The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-23
is the Plan Urged BY Prof.
Elder of Norman.
HISTORY OF OTHER STATES
Given to Show any Other Pol
icy Financially RuinOus.

ter of culture and learning, was given over
"a feasting. revelry and speechmaking, IN
honor of the territorial legislature, both
branches of which were paying Norman
the unusual compliment of an 'ftlcial visl.-
The program OF entertainment at night
consisted of a reception and a series Of
short addresses at the opera house. TO-
lowed by a banquet at the Hotel Agnes
Among the addresses at the opera house
was one by Prof. T. S. Elder. OF thc uni
versity. who spoke on topic Of vital :n-
portance 10 Oklahoma, namely, the att
ma+e disposition of the school lands. P'ot.
Elder has devoted two years o. MS time
to a close study Of the school lana cues
ton and his remarks were follower VITA
the closest attention. He said:
Members Of the Legislature and Clu-
zens Of Oklahoma: In the view that
have of society I hold myself to be, first,
an evolutionist, and. second, disciaimins
the possession of either bombs or dirkS, 1
am a revolutionist I am an evolutionisr
in the sense that I see society q hVlnS
organism whose existence is one of the
phenomena Of nature. and that l feel the
law of that existence TO be the law OF
growth. progress and unending develop
ment. With every succeeding generation
The heir of all the ages
In the foremost ranks Of time
who so bold as to 'prophesy that the coming
centuries vii. see. I speak not, sirs, of our
material progress. This never lacks a
champion This is but the natural result
O.. the struggle for existence and will ad-
vance increasingly with society's growth
This is a necessary basis for that other and
nobler development Of which 1 speak. 1
mean to say that on what is termed the
social side the world is bound to see and
Go undreamed Of things. and the revolt
ton which I see is but the act Of passing
from the now TO then.
But the future fills me with no alarm.
I see neither bloodshed nor civil strife.
The change VIII be quiet revolution. the
conflict will be that of the forces Of reason
against unreason, and the triumph OF rea-
son will bring justice between man and
man and man and make prevail on earth
the will Of God My hope for the future
lies in the strength OF the cohorts now
marshaled and drilling in reasons camp.
The army of revolution. the hope and
strength of our nation, is the fifteen mil
lions Of our sons and daughters now per-
forming their daily tasks in the institu-
lions Of our Incompatible system of free
education. Not from the days Of Adam
has the world seen such a system. A cen
fury ago it was not conceived. Material
prosperity must provide it, yet 1t, in turn.
H.
and bounds. Truly did Governor Craw-
ford say to the Kansas legislature in 1866:
Liberal an judicious Legislation in behalf
OF our educational interests is the highest
economy Of the state. In such things. to
be mea mis- to be poor; 10 be generous is to
be rich
az would speak to you this evening. citi-
zens Of Oklahoma, in behalf of these in
terests. and that with reference to a single
feature-I mean the policy that l believe
should be pursued regarding our territorial
educational land endowment. For what
reason. may ask. first, o all our political
parties handle this question with such a
lIy-nnger touch? Is it that they fear the
people? That. in the nature Of party or
eanization. cannot be. It IS because they
the possibilities these lands contain II man
aged right, and because they know that
ether and vel Iorganized forces are wide
awake and IN the field. Let the people but
once fully realize what may be Matched
from the egg they have and political in
cubators VIII spring mp as by magic from
the ground. Our egg IS the grant OF a
million and a half acres Of land, with much
yet to be added. In area it IS more than
ar eighteenth OF our entire state. As I
see 1t the interests here involve are sec
and TO nothing that can now come before
our people Such indeed. Is IT'S msEui-
tude that an average gain or loss Of but
g. cents per acre means a gain or loss OF a
million dollars 10 our state. while the
adoption OF an unwise permanent policy
may mean practically the disinheritance o
the generations yet unborn and result in
saddliug upon ourselves and the taxpayers
OF the future burden % irreducib,e debt
"I postulate that in the treatment o:
/ these lands the first interests 20 be con
( sidered are hose OF the schools: second. -
It be no. already comprised IL he first. The
/ interests Of the state: third. and q grave
! importance. even though mentioned last
/ the interests. rights and security u nc
occupants o. the land Itself This. II
I essence. has been the avowei intent o:
every state whose sch00i land history
+ have studied: yet Of seven. hu- one. Ne
braska. has made 10 reality even p-steIss
: az following the order given. VITA al a
the Others. and. II part. Wan her. the in
4 terests OF the schools ans state sand as
"Oaio. zfth no prece5eHts from elder
states. adopted a sa1rt-sigh ted and .Ui1c1s
( potcr q sales and perpetual leases Wiih
a school land endowment ~ nearly a mi.
, lion and halt acres. heE\ s;isHl.oa con
.aine5 10 provision 70 guarantee 80 safe-y
q This enormous trust ard q became al
once The prize % organized p.Hu6er- II
the virginia military rszerv. zlsrs. 2 -
acres sr euu5er perpetual lezss ~ T. -s--s
per acre. Tire university s1doEIsut @.
two full townships ~ The cholcest lard %.
tha state g 08 acres. is under perps t-lal
p 5esza a. lees than % cents 2er acre. ard
2 ta.-f township. = as acres. - university
lands is under perpetual -eass ~ less rha7
= cents Pc acre = fractional secfioH
adjoining Cincinnati zas ieazad ln go
+ FOR 81 pr aunuu AID al future re-Vs.sa-
ts5-= were dispersed with. Ta.s traec t-
,sE wss estimated ~ the altst0r - s-stf
20 BE- v-7rth n1t less thar 80 90 -,
F =-rh lass-s would % ss ue-e 5azate.Ies &.
+ trzt vs-e AL TaoVsz-s-s - acres veTs
/ r9l5 f1r 81 = ard - cerrs T-@r sFre. SD
/ ga. Is not .rs W1-s.- TIE -sEzi-ir y fuss
Z -ri1h u--s-nare.v resr1e1 - - - Eers
+ t.orrpEed - IRE stafs &C. 3 5s-retusl car
z-d e7ezf TIE pee11s az tc5aT oF -2r-
r.--- r-.-s--r -, Tearly lrte-es- q