Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1912-01-26
THE UNIVERSITY REFERENDUM

The Observer is in receipt of a
lengthy communication from one H.
j. Parkison, of Portland, opposing
the State University appropriation
and defending the application of the
referendum thereto. So far as The
Observer is concerned Il has not the
pleasure of the gentlemans acquaint-
ance, neither does it know why Col
Parkison is butting in to this mat
ter, unless simply to use the privilege
every man has to convert himself in
to special guardian of the welfare
of the people and to thus air any lit
tie ism" htat he possesses let the
effects be what they may. We do
know, however that we do not agree
with the gentleman in his fight on
the appropriation The Observer has
always stood for better and broad
er education, and anything which
tends to this direction, and is leglti-
mate, will have this newspapers sup
port Fortunately for the present
publishers of The Observer, perhaps,
they are too recent citizens of Ore
gon to be familiar with all the va
rious qualifications connected with
the appropriation, and the referen-
dun against 1t, and we can only view
1t in its broader sense, and form our
conclusions thereby. What we do
know is that the legislature appro-
priated $503,000 for betterments at
the State University and to further
the educational advantages of Ore
gon. We also find that those who are
opposing the appropriation and sup
porting the referendum, are in favor
of the consolidation of the Agricul-
tural college and the University, that
still others are in favor of a central
lied school system while still anoth-
er class. and the most unreasonable
of ALL are invoking the referendum
because they wish to punish the Leg
islature for its log rolling proclivi-
ties as Parklson says i'm his letter.
The fact that the three motives {
above cited have been used in oppo-
sition to the appropriation seems to
gnment in its favor. The Observer
is unqualifedly opposed to consolida- /,
ton, Is not in favor of a centralized
school system and does not believe -,
IN inJuring our educational institu-
tions by surrounding them with un-
certainties merely to punish a log /,
rolling legislature.
So far as we can discover the leg
stature of Oregon has never been :
enthusiastic in support of the educa-
.ional institutions Of the state. That :
$ why the Institutions of our neigh =
'oring state of Washington are rat y
ID so much higher than our own and =
'hN their student bodies are so much =,
arger than Oregon's. Economy is
light and proper when aimed at ex- y,
raNagant expenditures, but our edu- :,
ational institutions are poor tar ~
et FOR such craftsmanship. Parki- -
on suggests that II is his desire. and y
$50 that OF a large following, to re- "
love the university and the agrieul- ~
iral college from the realm Of pet
politics. Right there is where
has the support OF The Observer. 81
ut 1t appears that he. and the OF
tends of the university referendum Il
'e doing all in their power to plunge no
''h institutions still further into the or
ire OF politics and that OF the petty oN
nd peanut brand Disgruntled and pa
'agrlned in their efforts TO throttle ca
10 advancement OF educational ad- TIT
ntages In Oregon, they invoke the sta
q OF a system that is open 10 crit Su
SIN and seek, 10y the nimsiest of WI
guments. 20 strike n stunning blow as
an institution which is entitled Tat
III has right 10 expect. the united acc
pport OF an the people. The rep
nensible tactics employed 10 defeat
e appropriation is amply shown hv pa
p frauds unearthrd iu the referen- han
m petition which should condemn ket
IN the minds OF an honest people 90
Parkison admits that the appli- bro
non OF the referendum is in the ma pro
e of destructive legislation" sim ore
attempts Go defend Il by declar- rigl
that the constructive legislation the
ich viii follow win certainly over theI
ne any IN effects that may be p
'rged up against the Oregon s,s-
l. Here IS where we again dis Il
ee with the Portland champion OF prir
referendum. The Observer does robi
believe in tearing down ln order Alta
build up, especially when the the
.hods employed are 50 stepped IN natt
pa as those which our courts have stor
Jared surround the attempt 10 de- ster,
the University appropriation. with