Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-13
Nebraska
EXTENSION AVOIDS POLITICS
University of Nebraska Authorities
Come to Decision.
SERVE NOTICE UPON PUBLIC
HencefOrth in This Department BOOk-
J ings VIII Not he Made for
Men I'm Political
Game.
(From a Staff Correspondent

LINCOLN, Feb. 12.-(special )-Chan-
cellor Samuel Avery has issued the fol-
lowing statement:
The non-partisan character of the man
agement of. the University Of Nebraska
curing the forty-one years of its exist
ence is a matter OF pubic record and
need not be emphasized in this connection.
Boards Of Regents, the majority Of whose
members were democrats or republicans.
have at all times resisted the pressure OF
politicians in a way which has been most
commendable and have established a prec-
edent which is not likely to be set aside
at any time in the future.
Recently there has arisen a question OF
the propriety Of scheduling. under the
auspices Of the university extension de-
partment, certain men in the state who
LSre candidates for office Or who are sup
pobed to be such, 1t has been, up to the
present, the policy of this department to
publish in its list of available speakers
the names of a very large number of pub
lie men Of all political parties who are
wAiing to discuss on the lecture platform
eSpics OF public interest in a non-partisan
way, and in preparing this list no dis
elimination whatever has been made on
account Of the politics of the various
Speakers. Furthermore, no attempt has
been made TO place a speaker at any par
tlcular point. and in placing the speakers
the wishes Of the several communities have
Z been the sole determining factor. These
communities pay the actual expenses Of
the speakers only, the service being
gratis, and so the work has been con-
Quoted without expense to the university
except for the maintenance OF the central
office.
However, in spite of the efforts to con-
duct this work in a perfectly non-partlsan
way, the presence on the lecture platform
OF certain men generally regarded as candi-
dates for office or for reelection has
brought criticism on the university man
agem0nt, generally from those who have
failed to realize that the local manage
meAt was responsible for the speakers
presence and a man OF a different political
creed could have been secured II, SO de-
sired. AS the work of university extension
is new to the director and to the uni
versity, the attitude of the state in regard
to the matter has been followed very
closely by all officials interested. After
many consultations and a very careful
study of the situation, the director of the
extension work, the chancellor. and all the
members of the Board of Rregents who
could be reached for consultation, are
unanimous in the opinion that it is fol
the best interests Of the university thai
in the future no one shall be scheduled
to lecture under the department OF uni,
versity extension whose presence might be
reasonably interpreted as representing g
desire on the part of the local Commute,
or on the part Of anyone else. to influenc,
in a partisan way votes at any coming
election. g.
Representatives of communities, there
fore, which desire the presence of men Il
public life should write directly to tn
speakers themselves. Any letters from nov
on received by the department Of universit,
extension asking for the presence of an,
of the gentlemen Of the class under con
sideration will be sent to the speaker
asked for, explaining the reason why it
thought undesirable to continue the
names on our lists. The university All