Omaha daily bee., 1899-07-27

the oratorical association has taken a lead
ing place, because of the success OF Huron's
representative In the state and i%ntercol-
legiate contests. The expenses at Huron
college. as at all western colleges, are light
as compared with those at eastern schools.
One hundred and twenty-seven dollars a
year will cover all school expenses at
Huron except for books and railroad fare.
The courses OF study are those usually
offered, the classical, the scientific and lit
erary. All are standard in their require
ments. Besides the regular college and acad-
envy courses the catalogue shows a normal,
a commercial and musical department. The
work OF all these departments Is fully set
forth and is very thorough. A list OF the
names Of 167 students is published.
"Nebraska's opportunity."
The Breeders Gazette Of Chicago takes
sufficient interest in Nebraska to devote a
column to an editorial review and criticism
Of the management Of the Agricultural col
lege OF the State university. 1t beans the
caption, "Nebraska's Opportunity and
reads as follows:
"Dr. MacLean's resignation, to accept the
presidency of the University Of Iowa, leaves
the University OF Nebraska without Its prin-
cipal executive. Now is the time for the
farmers OF Nebraska to rise as one man and
insist that their agricultural college be such
in fact as well as name. Last winter the
Nebraska legislature voted to the State uni
versity the largest percentage tax given by
any state in the union to its central institu-
ton Of learning. BY this act Nebraska
notified the world that 1t stood second to
none in recognizing the potency Of education
in the upbuilding of the commonwealth. A
generous government has likewise dealt lib
orally in providing this institution with
funds which were to be specifically devoted
to agricultural education and research. By
the first Morrill, grant made in 1862 the
University of Nebraska receives a large sum
Of money annually for agricultural and me-
chanical arts. Then there is a second grant
of S25, 600 annually for the same purpose and
the Hatch fund for experimental purposes,
amounting to SIS 900 annually.
Despite these generous appropriations the
Agricultural college of the Nebraska State
university is languishing for lack Of funds.
II anyone doubts this let him visit the uni
versity at Lincoln and locate the funds
which go specifically to agriculture and note
the buildings and equipment of that branch
as compared with what may be seen at SIM
liar Institutions in Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota
or Wisconsin. The few members of the real
agricultural faculty and the limited equip
ment of buildings, apparatus and live stock
all show a poverty which is almost beyond
belief and a condition not only unworthy
of an institution so literally endowed but
absolutely beneath the dignity of so rich a
state. Nebraska Is marked by nature as one
Of the greatest agricultural states of the
union. Corn is produced at the lowest cost
of any place in the world, and with alfalfa
and grasses in abundance to supplement this
rbaon grain and with trunk 1iuac Of raf1uav
reaching to the great plain regions lying
westward, cattle are available without num-
Der for economical fattening. These condi-
tions, coupled with the enormous possibili-
ties for the home rearing of cattle and with
a climate we'll suited to animal life, indicate
clearly Nebraska's real destiny as a great
agricultural commonwealth. VIII her peo-
pie now rise to the occasion and emand
of the trustees in charge Of the university
at Lincoln that in the selection Of the new
president there shall also be a new regime
so far as Agricultural college is concerned,
and that from this time forward that branch
Of the institution shall be the leader and
not an Insignificant appendix tolerated only
to gain government grants and leading a
poverty stricken existence?
'The fact that the agricultural college
has been hampered by lack of funds, prop
~ lS CNh, II DcCduSS / a z dDubSu
time and again In ways almost without mum
Der, Is all the more reason for a radical
change at this time. If the farmers OF Ne
braska will awaken to the situation they
will never allow the trustees to elect a new
executive for this institution until both
board and president have solemnly promised
that from this time on, in funds, in faculty,
in building, in equipment, in live stock and
in everything that pertains to agriculture,
the University of Nebraska shall be the
leader. Boards of trustees and presidents,
no matter what private opinions they may
hold, are after all but representatives of
the people and will not go far from the right
when the people speak in an unmistakable
voice. In half a dozen states a wronged
people have risen in their might and wrested
the agricultural college from the state uni
| ~versity, placing it on a separate foundation.
Let the trustees of Nebraska university look
to Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hamp-
shire, South Carolina and Mississippi to see
what has already been accomplished by abb
solute separations from universities and the
foundation of. new agricultural colleges. In
each of these states the people would not
tolerate the abuse any longer and the es-
adjustment OF entirely new institutions was
the result. In Illinois only last winter the
people, unable to further withstand the per-
version OF the funds belonging to the college
OF agriculture, directed, through the legis-
lature, that hereafter one-half of all the in
come from the several government grants
should go specifically to the college OF agri-
culture.
"Will the farmers OF Nebraska awaken tc
the situation and place their agricultural
college where it belongs or are they content
to trail on in mediocrity and allow president
and trustees to pervert and misuse their in
heritance as in the past?"
Farmers Boys in College.
Some interesting figures as to the proper
tion Of farmers boys among college students
have been gathered by the American Agri.
culturist. 1t has returns from 17S universe
ties and colleges, reporting An attendant,
OF 2 1000 students, out Of a total Of 81 00(
in all the higher educational institutions il
the country, In its analysis OF the figures
the Agricultural reduces the number of stu,
dents considered to a little under so, 900
for some unexplained reason excluding. Il
says, a few city colleges like Harvard, Pratt
Institute, University of Rochester, Fisk uni,
verslty and others. Out OF this total OF abou
1900 1t finds that nearly 81, 900 are from tn,
agricultural classes, or a percentage of 49,.