The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-17
|DROPPERS TO GO,
SAYS The BOARD
NO CHANCE FOR HTM TO HAVE
ANOTHER TERM.
Renewed Pressure Brought to Bear
Upon South Dakota Regents to Re-
tain the President of the State Uni
versity Another Institution
Said to Have Drifted Into a Rut.
Special to The Journal.

Vermillion s. D.. April H.-It now seems a
certainty that President Garrett Droppers will
not be considered by the board Of regents for
another term at the university, notwithstanding
that his friends have been doing all in their
power to have him retained. The regents
nounce that they are looking for another man,
and that their decision is final In regard to
Mr. Droppers This means that his time will
expire in June.
The regents contend that there is great oppo-
sition to President Droppers around the state,
and for that they deem it necessary to
make change. There are others who believe
that the action Of the state board. was due to
politics. and politics only. So far the
press of the state is concerned 1t has been
very friendly to the president. There may be
individual opposition to Mr. Droppers. but it has
not been manifested to any great extent except
in Yermillion.
But be this as 1t may, the time Is at hand
when something should be done to boost the uni
versity along. That it has drtfted into rut
no one questions. This is not the fault Of Mr..
Droppers. One great difficulty that the uniyer-
sity has experienced for many years is the fact
that it is not considered on a higher level than
any other Of the state educational institutions.
If proposition comes up that is beneficial to
the state university and would alike be good
for some other institution, then the board has
to consider all of the colleges. No matter in
what form the demand Is made, the state uni
versity is placed on equal footing with the
others. The Legislature Is no better. It IL
just like pulling teeth to secure bare running
| expenses. - -"E. -. ars.. ---.
All After Libraries.
| A few weeks ago President Droppers submitted
a proposition for university library, an offer
| of $4,000 for a building having been made If
the regents would set aside $1,000 each year
| for maintenance, sum not greatly in excess
of the present expenditure. But the board is Of
the opinion that the gift involves legal ques-
| tons which they should look up. s., - afe
| Now that the university has asked for q
| library building on the campus, other colleges
want one, too. Brookings, Rapid City and the
j other institutions will feel sighted IL the
u. s. D. gets anything that they cannot have.
And thus the war goes merrily = 4"
| What the university should have 10 an alumnus
/ on the board who will stand up for the insi
tution's rights, one who will have some idea OF
Of the state. "A resident agent is contrary tc
law, but an alumnus could serve the same as
anyone, else. For years the Agricultural college
had an alumnus on the board. -
! H. Assessment Protest.
i The county commissioners of Clay county hav,
forwarded protest to the state board of equali
zation relative to Clay countys assessment OF
| farm lands Only one other county in the stat,
is assessed higher-Union county. The boart
members feel that this is an injustice, and tina
Yankton, Lincoln, Bon Homme and Turner shout,
be classed with Clay and Union counties. I. :
As the matter now stands Clay's assesse
valuation IS 1886, Union county $3.50 Bo
I Homme $11.s4, Turner $11e2, Yankton Sill 8
and Lincoln 1892. Only nine counties in .th
state assessed at more than SO. The asses
sors Of Clay county have adopted assesse
! valuation of $3.50. 80. ~ n
f. There is no disputing the fact that the aver
Il age valuation in the five counties named is non
too high farm lands There are, of course
lands in any of the above counties which woul
!. mot sell for $40 acre, but these nc
numerous there quarter section
that are worth $50 and $55 acre. But til
, state levy Is far from uniform, and this
! what calls forth the protest from the Clay cou1
, ty board. E5,-... %..@% -
+ Decision for County Boards.
{ The supreme court has denied new hearin
in the case of G.. T: Salmer against Cha
a county. This is the test case which was inst
tuted to determine whether or not the count
l commissioners had the right to go behind til
t assessors returns and levy an assessment
r moneys and credits which were found on 81
e with the register Of deeds. zs-.. ! s,s.
j Judge E. g. Smith ruled that the county boar
e had no such authority, but the supreme cou
reversed his decision. Counsel for Mr.. Salm,
Q then applied for rehearing before the supren
court, but without avail. This decision wi
increase the funds in several county treasure
: as there were number Of similar cases thru
r out the state for the collection Of 1904 take
! Clay county is probably benefited the most.