Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1911-02-16
MILLIONS FOR EDUCATION

North Dakota is seriously considering
taking step, which if it were attempt
ed In South Dakota, would cause storm
ol protest and scare some conservative
legislators into Il state of collapse
North Dakota proposes to issue four
millions of bonds to be expended in up.
building the educational institutions of
that state. Think of it, Four millions
for buildings for educational institutions
OF one state not as populous as South
Dakota. If the entire state debt of
South Dakota eQualled half that amount
there would be plenty of croakers who
would declare the state was gong Tito
bankruptcy.
But North Dakota is proceeding on the
theory that IL is wise and paying policy
to equip her educational institutions At
once to do good work. Instead of ap-
propriating Sl5, 900 to S25, 900 each year
TO be expended in comparatively small
and inadequate buildings, it is proposed
to make from $4,000 to $1,000. 900
available for each school and build for
the future. That the state will be
money ahead in the long run by this
sort OF building program can be readily
seen. AS 1t is proposed to build for
posterity as well as for the present, it is
fair to let poSterity pay some of the bill.
SO the state is to be bonded and the
bonds paid off gradually as the growing
state is able.
The idea in North Dakota seems to
be that expenditures for state institu-
tionS are for the benefit of the whole
state and that the cause of education is
worthy one. In this state one might
think from the talk heard that such Ap-
preparations were for the benefit of the
towns in which the schools are located
1t is proposed to expend half million
on the Minot normal school. The fact
that this will boom things somewhat in
the town of Minot seems not to be con-
Sldered valid objection to the an
preparation in North Dakota.
The trouble in South Dakota is that
IN the bitterness of political campaigns
there have been platform speakers and
newspapers who have not hesitated to
strike blow at the educational insti-
tutlons OF the state; who have been
willing to sacrifice the cause of the
education OF our youth that political
capital might be realized; who have not
only been willing, but have tried their
best TO make the people believe they
were being plunged into hopeless debt
and taxed to death, ''all for the purpose
OF trying to get one faction out of power
and another in.
1t is time that South Dakota's best
people rise up in protest against such
talk and such knocking against the state
even in a hot political campaign.
Financially South Dakota is in good
shape. The state has never been ex.
travagant in the support of its state i'll
Stitutions and can well afford to support
literally every state institution now in
existence. The example of North Dako-
ia In calmly proposing to expend four
millions OF borrowed money in building
up its state schools, should make us
ashamed of our petty talk of extrava-
gance and the hostile attitude which has
been assumed toward our institutions.
North Dakota has three normal
schools oD which it is proposed to ex-
pend 81, ,25O,0OO. In comparison With
this the appropriations recommended by
the South Dakota board of regenos for
new buildings and additions; for our
four normal schools including sewer
systems, heating plants and the purchase
OF land, amounting to about Sl33, 900 in
two years, seem very conservative in
deed.-Sioux Falls Press.