The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-04-25
THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

The public cannot tail TO note Win
great interest the action of the new
trustees OF the Agricultural College,
both in its makeup of the revised list
Of instructors and also in the pro-
gramue which it has announced for the
conduct of the institution. With re-
gard to the force of instructors, the
people of the State generally will be
quite willing to accept at face value the
claims made in their behalf; and the
public will note with pleasure every
success that may be achieved by these
teachers in the proper line of their
work. With regard to all that, the
only criticism that can be made is that
which was made at first on the meet
ing of the new board of trustees, where
the polvgamous wing seemed TO be prac-
tically in control. This gave rise to
not unreasonable suspicion that polyg-
anlous sentiment might gather around
that college as il did gather around it
during the presidency of the notorious
Tanner, where the polygamous cult at
Logan appeared TO be given practically
full scope and direction. Whether that
dominant, intrusive cult will be as pro"
nounced in sway as 1T was at that Tune,
when Congress threatened to shut oil
the appropriation for the Experiment
Station by reason of the fact that a
polygamist was at the head of the col
lepe, remains to be seen, The law
abiding people of this State cannot
but hope for the best in all this; at
the same time the statement in the
long address Of the trustees under the
sub head, "No Church Influence" is
hardly as rcassuring as could be hoped.
It does not in the least guard against
extraneous and surrounding church and
polygamous influence, nor does 1T pre-
tend to. 1t merely announces that no
system of theology Will be taught IN
this school, its declaration in this re-
spect being as follows:
1t has been charged that the college
is under church influence. The charge
is false We will not permit any system
OF theology TO be taught In any manner
within the walls OF the college. we
know that the majority Of IT, the eonstitus
we shall use our endeavors to have the
ideals of Christ be the ideals OF the stu
dent body and OF the teaching horGe;
Further than this no religion VIII be
tolerated In the Agricultural College.
That is an exceedingly guarded state
mert, and can hardly be rcassuring to
those who have feared that during the
present control, as exercised by the
board of trustees, the polygamous cult
would be dominant In the surroundings
of the institution as whole.
There is another point upon which the
public might reasonably have some APP
prehcnsion, and that is on the point of
the duplication of studies. While the
address of the trustees is emphatic in
stating that the law will be complied
with which forbids such duplication, as
between the College and the Univer-
sity, the trustees announce in the fol-
lowing language that there will be no
change whatever in the old curriculum.
Language. mathematics. history eco
nomics the sciences and all the branches
OF learning that belong 10 liberal edu-
cation will be given as heretofore The
mated Is wholly without foundation. The
modern workman. on the iarm OF III the
shop must work with head and hand II
he is TO make success or his laoorS
If it is true that all things that Hbe-
long to a liberal education will be
given as heretofore we do not see
how the law is to be complied with
that forbids duplication of studies; be-
cause those enumerated IN the extract
given are precisely the things which one
would expect TO see taught In the Uni
versity, and which IN fact are taught
there, The practical effect, however, of
this theoretical announcement need not
necessarily be taken literally as stated.
1t is possible that such notifications
will be made in this general announce
ment as to prevent the duplication
which the law forbids; but it is quite
/ possible, on the other hand that tho
Cutler and Smoot control having
achieved its purpose, do not care any
! longer to place any restrictions upon
| the curriculum of the Agricultural Col
/ lege. IT is quite possible that having
achieved their purpose Of ousting the
old control md putting IN the control
Of the governing cult Of the church,
there will be nothing more said in Off
ical circles about the duplication of
studies, no matter how much those
studies may IN fact be duplicated. 1t
is not pleasant to think, either, that in
so far as the announcement of the pur.
pose and fair Interpretation of the
meaning of the declaration, as given by
the trustees, might be Objectionable to
American sentiment; TO just that de-