The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-14

To the Editor OF the Indianapolis Journal:
Governor Mount is generally known to be
opposed to the appropriation of the peo-
pies money for special. professional and
higher education. Yet in his message he
took occasion to give Purdue University
a big lift and urged liberal appropriations
Tor support. He contends that agriculture
is the foundation of all wealth and prog
rcss and that scientific farming is the
panacea for all the ills of the rural world.
In his plea for Purdue he cites the as
sistance given to agricultural schools in
different States TO show how liberal they
have been with such schools. He then
states that Indiana has appropriated "spe-
Farm and Experiment Station but s24.0O
since 1874. 1t was well the Governor used
the word specifically" else his argument
would not nave been founded upon facts.
With all due respect for the Governor
i do not think he should have left the
story so incomplete-only half told. II he
had used some of the figures presented to
him in the annual report of President Stone.
of Purdue. just recently made, the picture
would not have looked so sad and dreary
for the poor neglected institution. BY that
report, made some two months ago, Presi-
dent Stone shows that Purdue expended
S150,3is.17 last year. This does not look like
il was in financial straits. The Governor
might have given the sources of revenue of
the Institution that would show IL to be in
splendid financial condition If carefully and
economically managed. The average at
enhance at this school last year was about
Coz. which would show a cost per student
of s250-probably the highest of any school
In the State.
II might have been in order for the Gov
ernor 20 Lave stated that Purdue gets a
liberal appropriation annually from The
federal government; that Indiana is paving
II 5 per cent. on $4,000 OF its
fund: that IL gets 30 per cent. OF the "edu-
c~ational institution tax tina was fastened
upon the taxpayers by the school trust i'm
1896. which amounts 10 about $4,000 a year.
I am sorry the Governor did not tell the
whole story. L am not opposed TO Purdue
as an agricultural college. II was endowed
by the national government as such a
school. and II IL would confne its work TO
the objects for which IL was endowed IL
is richly provided for such a purpose. When
IL spreads out and becomes a school of
technology and liberal arts I claim. under
the Constitution and rules of fair play. 1t
is entitled 10 no more aid than Rose Poly
technic or Wabash, Butler or any other
college. During the last year the report
of President Stone shows that out of an
enrolment OF $40 there were only lbs stu
dents In the agricultural department, and
these were mostly winter terms The
president laments the lack of interest I'm
this school by the farmers, and attributes
IL 10 the conservative attitude of the
farmers towards the various progressive
movements relating 10 their industry. and
especially towards technical education. .
IL farmers boys would take TO" this
scientific, theoretical training / don't see
much use trying 10 force IL upon them;
neither do | favor appropriatlng the peo-
pies money TO enable these State schools
TO spread themselves out and teach every
thing under the sun. When there are al
ready enough colleges I'm Indiana TO do all
! the work of higher and special training.
what sense is there In taxing the people 10
duplicate work that would be done without
n dollars expense 10 the State? Were II
not for the fat salaries attached TO some
thing like go officers. trustees and teachers
in the three State schools there would not
DC such a fight for their maintenance.
WILL Ii. CRAIG.
Noblesviile. Ind. Jan. u.