The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-01-19
IN DEFENSE.

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! have seen with pleasure the in
terest of The Muscular in the well
fare Of University students and the
proper conduct of the faculty, though
1 have sometimes wished the interest
were a little better informed as to
facts and a little fairer in criticisms.
During my service at the university
have always felt that my leisure
time vas my own to use in m prop
er way. 1 have always felt it my duty
to render any possible public service
and it has been a pleasure to do so.
Promotion of consolidation has
seemed to me worthy service, both
for the public and for the university;
the best possible service. It does not
seem to me improper or unreasonable
for teachers to nave opinions on an
educational question and to actively
promote those opinions; certainly such
conduct is not improper when the
opinions are approved by their em-
ployers, in this case the state board
F.; Of education.
Such criticisms as hav appeared in
your columns from s.. G. T. and some
other sources seem to me deliberate
attempts to oppose a cause by ydefam-
ing its advocates. The hypocrisy of
the sneers and i~nsinuations of s.. G.. T.
and others against the university fac
ulty is shown by the fact that they
have not a word of censure for mem-
bers of the faculty Of the agricultural
college, absent from classes and lob
bying at Helena against consolidation.
not a word Of censure for the reported
1Ohhyinp finds fnrnicho1 onoirof onr-
solidation.
No member of the university faculty
has yet been lobbying with the legis-
lature at Helena. In fact, there has
been SO far this school veal less alb.
sences than usual because the univer-
sity extension work has not yet been
actively begun. Within a month or
so there will be more travel in the
state to meet schools and clubs. What
a deluge there will be then, when
mere baseless fabrications and reports
have inspired such weeping over the
depravity of the faculty and the con-
sequent sad fate of students.
Unless S. G. T. is a solid gold saint,
will venture to match with his my
appreciation Of duty and attention
to it.
Since S. G.. T.. continues to use his
harp Of one string and strike such
doleful strains about the lands of the
four higher schools. I will call atten-
ton to The fact that he seems to be
deliberately jumbling together facts
and figures about the vast body Of
public school lands with the smaller.
more carefully selected and valuable
lands of the four institutions. BY so
doing he conveys the impression tina
100000 acres of the lands of these in
situations have been sold during the
past two years at an average of $15
per acre. Where are the $2.7oO, 900 OF
the funds of the four schools con-
cealed? He conveys the impression Of
this absurdity by using facts that APP
ply to public school lands in his dis
cussion Of values of and endowments
of the higher institutions, as though
they applied to these endowments.
The staple arguments presented so
far against the plan of consolidation
are criticisms of the predictions Of
value Of e~ndowments and number Of
students; these and throwing mud at
the university faculty. But these are
mere political campaign tricks.
Any one can see that by these crit
icisms Of value and numbers argu-
ments for consolidation are furnished.
For obviously, the less the number Of
students and the less the endowments
the greater the need of economy by
consolidation and the more foolish is
the Wasteful policy of scattering these
students and these endoWments.
The plan for consolidation was pre-.
sented in a large s~tatesmanlike FASH
ion for consideration and discussion,
Opponents should meet it in the same
fashion, not by perversions, misrepre-
sensations magnifying non-essential
defects, carping criticisms, dust rails
Ing and mud throwing. These belong
to a low type Of political campaign
Ing ard not to discussion Of a great
educational question.
The legislative bill has not yet been
fully prepared. When it is then will
be the time for criticism Of details.
Advocates Of small colleges have
some arguments against consolidation
worthy Of respectful consideration.
The small college has an important
place and should be and will be pre-
served. We have several in the state
apart from the four state institutions.
May they live long and prosper. But
the question is whether the state
should continue to maintain four such
institutions or combine them into one
real great university and leave the
small college field for others to Gull
tivate. We believe Montana has
enough resources If concentrated to
establish a university which within
the present generation could be for
the state such a source Of light, guild
ance n power in all fields as the
University Of Wisconsin is for that
state. This is a splendid vision and
entirely practicable of realization. 1t
is a shame to have it hidden and
caused to fail by the dust throwing
Of personal and local interests and
other methods Of INSCRIPTIONS polit-
ical campaigning. Let the plan in its
essential features be decided on its
merits, that is all we ask.
S. CT. has stated that If the uni
versity faculty had stayed at home
and attended to their business, Cow