Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-03-18

the merits of the bill: 81 am not yet
ready to say anything. 1t is a matter
which will take some thought. When
nave gone over it's provisions thor
oughly and weighed it's effect | will
let you know" And not another word
would he say, preferring to talk of the
excursion to Ames today. But anoth-
er man from the agricultural college
town was not SO cautious.
I'VE don't like it up there" he said,
we have Jared we'll enough under the
present system of management, and
can see no good reason for the change.
II gather also that the state universe.
ty authorities are averse to being
placed under the management of the
new board, though the reasons for
such objections are o given. "Our
people will not particularly care" said
Representative KoontZ, of Iowa City.
We can't fare any worse than we
have. If the state doesn't want to
support the university it should be
shut up. We don't know yet what we
are to expect from this general assem-
bly,. 1t is not alone for Iowa City that
| speak: it should concern the whole
state equally with our city,
John CoWnie Shy.
AS the work and benefits of the
board are constantly compared with
that of the board of control, l sought
out John Cownie, and asked him what
he thought of the bill and its inten-
items.
"It is altogether out of my line. and
haven had time to think of it," re.
piled the canny Scotchman.
But what is your opinion" I per,
sisted.
We of the board of control deal in
Iacts. rot in opinions" he answered.
"Ask me of the work and methods of
our own board and I can tell you. and
VIII take great pleasure in explaining
the system by which we work"
"Rut the statement is made. Mr..
Cownie. that the board of control will
oppose such a new body having con.
troll of any of the institutions of
Iowa."
Mr.. Cownie looked tired. There are
a great many statements made which
are lar from the truth. We have a
certain work to do in connection with
the educational institutions. We have
to go over the accounts. but we have
ncthlng to say as to the expenditures
lor even he manner in which the ac,
counts are kept. It m with a had
grace to criticise expenditures after
the money is spent. We go to these
places with our W ideas of what and
now things should be done. and if the
situation as we find it does not coin.
eide with our opinions. We have no
power to change or even suggest and
all We can do is to verify what is pre.
sented to us. For this reason and
Others think | am safe in saying that
every member of the board of control
VIII be glad if any work in connection
win state education is taken from
us" iiona
should infer from this. Mr.
CroWnle that the accounts of the educa.
tlonal institutions are not as we'll svs.
tematlzed as are those Of other insti-
t%utionS?" ''
o are not to infer ANYTHING T
am not %criticising; only explaining
our slight connection with these
schools. We are proud of orr own
system: | can tell you today what the
Dlll or fare was at any given meal dur.
ing the past three years in any one of
the fourteen institutions of Iowa nm.
DER u care, and | can tell Won the
o S to a cent. There is not a snool of
Unread used, Or a pound of sugar sent
out OF the stores that We do not know
just Where it went and for what mr..
pose. We know the Wholesale nrice
Oh everything from a steam engine to
a paper of pins. and when we want To
purchase anything it is on competitive
Dlds, with samples submitted. No one
mas a chance to profit by these deals
and We get the best prices obtainable
anywhere. This is what the hoard of
control has done and is doing, and that
Is enough to keep us busy without
specializing as to what others NAV do
IN the event of this bill to which Won
refer becoming a law"
Temples Views.
have heard n frequent criticism
of the bill as prepared by Mr.. Temple.
and that is the clause which gives to
the board power to prescribe the
courses of study. l brought the mat
ter to the attention of the author.
h is copied directly from the
present powers and duties of the
board of regents of the university"
he replied.
But it is not the intention. Mr.. Tenn
pie, to make this board thoroughly
practical and business-like, and would
1t not be as much out of place for a
board OF business men to prescribe
courses of scholastic study as it would
for he board of control to specify the
form of treatment for the %insane?"
We'll perhaps the criticism is well
grounded, but the bill can be as easily
amended when all the valid criticisms
are developed"
Another criticism generally heard is
that the salary which will be offered.
by the bill in its present form { 2.OOO)
will not be sufficient to secure the ser
vices of good business men; that the
talents which will be required to prop
erly handle the problems of the educa-
tional institutions could be more profit
ably employed elsewhere. we can
not afford to have cheap men in con-
troll said II who voiced this defect
in the bill.
THE board of control members get
$4,000 per year, and We cannot expect
to get good men for this work at a
lower salary. The result Womb he