Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1911-01-18

HAS come TO De IG1C as a U6dVy DuTQSu
by the people of the state. At the
same time farmers and producers are
compelled III many cases to sell their
products to trusts and combinations at
greatly reduced prices. Whether as
producers or consumers, therefore, we
have been placed at the mercy of
those who Wasteful1y or selfshly dom
mate the markets through which
these products pass
Some of this domination is beyond
our control and can be reached only
by the federal government, to which
we must look for remedial legislation
on the tariff, the regulation Of rail
roads and the control of trusts But
the state govern ment also can do
much. Recent experience has taught
us that the ability Of this state to
control corporations and solve com
pick and difficult economic problems
is much greater than many reopIe
have thought. Put our success in this
new field is easily understood Wis
consin entered upon the policy of reg
uIation of railways and public utility
companies only after a nest careful
investigation conducted by it's law
makers, aided by the best experts the
0ountrv afforded. Thus prepared, the
scientific talent in the service of the
state proved itself match for the
representatives of the public service
corporations. The same methods
should enable US now to meet the still
more complicated and difficult prob
lens ahead of us.
The proposed commission connected
with the state departments should be
preliminary only to the great prac-
teal work OF putting the state in posi-
tion to meet the economic demands
of the people. Thee should be an
rvestigation of the operations of the
anthracite and bituminous coal COM
binations, which now charge those
who buy coal in Wisconsin, including
the state government, enormous sums
o. money annually in excess of what
is fair and reasonable Without coal
fields of her own, Wisconsin is at the
mercy of combinatiors in other states
and nothing short Of the fullest eXer-
else of all the constitutional al powers
Of the commonwealth can cone with
this serious drawback on her economic
development. And so also Of Cher
combinations which control products
needed by our people.
Education.
The question Of education is always
one of fundamental Importance. It
should be broadly and literally con-
sidered. The various AGENCIES and
institutions now enea eed in educetion-
al work in Wisconsin are all parts Of
a single system. They have rotfing
to gain by dissention Rivalry or
jealousy between them is as illogical
as it will ultimately prove unprofit-
able The common schools cannot be
built up by tearing the university
down any more than the university
can be built up by tearing the COM
mon schools down..
The common schools are now the
weakest part Of the entire system.
Country schools, esrecia'lv, have "ot
kept pace with city schools. The
country schools need better attend
ance, better instruction and better
supervision. Comretert observers
maintain that at the present time in
about half the country schools of Wis
consin, all Of these essential factors
are lacking and that in all of them
supervision is far from satisfactory.
Reports show that there are mir ety.
seven country schools in Wisconsin,
each with an enrolment of less than
half a dozen pupils. There are $50
such schools each with an enrolment
of more than five but less than eleven
pupils. There are 701 country schools
each with an enrolment Of more than
eleven but less than sixteen pupils.
Thus there are LOTS country schools
out of total of $500 with an enroll
ment each of fifteen pupils or less. In
other words there is an actual attend
ance of less than ten pupils in one
sivth Of +he cou rtry schools Of the
state. Neither argument nor illustra-
ton is necessary to demonstrate the
westefulness of such a system.
To meet this condition some sys-
tenn of consolidation should be intro
duced whereby a number of small
schools, convenientlv located, may be
combined. Consolidation of country
schools long ago PASSED the expert
mental stage. Ohio. Indiana, and other
states have tried it successfully for
some time Experience urder this
eve+eno in these states shows that
while the expense of maintenance has
not diminished neither has 1t in
creased; while thnre has been great
Improvement irefH oiency.
In all of its DEPARTMENTS the univer-
ei+v has crown rorid1v in recent years.
There are now about 5000 students in
attendance It is an institution q
which the state NAV we'll be proud.
desire only to remind you that grants
of revenue for the maintenance Of the
university should be regarded as in
vestmente. which in tho raet have
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