The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-15
PUTS END TO IT.
Gov. Stubbs' Veto of Regents
Consolidation Bill.
Finds That Educational Men OPP
pose Plan.
BOARD is TOO SMALL.
Says Higher Salaries AlsOShould
Be Provided.
Appoints a Commission to In
Vestfgate Situation.

As was predicted Tuesday the gov
ernor vetoed the board of regents bill.
sending the message up to the legis-
lature at the 5 o'clock session. This
| measure provided for the consolida-
ton of the boards of all the state edu-
cational institutions into one board Of
three members. The governor, as soon
as the bill was passed, asked educa-
t1ona1 experts all over the country by
wire for their opinion on such a plan.
Most of them thought that good
| enough men could not be secured for
the $4,000 salary offered The fol-
| lowing are the men to whom the gov
ernoF sent telegrams:
A Lawrence Powell, president of
Harvard university; w. o. Thompson,
University of Ohio; VIM. L. Bryan,
president of. the University of Indi-
ana; James H. Baker, president of the
University of Colorado; c. A. Duna-
way, president of Montana State uni
verSity; R. G. MacLaurin, president of
the Massachusetts Institute of Tech
nology; E. E. Brown, commissioner of
education for the United States. Ed
ward F. Smith, president of the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania; David Starr
Jordan, Leland Stanford university;
Harry Pratt JudsOn, president of the
University of Chicago; Andrew s.
Draper, state commissioner of Educa-
ton of New York; Charles w. Elliot,
former president of Harvard; r. c.
Slagle, South Dakota Agricultural col
lege; Henry s. Pritchett, president of
the Carnegie Foundation; Jacob Gould
Schurman, president of Cornell uni
versity; Chas. r. VanHise, president
of the University of Wisconsin; Cyrus
Northrup, president of the University
of Minnesota; F. w. Gunsaulus, pres
ident of the Armour Institute of Tech
noIogy; A. T. Hadley of Yale; Homer
80 ko&1
NAL of Iowa; F. B. Gault. president of
the University of South Dakota; Geo.
E. Mclean, president of the State Uni
versity of Iowa.
In reply to the telegram, A. L.
Powell president of Harvard, wired:
Proposed salary too small to pro-
cure good men. Better in any case to
have men of affairs like board of df-
rectors giving part time and not ex-
perts but acting through and consult
ing expert executive heads of the in
stitutions; in that case salary is suf-
ficient.''
Edward F. Smith, president of the
University Of Pennsylvania, wired:
Think it would be unwise to place
such grave responsibilities in the
hands of but three individuals"
Jacob Gould Schurman. president of
Cornell university, replied as follows:
''To prevent Institutional rivalry,
duplication of resources of men and
work and unnecessary expenditure of
public moneys I believe the principle
of consolidating the management of
your university, agricultural college
and normal schools sound and desir-
able, but I would rather put the ad-
ministration in the hands of three able
and large minded citizens without SAL
ary empowering them to employ husi-
ness experts and clerical assistance.
You can not get big enough men to
govern universities and colleges for
twenty-five hundred dollars and small
men in authority will ruin all your ed
ucational institutions"
George E. Mclean, president of the
State university of Iowa. wires as fol-
lows:
''In my opinion, bill should not be-
come law for following among other
reasons: Wait to profit by Iowa ex-
pertinent with which already there is
wide dissatisfaction. Disturbances in
college of agriculture and university
and decline in attendance So far
tanned. Twenty-Five hundred dollar
men should not be put over high sal
aried educational experts like presf-
dent and head professor Co-ordina-
ton can be obtained by separate gov
ernment by educational council con-
sisting of presidents anc representa-
tives of boards or by a standing legis-
lative commission. Compare PAM
phlet Educational Problems in North
Dakota in joint conference of presi-
dents and members of boards January,
1910. Bill endangers individuality in
stitutions and voluntary support Of
their constituents. Normals a differ
ent type of institution. Should not be
included. The unification of states
educational forces in interest of the
larger plan like that of the New York
state commission. Your bill a move
ment away from the people with dan
ger of politics"
Governor Stubs makes the follow
ing observation:
AFTER a most exhaustive investiga-
tion of the whole subject of the man.
agement and control of state educa-
tional institutions, I am convinced
that the results which this bill seeks
to accomplish are desirable, but I am
also fully convinced that these results
can be secured with greater certainty
and more safety with larger board
than the number required under this
bill.
mot only is the number of mem
bers provided for too small. but the
salaries are so low that it is impos-
sible to secure the services of vigor-
ous. earnest men in the prime of life
who are qualified by business and
educational experience to assume such
great responsibilities
''I have already inquired of a large
number of weIl-known men in this
state. possessed of the qualifications
needed asking if they would accept
service on this commission. without an
affirmative reply from one man.
'sI regard this as the most important
measure that has passed both houses
of the legislature at this session. and
therefore, have given it an unusual
amount of most careful investigation
and consideration.
ct propose in the place of a board
of three members on a salary of $2,-