The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-12-08
AN OPEN LETTER
Mr. Sidney
Agricultural College

found consequences to our educational In
terests and vast sums Of the peoples
money with no adequate examination OF
the facts or the history Of the case nn, In IN
found a partial excuse in the fact that
little competent information was available
on the subject. But that poor excuse can
no longer be invoked as a cover for such
actions. II Will be recalled that tho CON
fiIct. which began In the Legislature that
authorized the establishment OF the Agrl-
cultural college, reached Its present acute
stage In the last Legislature, when the
total demands for the maintenance or the
two schools, as now established, amount,
ed TO about two-nfths OF the anticipated
income of the State, Out OF the clash OF
interests-poltlcal. commercial. local, ed
ucation, sentimental, etc, came the prop
ositlon to amend the Constitution. with
a view 10 consolidation. The resolution
was lost under a majority OF two. In
place OF this was substituted resolution
providing for the appointment of COM
mission to investigate the prevailing con-
ditlons in the two Institutions and report
their findings 10 the next Legislature. Ihe
commission consisted Of Messrss Sullen.
and Walters Of Logan, Or. Condor OF Og-
den, Messrs. Eaton and Mills OF salt Lake:
Mr.. Goodwin of Provo. Mr.. SundWall OF
Sanpete county, and Prof. Maeser or Bea-
These gentlemen spent year upon
the work intrusted to them. making sew
eral extended and thorough visits or IN
spection to both institutions. Their re
port comprises n volume OF l5O closely
printed pages. giving tables or STATISTICS,
opinions OF the presidents OF both instltu,
tions, opinions of experts at nome ana
abroad. concerning the interest OF aErlcul-
ture experience OF agricultural institu-
tionE in other States, in connection win
and separated from the State universities,
snd the opinions of their officers on The
subject.
Everybody having any adequate knowI-
edge OF the public mind OF Cache county
knew before the commission had held n
session that the report that was TO receive
the signatures of the Logan members
must embody the recommendation that
least that the Agricultural college be
maintained where ~ is. With the proper
allowance for human nature. II was abso-
lutely certain that no resident OF Cache
county would take the risk OF enforced
migration for the small satisfaction of be-
Ing officially obstinate on this, point.
For the sake merely Of evening up with
the Logan interest and not even seeming
10 be unfair you may assume local pl9s
on the part OF the members from Salt
Lake: although as a matter OF fact the
state of emotional insanity that has
seized upon the minds OF our neighbors
OF the north, The people OF Salt Lake
have not eXerted collectively or lndivid
nally. the slightest pressure upon any
citizen, private or official. beyond the
lines Of legitimate persuasion. for his
opinion or actions in this college contro-
versy.
AS for DR.. Condor. a compromise was
the natural thing to expect from a man
OF his poetic temper and ultra sympathet-
ic surroundings and the compromise
came. admitting all the facts and present
ing as a reason for compromise the only
reason that could be given by man Of
his acute understanding. namely: that
prompt and decisive action upon the con-
clusons TO which the facts revealed by
the commission directly pointed would
cause an upheaval OF feeling in Cache
county which would require years TO ad
just.
AS TO the three members from the
south. they were involved In no local in
terest no commercial scheme of aggran-
diZement no personal interest. no senti-
ment, no neighborly sympathy, in short.
no imaginable cause for a biased view OF
the subject In any direction. They united
in a document recommending consolidaS-
ton. which being acquiesced in by the
mem bers from Salt Lake. became the ma
jority report
Ny acquaintance with that report leads
me to recommend that You give It some
attention before you proceed 10 tender
your good offices to the representatives
from Weber county. or 10 deliver TO them
your instructions from the commercial
clubs OF Ogden and Logan There is a
chance that your mission may not then
seem go urgent. They have all seen that
report, and knowing some of them per-
sonally. ] feel safe in saying that they
will not d!shonor their trust by the sinls-
ter disregard OF public interest which
characteriz the action of their would be
commercial dictators.
G.. CORAY.