Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-04-07
HAVE LIVELY TILT
SENATORS GILLlLAND AND MAY.
TAG HAVE SPIRITED EXCHANGE
OF WORDS.
Furnish Amusement for Members Dur
ing Discussion of Educational Board
of Control Proposition To Consider
Binding Irvine Proposition.
IBY LEON BRowN.l

Des Moines Bureau of the Courier.
Des Mones, April a.
The hot but good natured shots
which Senator Gilliland gave Senator
Maytag in the debate over the board
of control for state educational instl-
buttons bill, furnished life for the SEN
ators and the big audience. There was
murmur of surprise and of interest
when Mr.. Maytag arose on the Tar
eastern side of the chamber to ask
question of the senator from Mills who
sits on the far western side of the sen
ate.
"Will the gentleman yield for ques
tion?" asked Senator Maytag.
Certainly" said the senator from
Mills: always glad to enlighten the
senator from Jasper. Have tried to
do it all session. Offered to inform
him about the university to give him
reasons and facts and figures, to sit
with his subcommittee when it made
up its figures and report on the needs
OF the institution, to explain whatever
seemed obscure; but l am constrained
to say that this is the first time the
senator from Jasper has elected de.
sire to know anything about the sub
ject and 1 am glad to answer him a
question even at this late hour"
There was murmur but it didn't dis
tllrb Senator Maytag who is courage
GUS enough to proceed when he thinks
he is right,and he asked why 1t was
that it costs more per capita to edu-
cate the students at the Iowa univer-
sity than it does at Ann Arbor and Lin
coin
Senator Maytag is fine business
man - better there is none in the
state. This compliment was paid
him by Senator Gilliland. Maytag is
all right. only the friends of the uni
versity are profoundly convinced that
he has made mistake on this ques-
ton. No one can charge him with Ill
terror motives or anything of the
kind. He is one of the most highly
honorable of men.
Senator Gilliland was able to answer
his inquiry. cat the Iowa university"
said he, ''the policy has been adopted
of eliminating the cheap and easy
methods and of making the institution
real university. that is, requirements
at the beginning have been raised, and
courses have been heightened at the
end. Diploma hunters and those after
a get educated quick result have been
driven away from the Iowa university
because the courses have been length
ened and the entrance requirements
raised. The result Is falling off in
attendance. But it is temporary. When
the law course was heightened from
one to two years the graduating class
dropped from 100 to 40. When the
course was heightened from two to
three years a similar drop occurred.
But each time things began immediate
ly to adjust themselves and soon the
number increased to the proper pro-
portion. Now this frightening of
courses has been carried on all through
the university. At first it reduces the
attendance and increases the per cap
ita cost of educating the young PEG.
pie. But as soon as the people realize
that the institution more nearly ap-
proaches real university, they begin
again to fill UP the ranks, not with d.
ploma hunters. but with those VINO
would otherwise go out Of the state
for an education and are glad to have
a chance to get 1t in Iowa.
THAT is the reason the per capita
cost is greater at the university. ]
have explained that it will drop back
to the average. AS I might say that
after all we should not weigh the in
stitution on the hay scales like steers
and hogs to determine if the grain that
has been fed them has paid out we'll in
flesh. There are higher ideals than
this and we should cling to them In
Iowa.
For myself, would prefer the uni
versity to produce q poet, or a philos-
opher or a scientist than that Iowa
should produce thousand nail MAX
ers who make nails at q profit every
time. Some one said Iowa was great
in corn but she would be greater wher
that corn was transformed into brains
We are trying to do it at our univer-
sity and our colleges. The struggle is
to furnish the best factory for the
manufacture Of men into students anc
scholars. The legislature should not
handicap It,"
Mr.. Gilliland also explained that the
law provides that the regents shall ST
not to exceed thirty days year on the
affairs of the university, and if any.
thing is lacking on this score, it is the
fault Of the legislature. not the board
of regents. He eloquently defends the
management and highly complimentet
President Mclean,
The binding Irvine proposition will
be considered by the house Of repre-.
sentatives tomorrow.
This contemplates the erection ant
maintenance at the state prison a
Anamosa of binding Irvine plant cap.
able Of manufacturing 100000 pound.
a year.
1t will cost the state s750,0OO, becaus,
of the fact that a large amount O
floating capital is necessary to buy ant
hold the stock. The plant itself will
cost about $150,000.
1t is proposed to use convict labol
and to sell the twine to farmers a
| cost. Representative Powers, of Floyt
| county devised the scheme. He sale
today he believed the bill might pas
the house. There are thirty three mel