The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-09-17
FAIRCHILD'S STATEMENT
Ex-President of Kansas Agricultural
College on Populist Hypocrisy.
Plain Statement OF the Causes That Led Up
to the Radical Partisan Change in tile
Educational Policy of the Man
haitian state Institution.
To the Peonle of Kansas:

To the People Of Kansas:
have purposely refrained from any part in
newspaper controversy over the reorganiza-
ton of the Kansas state agricultural college,
believing that both the college and its officers
were too well and favOrably known TO suffer
from either expressed or implied misrepre
sensations. 1 have also felt willing that the
reorganiZing force should be unimpeded in its
designs and plans Of reorganization. Now that
the work is completed, it seems proper that
should give to my thousands of friends in all
parties a plain. unvarnished account of this
raid upon state educational institution. In
doing this shall adhere to the facts as they
have come to my knowledge without eXtenua-
ton and without malice, and hope TO honor in
practice the example of one who being reviled
reviled not again.
The story must begin with the populist vic
tory in 1892. when Hon. Harrison Kelley at
tackled the state institutions through the press,
as giving no attention to political economy in
the courses Of study. In April. 1898 Mr.. KEEL
ley, as one of four regents appointed by Gov
LewellinR made the same charge. and when
shown that political economy had always occu-
pied prominent place in the fourth and best
year of the course. he claimed that such teach
ing should come earlier. and that the new ideas
Of finance and government ownership of indus
tries had no fair representation. In this feeling
his colleagues shared and the result. after much
refrigeration. was the appointment OF a COLI
mittee Of three to inaugurate at the college
series Of weekly lectures upon these debated
topics, during the fall and winter Of 1884
The lecturers, to represent various views,
were chosen by unanimous consent Of the COM
mittee Eight lectures were given during the
fall term, all but two by known friends of the
new ideas, Chaplain BiddisOn and Mrs Lease
among them; but in the January meeting of
the board the following was adopted:
Whereas, The lectures in the economic
course have not been well attended by stu
dents:
Resolved, That the course be discontinued
for the present with view to establishing at
some future time a lectureShip on economic
topics
In April. 1894, the six appointed members OF
the board were pOpulists and adopted the fol-
lowing presented by Regent Hoffman: Where
as, it is important that the agricultural classes
from the ranks Of which the majority of the
students OF this college come, understand the
economic laws which underlie all civilization;
and whereas the board of regents is of the
opinion that less time and attention than the i'm
pOrtance Of the subject demands have been Civ
en- to it, either in the regular course of study or
in lectures on this and german subjects There
fore be it resolved, that Is lectures of one hour
each be given during the fall and winter terms
Of each year on political economy by
some member OF the faculty or by some other
competent person designated or employed by
the board of regents These lectures are to
take the place of the Friday afternoon lectures
heretofore given by the faculty ON various top
les They shall be distributed as may best suit
the best interests of the faculty and students but
shall all be given in the fall and winter terms.
These lectures shall trsat of the subject polit-
ical economy consecutively, commencing with
the primary concepts of the science treating
fully and diSpaSsiOnately the various aspects
OF the economic and social problems These
lectures shall be nOn-partiSan. but shall not
ignore nor unfairly treat the positions taken
by what is commonly known as the new
school Of political economists. The principles
maintained by the advocates Of land rationale
cation, public control of public utilities and the
reform of the financial or monetary system
shall be fairly stated ana candidly examined
with a view Of leading the student to grasp the
principles involved in science Of production
and distribution without bias or prejudice"
Prior to the adoption OF this resolution. hours
were spent in caucus over a proposition $50
have been told by one OF the members to re-
organize the entire institution and make the
IndustrialiSt partisan organ. The plan failed
for want Of Qnanimity. my informant with
others being unwilling. as he said, ITO let the
party make fool of itself
In June 1894. these resolutions were adopted:
Resolved. That President Fairchild and the
faculty be and are hereby instructed to so re-
arrange the duties and positions occupied by
the professors and instructors as to I'LL the va
cancy caused by leave of absence granted to
Prof Nichols and leave vacant instead some
full chair, which shall include political econ
omy, and that this re-arrangement be SUBJ
mitted TO the board of regents for their action
at their meeting July Il, 1894; and further
Resolved. That the committee on employees
open correspondence with educators and edu-
cational institutions for the purpose of secur-
ing competent professor to I'LL the chair of
To1iripa1 pao ~ a IN ca1a not
c0SSing $1,000, and that said committee have
authority TO invite one or more persons to ap-
pear before the board Of regents at their July
meeting, as applicants for said position, for the
action Of the board of regents.
At the July meeting, Prof. T. E. Will ap-
peared by invitation Of Regent Hoffman. his
name having been suggested by Mr.. Flower.
editor OF the Arena Other candidates appeared
at their own motion but Prof VIII was elect
ed, the expenses of his journey from Boston
and back being paid by the board. 1t was ar
ranged that Prof. Will should hold the chair Of
political economy, teaching the course hitherto
given by the president Of the college, giving
the annual course Of 10 lectures in the college
chapel as provided at the April meeting. and
doing such other teaching as should not inter-
fere with the regular duties of his chair
In the fall Of 1894 for the first time in the
history Of the college, the report of the re-
gents was given partisan bias Regents KEEL
ley and Hoffman with myself were appointed
TO prepare the report for printing and under
direction Of these gentlemen l submitted to
each the draft for approval After delay of
more than week il was returned with the fol-
lowing interpretations. shown in brackets: The
attendance Of students shows 30 less for the
last year than in the previous year. due TO the
prevailing financial depression caused by the
policy Of dominant political parties"
l''Your board OF regents in coming in contact
with the sons and daughters Of the farmers of
the state, who constitute a large portion of the
students. have realized more than ever that it
IS not lack industry unfavorable methods
of farming or the unfavOrablenesS of climate,
which have caused the widespread and steadily
increasing poverty among the agricultural and
1abOring classes The unremitting toll of the
farmer. in which sons and daughters take
part even during childhood, has indeed yielded
him large quantities of grain. great numbers
of cattle, hogs horses and other domestic ami
mails. He has produced enough Of the useful
and necessary things Of life that with fair,
equitable exchange. would bring prosperity in
place Of poverty, comfort in place of humiliat-
ing drudgery, and content and patriotism in
place of unrest and dissatisfaction.
1T is hoped that giving more attention to
the study of the economic principles which
govern the distribution of wealth will stimu-
late a healthy inquiry among the people into
the causes that depreSs industry and paralyze
agriculture. With this purpose in view, the
ard Of tod fla