The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-03-09
CACHE coUNTY's VIEW.


In another column of this issue will
be found a communication from Logan
on the controversy between the
University and Agricultural col
lege as it is viewed by the Cache
county people. Briefly stated. it OPP
poses the submission to the people of a
constitutional amendment making pos
sible a consolidation of the two state
schools. In support of this opposition
TO submission. the writer argues that
such submission would not settle the
question finally that it would be I'M
fair to throw the controversy into a
campaign involving national issues;
that the present agitation is not the re-
suit of demand from the people. but
is due to 1.-THE work of jealous parti-
sans" and is mot the result of refec-
ton or the exercise of good judgment"
by the people.
1t is hardly necessary for The Herald
to preface discussion of this communi-
cation with the statement that this pa
per has no desire to take sides in the
main controversy. 1t recognizes the
value of both Institutions to the state:
it does not pretend to pass upon the
ACCESSIBILITY of consolidation or. sepa-
rate operation with such information
at hand as has been Afforded bv the
partisans of the two schools. It doubts
whether any member of the legislature
understands the subject well enough to
say disinterestedly and wisely just
what should be done now
Granting that the discussion has not
disclosed sufficient data for a final de-
cision, The Herald still sees no reason
why the whole question should not be
submitted to a vote of the people of
Utah for a final and permanent SETTLE
ment of the matter. Certainly submits
sion would result in a prolonged and
thorough discussion and investigation
of the facts by all the people Two
years would elapse before the amend
ment could be voted upon, and that
length of time ought to afford ample
opportunity for both sides to present
their views.
The Logan correspondent assumes it
would be unfair to inject this issue into
a campaign involving national issues
THAT might be true if the vote were to
be taken Immediately. but it will be
some months before any campaign is
on, the subject will be debated all over
the state long before election time. and
ku;poa ft iS a nnppolit{oal ,,,o-t;o.. :. =
party issues need be confused with Il
either in the campaign or in the final
Vote.
1t is urged that the constitutional
convention passed on the location and |
system OF mana cement for the two
schools, and that the decision of the
convention was ratified by the people.
which should be conclusive But the
delegates to the convention were NOT
chosen on this issue, nor was there auy
contention about it. 1t may be true. as
the Logan man asserts. that there
FOR what he calls the lobbyists" Of the
University; but whatever the reason. /
the agitation exists. it recurs every
year. it has a strong following in pub
lie sentiment and it will continue until
Il vote of the people on this specific
question can be had. No matter what
the origin of the row. there is a row
frery time the legislature meets. ana il
should be stopped for the good Of the
two universities and for the good of the
state.
IL the people of the state have a
chance 10 vote on this matter their de-
rision should be final and permanent
Once such a vote is had no party or
faction OF a party would be foolish
Enough to open up agitation anew. be-
cause the public would not tolerate it.
Moreover. If there is no general de-
snand asuong the people tor conso1ida-
ton or change in the system of col
lege administration. the Agricultural
college ought TO be glad to submit the
Question to a popular vote. Once their
had popular approval for it's
location and form Of administration +
there would be an end of these recur-
ring and harassing attacks. whether ]
[rnsn friends of fha University ar fraro