The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-11-06

1t seems incomprehensible that the
University authorities cannot feel the
sentiment which is growing up against
the university in the state and that no
steps are being taken to prevent the
spread of this sentiment. Much of
the opposition may be based on the
fact that the voters do not understand
the real needs of the university. Some
of the sentiment may be entirely
wrong from the viewpoint of state
progress, but the fact remains unde-
niable that the sentiment exists. In
stead of attempting to allay this senti-
ment the University of Wisconsin is
pursuing a course which will tend to
increase the opposition. There should
be no Improvements built by the uni
versity during the coming biennial
period save the mem dormitories,
which are really needed.
A new hall for the college of liberal
arts can be dispensed with for the pres
ent and in the present state of the
finances of Wisconsin, the university,
the same as all the other institutions
of the state, should be compelled to
practice economy. There is feeling
around the state that the university Of
Wisconsin management is inclined to
be extravagant and the university
authorities could greatly allay this if
they allowed the building appropria-
tions m, lie by the legislature to re-
main in the state treasury during the
next two years The university auth
critics will not do this, but they could
aid themselves immensely with public
sentiment if they would.
In q way the university authorities
seem absolutely not to recognize the
fact that the state Of Wisconsin, is the
owner of the university and that the
state has the right of control over the
institution. Lack of publicity about
the real management of the university
has for years been one Of its faults.
The university would profit greatly, if
instead OF sending out the press agent
stuff of the puff variety which its press
bureau attempts to foist on the news
papers of the state, its management
would give to the newspaper CORES
pondents and reporters at Madison the
real facts in regard to the current uni
versity history. AS an illustration, one
of the worst breaks which the univer-
sity authorities ever made was the tax
ing IIjor to the legislative session of
two years ago when the money for the
purchase of the land became available.
of options along Lake Mendoza on
land which it was believed was needed
to add to the university grounds.
In the first place, there was absolute
~ no need of the options as, if the
owners of the land had declined after
the legislative appropriations became
available for its purchase to sell it to
the state, eminent domain proceedings
could have been used to obtain posses
sion of the land: At the time the APP
preparation bills for the purchase of
the land were pending before the leg
islature it was denied the options had
been obtained. Very soon after the
bills became laws, however, it was
found the options existed
But this land purchase incident is
but single illustration of what has
long been the university policy. The
members of the university faculty have
seemingly never been able to under
stand that they were in fact but mere
employees of the state and as such re-
sponsible to the will of the people of
the state, and the board of regents
has In a way seemingly fostered the
attitude of Indifference on the part of
the university authorities to the Will
of the public. Now the university
officials do not seem to be able to com
prehend there is demand for econo-
my in all branches Of the state govern.
ment and are not willing that the uni
versity shall postpone the use of its
building appropriations until the state
is In better position to meet them
1t may be, however, that if the uni
versity authorities to 90 ahead and use
the appropriations as they are planning
to do they will find they have made a
move in the wrong direction and, in
stead of aiding the university, have
mace it a political issue in the state
with result that further appropria-
tions for building purposes at the uni
=
yersity for the next ten years will be
very hard to obtain from the legisla-
ture. On the other hand, the public
would applaud the university if it
should aid in the movement now no foot
in the state to conserve the state funds.
What is more, the university is max
ing a mistake taking an interest in.
politics. Thus at Madison it is pretty
well understood that the university in
huenees will do ell they can to prevent