The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-12-10
No Misrepresentation.

lature appropriated for an enlarge
ment Of the campus, makes it2neces- :,
sary for T h e journal again to de-
fend a perfectly proper proceeding.
The Pipestone Review, which is one
of the state papers that have been
loud in their faultfinding, declares that
the alleged fault OF the regents con-
sists not alone in providing for foot
ball field, but in nisrepresentlng the
use they intended to make of the APP
preparation and in applying it wrong
fully. The Review literally admits
that a great university must provide
for college, sports and physical, train
ing. If there had been misre presenta-
ton and misapplication Of funds r h e
Journ would join the Review in
calling the regents to Judgment, but
our contemporary is laboring under
a misunderstanding: j. ....# - -
The joint appropriation committee
Of the legislature tl1oroly understood
the whole proposition before it re-
ported in favor Of the appropriation.
1t visited the campus, saw the lots it
was desired. to purchase, and was in
formed of the use that it was pro-
posed to make of the ground.
The federal government, which con-
tributes $4,000 year to the current
expense fund of the university, re-
quires it to provide a suitable drill
ground for military training. 1t was
primarily to provide such a ground
that it was decided to enlarge the
campus. This demand for additional
ground dovetailed into the need of a
large athletic field The result was
that the two interests were combined
to- their mutual advantage, the uni
versity getting far more out Of the
combination than it could have got
from an addition for drill ground
only.
Of the $1,000 appropriated by the
| legislature, $4,000 was spent in pur-
chasing five lots and $4,000 in grad
ing them. No sodding or anything
! else was paid for out Of this fund
| that was not required for q drill
| ground. Right here the athletic field
side of the undertaking begins. The
| Pillsbury heirs, who desired to see
the university provided with a suit
able field, gave five lots, the city OF
Minneapolis vacated a sixty-foot street
| crossing the campus, and the North
ern Pacific railroad and the city to.
gether gave a street running east and
west the whole length of the field
This donated ground is worth at least
1000, as compared with the S11, 00(
given by the state. The brick anG
stone wall around the field was do.
mated by Alfred c.. Pillsbury, al
alumnus Of the university and sor
of the late John S. Pillsbury. .Ther
the athletic board of control met the
expense of erecting grand stands, sod
ding, hauling black earth, grading
and other expenses required to make
the field suitable for athletic !. pur
II poses. t.ys - ~. r" ..,.
Had the regents failed to co-operat
with the Pillsbury heirs, the athlete
board of control; the city and tn
Northern Pacific railway in making al
: athletic field as we'll as a drill ground
the university would have had a prop
: erty worth $1,000 instead of on
worth at least $4,000.
, There has been no misapplicatiol
Of funds or Misrepresentation. TIL
appropriation :. was Conscientious
! used to acquire a needed drill groun
and grade 1t. All the ground needle
: to make the field large enough 70
athletic purposes, the enclosure an
: all the other elements of an athleti
field, have been acquired without tn
, ! expenditure of a cent by the state
Notwithstanding the fact that it woul
have been no more than proper fo
. the regents to have asked the legisla
, ture to provide the university wit
7 an athletic field.
What troubles. the Pipestene Re
view and other papers that are findin
I fault with the regents is simply tina
: football is played on Northrop field
: They are convinced that because sue
g is the fact the campus was enlarged
+ at an expense of $1,000 to the state
: solely for football uses under pre-
t tence of another purpose. A -por
| 49, = ! -. -
e ton of the field is now Hooded t
e make q, skating rink, baseball
a played on it in the spring, and Their
: is ample room for field sports. Whe
f football is no more a popular gam
$ the athletic field or drill ground wi
d still be there and will still be uset
= If football had not been played 9
y the field the Review would never hav
. complained. But, forsooth, becaus
q football is played there it follows thu
g the regents have deceived the people
= The Slow Coach Postofice.
/ Mr.. NJ. G.. Cunniff, who is writin
S a. series of articles for the World
d Work,raon. THE Postoffice and tn
= People," begins the article in the De
n | cember number with high praise (
e the Minneapolis-St. Paul system
/ using the interurban street cars |
d collect mail and carry it between til