Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1910-10-11

in opposing the Normal schools. for
the very good reason that the college
and the normals work along entirely
separate lines and the prosperity of
the one in no way conflicts with the
prosperity of the others. While the
people of Dallas are loyal to their COL
lege, it is extremely doubtful If a
single voter in this city even gave a
thought to what the effect of the de-
| feat of the appropriation bill would be
on Dallas College when he voted
against that measure four years ago.
The truth is, the defeat of the appro-
priation bill did not benefit Dallas Col
ell. Dallas College prepares boys and
girls for university work; 1t does not
make a speciality of training teachers.
The claim that this college is fighting
the state schools for selfish purposes
is not true, and we hope that no voter
in oregon will be deceived by it.
The Ashland paper processes to be
unable to understand why Polk County
should give its vote to Mr. Bowerman.
The reason why it did so is because
the people of Polk County desire to
divorce their schools from the very in
fluence that has led to their destruc-
tion--namely, politics. They realize,
to man, that the Normal schools of
Oregon were "in wrong" that grave
mistake was made when these schools
were dragged into politics. When Mon
mouth people recently inaugurated the
plan to re-estabIish the Normal in their
town, they announced to the voters
and taxpayers of the state that it was
their desire to take their school out of
politics and to place it on the same
basis as that upon which other state
are conducted. These
people meant exactly what they said,
and the recent vote in the town of
the Republicans of that town voted |
for Mr. Bowerman. They voted
FOR him because they believed him to
be the best man for the office of Gov
ernor, and not because of anything he
1ad done, or had not done, for their
legislature. Could better proof be
lsked that the friends of the Mon
mouth school were in earnest when
hey declared 1t was their desire to
AXE their school out of politics?
The fact is-strange as it may seem
o few of the friends of the Ashland
Normal, who, while protesting a de-
ire to remove their school from the
political game, are yet working poll
les for all it is worth-the people of
are not unfriendly to Mr..
3owerman because of his attitude
oward the Normals in the last legis-
ature. The friends of Monmouth
ealized that the Normal question had
0 come to a SHOW down" some day;
hat schools and politics should not,
nd could not, be mixed without the
chools eventually getting the worst of
t. They realized that their school,
While doing good work, was resting
pon an uncertain foundation, and
hat existing conditions would have to
nd, sooner or later. While there was
certain feeling of disappointment
ver the failure to secure another ap-
ropriation, little or no resentment
vas harbored toward Mr.. Bowerman, {
lection plainly shows.
The friends of the Monmouth school
elleve that the taxpayers of Oregon !
re not unfrlendly to the Normal
chools, but that the only objection is
D the manner in which these schools
'ere supported by the state. They be- I
eve that the voters of Oregon will I
elp them remove these schools from
olitics and permanently establish one
r more of them as state institutions,
D be supported and maintained as the !
sylum and penitentiary and other
tate institutions are supported and !
They are asking the ,
oters to consider the Monmouth
chool strictly upon It's merits and up
n it's past record Of usefulness, and
pom the further fact that here the
ate has over 100000 worth of I
school property, already I
ought and paid for. They ask that I
he people investigate to the fullest eX- /
mt the past record of this school, and
10 results it has accomplished, and !
len vote accordingly. They are pre- {
sntfng their case with the request t
lat il be decided solely upon its
eTits, and not by any political deals
: combinations With the verdict of
lie people, they will be satisfied.