Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-01-11

emily clear and well define limits as to
the scope within which a given educa-
tional institution is confined to its work,
AS a result, there is a growing tendency
TO overlap and to work at cross purposes;
a constant temptation on the part Of one
to enlarge its plan so as to receive stu
dents, who more properly belong to the
other. This condition should not exist
between institutions which belong alike
to the state, and which are maintained by
taxes imposed upon all the people.
Each institution should be given strong
and built up to the highest point of eff
ficiency, but there should be a clearly
it is to perform that work.
/ am looking at the matter with perfect
impartiality and with a desire to be just
and fair to each institution, and I submit
that ii will be better for each and all of
/ them to have their several courses of
study and lines of work so clearly defined,
that each will perform it's functions in the
most acceptable manner to the state with
out overlap piping the work of another, and
that they be held strictly to the channels,
and the expenditure OF public funds IN
| their aid be kept strictly within the limits,
prescribed by law Great care, of course,
should be used in fixing these limits so
as not to impair the usefulness of each,
but they should be made clear and specific
and when made, should be strictly ad-
Second. There is a feeling of uncertain
ty and insecurity among many who are
connected with these institutions. which
grows out of q fear that, Regardless of
merit and faithful service, their tenure. of
position is in constant danger from politi-
| cal intrigue and partisan politics: and that
merit and faithfulnesS must yield to IA
voritism, and the political pull" There
should be no ground for concern on this
account: The time has come when IT
| should be made clear and emphatic that
the fixed and permanent policy of the
state is to place the management of these
institutions entirely above all questions
of political expediency and favoritism. A
rule of civil service should be applied to
the admins tration of the public %institu-
- 80 .loL - IT. NH ~ arnL yr,a Z ~ 70 I N DI
by taxation upon all the people and their
patrons and beneficiaries come from all
political parties. The purpose of the state
to deal with them along non-partisan lines
should be declared so emphatically that no
faithful and efficient president, superin-
tendent, professor, or employe need have
any fear of losing his place through in
trigue, favoritism, f~actionalism or chang
ing political fortunes. He should be made
! assurance that the only test of his right
to continue in the service of the state Is
his faithful and efficient performance of
duty and his worthiness.
[ find that the state already has on It's
hands at Brookings, Madison and Rapid
city, buildings which are in a worn out
and dilap.dated condition and are fast be
coming ~untenantable. These. buildings
were lily constructed and lily planned, and
the time is near when they VIII have to be
torn down.
School and Public Lands.
The opening paragraph in the very IN
terestiug report Of the commissioner OF
1 SCh0Ol ana PUBIC ldldS lcr the Dlenn-ai
period ending June 20, 1906, IS as follows:
.On the Goth day of June, 1896, there were
only seven cents of the permanent school
fund.uninvested and lying idle in the state
/ treasury, the balance of said fund con-
sist.ng Of s3.s6T.4S9.S2, loane in the several
counties of the stale, and $1,540, 09T So in de-
ferred payments on school lands sold,
making a grand total of $4.S07,5S7.0S, which
| is rawin interest. OF this amount $685.
4o3.19 in loans, and $1,54o,o97.56 in deferred
! payments, is drawing 6 per cent. interest
and the balance, $2,269, 0S6.3 SO is drawing {
per cent. interest.
The keeping of this large fund safely in
vested requires great watchfulness and ac-
tiv.ty.
While the unsold school lands are stead
| iIy advancing in value, 1T is very doubtfu
wisdom to go on selling them. In my
Judgment, the best of these lands should
be taken from the market, and / heartily
agree with the recommendation of tho
commissioner that the minimum price be
raised to $50 per acre. 1t appears from
his report that the average price per acre
of these lands sold from 1881 to 1894 wa: