismissed on spurious preteXts, and
practically blaCklisted; subservient
press concealing ,condOning Orapplaud-
ing the act. The history Of Kansas,
from the days Of John Brown until the
present, demands that this State shall
continue the home of freedom; and this
board are resolved that in one college,
at least, competent men shall be at lib
erty to investigate, to teach, and to
publish, even on economic and social
lines, as freely as do their co-labOrers
in other fields Of scientific research.