Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-07-12
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The board began by removing live profes.
| sors Rnd superintendents. while the ,presl
| dent and two professors resigned. one res
| iGnation being independent of the reorgan-
| ization. At the first June meeting. three
| other professors whose cases had been lefi
| pending were removed. and with them two
| assistants. At the second June meeting
| another voluntary. resignation occurred
4 These places the board il filling with the
! best available talent in the world OF schol-
/ aTship.
As to the political aspect of the changes
| made: On the resignation of the president:
| y strong Republican, the board appointed
| IN his stead professor who has declared
| himself. 10 boards Republican. Democratic
! ana POpulist TO be an independent in poll
] faculty to whom positions were offered.
| twelve were understood TO be Republicans.
| These were retained because they were be
| heved TO be competent 20 perform the work
| of their several departments. As docu-
| mentary evidence in our possession shows,
| we have endeaVored. regardless OF politics.
| to secure for the vacant places men and
women Of the most thorough equipment.
We have elected men to important posi-
lions without inquiring or learning their pc
lttcal preferences. and We have elected TO
the chair Of economic science a professor
we know to be widely different from our
own. our sole object We assert. In effect
ing the recent reorganization Is TO raise
the standard. increase the efficiency and en-
la rye the usefulness of the institution COM
mitted TO our charge.
AS TO the purposes OF the board. II Is
our tnIEnllOn- III TO increase tlE QHantltN
and quality Of the agricultural instruction
in the course. 90 greatly 10 strengthen the
mathematical department by increasing
the quantity and improving the quality OF
its work. t3) to increase the amount of
economic and sociological work in the r.
quired course, and to ascertain, II posi-
Die, by scientific investigation. the
causes Of industrial depression and the path
TO truer individual and general prosperity;
20, 10 facilitate the opportunities for
the instruction and training of women
in the lines of domestic economics BY con-
structing and eQuipping the much needed
and commodious building allowed the col
lege by the last legislature. and placing
al It's. head an authority of international
reputation on questions Of domestic eco
nonlics: 90, to reorganize the force OF the
experiment station. placing In its charge
men who Will make this branch of the
institution more genuinely helpful to the
agricultural classes: 90 TO encourage the
development of individuality. and the ca
pGCity and opportunity for students 20
81 ecialiZe more closely in agricultural and
graduate course, and to substitute regular
instruction with laboratory and literary
work. for work largely desultory and un-
directed, and thus to make the masters
work for which it. is supposed to stand,
and (0. 10 raise the institution above the
competent men the opportunity to teach
in this college, regardless of the ticket
they vote
attitude toward the question OF the free
dom 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 freedom through the steady |
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of power In the hands of |
organized wealth. We find alleged econo- |
mists in cases prostituting their science
OF unquestioned attainments. who refuse /
thus to dfstort and conceal important |
truth, and to sell their manhood for bread. |
are tried for economic heresay. or dis
missed on spurious preteNts. and practi- |
cally blacklisted; a subservient press con- |
cealing. condOning or applauding the act. !
The history Of Kansas from the days Of !
JChn Brown until the present demands \
that this state shall continue the home of !
freedom, and that this board IS resolved |
that in the one college. at least, compe-
tent men shall be at liberty to investi- !
gate 10 teach, and to publish even on |
economic and social lines, as freely as do |
their Co-laborers in other fields of scien- /
tihc research
Professor FairchiId was seen last night
by a reporter for The Journal just as he |
was leaving on the Maple Leaf for Mime /
apolis. When asked what lie had to say in
reply to the allegations set forth in the !
circular issued bv the board of regents he.
said: In answer to their charge that |
took II upon myself to be the whole board
an auditing committee, will say that ii is
true that they depended upon me for in
formation on most subjects. but that they |
always ruled on every question. It is pre-
posterous to think that l ruled over forty
men. and that they had no voice on any
question. Their statement that 7 filed the
school with incompetent professors Is
equally absurd. The professors who have
been under me have been men who ranked I
high in the whole United States. 1t is
rue that some made their special prepara-
ion in that college and never attended
any other. but that should not be against |
hem in any way. The college ranked |
among the highest agricultural colleges In
he country, and il surely was well fitted |
% prepare men for any special line that |
hey might choose to teach as Rly other |
,ollege in the land. We looked over the
whole field In the United States to find a /
nan able to fill Professor Shelton's place
'even years ago. The present incumbent |
$ a strong man and has made mark in
he state. That he is a competent man IS !
.vinced by the fact that he was chosen !
and afterwards chairman of the !
ectiou OF agriculture and chemistry OF the
association of American Agricultural Col
eyes and Experiment Stations. The United
commission two years ago TO so to Den
mark. and was so well pleased with his
work that II has provided another commits !
ION and IS anxious 20 get him 20 60 again. 1
Ne have no reason TO be ashamed OF the I
lame the college has made under u.s. he
aid as the train pulled out of the depot l
Prof. Fairchild was accompanied by Prof
: G. Mason, OF Manhattan. who. until Sep
emher. will continue in charge OF the hOT- !
icuJural work In the agricultural college |
They were en- route to attend the annual |
Meeting OF the American Association of
gricultur8l Colleges and Experimental |
stations. Professor Fairchild is president |
4 the association. He reached the city |
saturday and visited his sou-in-law Mr. !
'harles II. Kishner.