The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-03-05
A FARGO VIEW OF.
APPROPRIATIONS
NATTER
Forum Evades the Facts in
Discussing Legislative Treat
ment of State u.

Elsewhere Is reproduced an article
from the Minneapolis Tribune with
reference to the intended resignation
of President Merrifield of the State
University, and dealing also, in brief,
with the respective appropriations for
the university and Agriculture COL
lege. Commenting thereon, the Fargo
Forum, in its accustomed manner OF
evasion and misapplication of facts,
says:
Fargo Forum: The Tribune article
is sufficiently misleading to warrant
correction. The states leading in
stitution" should indulge only in
facts. 1t partisans of the state uniyer.
sity would cease persistently to use
the agricultural college as standard
by which to measure up its own SUI
periority and greatness the u would
nave more friends. The leading edu-
cational institution" is the one that
ahords educational facilities most
nearly in touch with the life of the
people; that meets modern demands,
and that is in keeping with the pro-
sress of the age. The people need not
be constantly reminded which is the
leading educational institution" They
will determine that for themselves.
Referring to the above quotation.
the reader is informed that the state
university gets, in the way of appro-
priations for the next biennial period.
s92,7S5. as against s166,475 by the
agricultural college. This is grossly
misleading. The A. G. gets exactly
$4,000 for educational purposes, as
against $92,735 by the U. The $4,000
for demonstration farms, farmers bull
letins, etc., the $4,000 for pure food
enforcement, the $1,000 for making
chemical and baking tests from North
Dakota grown wheats, the $4,000 for
seed barns and root cellar, and the
$1,000 for implement shed have no
bearing upon the educational work of
the agricultural college, and in no
sense enter into competition with the
educational work Of the university. OF
the total amount appropriated for the
next biennial period, $4,000 (not
Sl66,475 as stated above), all but $780,
ooo is to be used for station, field or
police work, and has no bearing what
ever upon the educational work of the
agricultural college. Where the two
institutions enter into competitive
work the university gets $2,735 in ex-
cess of what is appropriated for the
agricultural college, just as it got
about $4,000 in excess of the A. C.
two years ago. And the friends of the
A. G. never made kick.
What sense is there in charging to
the account of the agricultural college
sums OF money appropriated for work
that has no bearing upon student edu-
cation, such as an appropriation for
constructing a root cellar, for drain
age experiments, or a seed barn, and
which in no way completes with the
educational work of the U? If the
members of the station staff connected
with the agricultural college can be
helpful to the industrial interests of
the state, and If they devote a portion
OF their energies to those interests and
the state pays the actual cost of doing
the work, must the university have the
sums OF money so appropriated dupli-
Gated for its educational work? Be-
SIDES that. though the university is
crowded for want Of room, the agricul-
tural college has had to turn away an
average OF about 300 students annually
for want of room. With the $4,000
Just appropriated for a mechanical
laboratory the A. c. will still be as
badly crowded as is the university.
The college is fully that far behind
the other state educational institu-
tons SO far as facilities have been pro-
vided, and therefore logically gets
about $4,000 for natural future
growth during the next biennial per-
Tod as against $92,735 for the future
growth of. the university. The Sos, 900
appropriated for a mechanical build
Ing should have been appropriated at
least four years ago, and the two
institutions come in for practically
equal appropriations at this time.
While on this subject it may be we'll
to review the oft made insinuation that
other state educational institutions
simply boast Of numbers while the
quality of the work should be taken
into account, the inference being that
the university does not indulge in the
former, but eXcels in the latter. No
institution of the state has SO exag-
gerated its enrolment. It even adds
all its summer teachers to its enroll
ment to swell the number, while for
quality Of work done, with such heads
OF departments as Professors Hut Nc
Ardle. Halland, Ladd. Bolley, Keene,
Rose, Willard, etc, in the academic
and engineering departments, the ag-
ricultural college can afford to rest it's
case without comment.
The Forum has no desire to agitate
the issue raised by the friends of the
university, beyond stating the facts,
and believes that when the present
agony is over the impartial Judge will
decide that, all things considered, the
legislative assembly was pretty fair.
The cut on the mill tax extends aid
to other institutions and still leaves
the university more money for main
tSAA""SS uioh IlAo "a. ~. receives, Wnllc
the university's income for the next
two years will increase nearly twice ac
rapidly as will that of the agricultural
college,
Representative Henry of Texas, the
present caucus chairman, and Repre-
sentative John A. Moon of Tennessee.
are among the latest candidates mem
toned as possible successor to Mr..