The San Francisco call., 1909-02-12

Assemblyman P. F. Cogsweu. chair
man of the committee on agricuI-
ture.
Appropriations Opposed
The college of agriculture Of the
state university was scored for inef-
cheney of a most glaring kind by AS
semblyman CogsweI, chairman of the
committee on agriculture. in a state
ment made to The Call yesterday. and
the assurance was given that many OF
the departments applications to the
legislature for appropriations would
sleep in committee or be returned to
the assembly with an adverse report.
because Cogswei1 considers the appro-
priatiors unnecessary.
Students of the institution are cred
tied BY the assembIyman with having
the ambition 10 become gentleman
farmers" the faculty is stated to be
stuffed with theoretical knowledge. but
woefully lacking in practical expert
ence of the subjects in which its mem
bers endeavor to instruct. and the
methods of procedure at the college
are also held up to scorn.
Plea for Practical Men
''The agricultural college needs
practical ideas more than it does ap-
preparations" Cogsweu said yesterday,
"and the young men who attend the
school should be made to realize that
they are there for serious purpose.
becoming gentleman farmers which
means that they Will learn little moro
than elementary principles, if that
much. The faculty Of the institu-
ton is composed Of very good theoreti-
cal men, but their practical knowledge
is limited
We should strive to bring the coll
lege up to the standard of the agri-
cultural schools of the universities OF
Wisconsin and Minnesota. which exert
this country at the present time. To
do this we need practical men as well
as theorists. Several Of the bills now
before our committee are entirely un-
necessary at the present time and prob
ably viii be returned to the assembly
with an adverse report"
Dean Wickson in Defense
BERKELEY. Feb. 11.-To the start
ling charges made by Assemblyman
Cogswen regarding the college OF agri-
culture at the university Prof E. ].
Wickson. the dean. returns hat de-
NAL. He adds that CogsweI's criti-
cisms are 'nonsensica1 and ridiculous
He says that the department is one OF
the best investments the people OF CAL
ifornia have made at the university.
IF I felt sure that the statements
attributed to Assemblyman Cogswen
were worthy of reply I should be COM
PEELED to characterize them as nonsen-
sicaI and ridiculous" Professor Wick
son said last night when the law max
er's warm words were communicated
to him
There are ample records at hand to
meet these statements. but shall not
go into formal argument unless after
discussion with President Wheeler such
a course should be considered ad-
visable.
Standards Called High
Il an ret sure tonight that any re-
ply should be made to Mr.. Cogswell.
He is sadly misinformed concerning the
college. The standards OF matricula-
ton are probably higher here than in
the wisconsin and Minnesota institu-
tions OF which he spoke. He does not
realize perhaps that thousands OF
practical farmers in California are call
ing upon the college of agriculture for
information by which they are shaping
practical methods of farming
The college is exerting a broad In
fiuence upon agriculture. as the pro-
gressive farmers OF the state we'll
know The farmers Institutes con-
Quoted throughout the state under di-
rection of the college faculty are popu-
lar and are surely accomplishing coed