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

never be more %eloquently and moro
~attractiveIv presented than it wa.
shaped Yesterday by President Craig
mead of the state university. For
more than two hours the president
talked and then he came back with
a forty-minute discussion of brief re-
marks which had been made against
the plan.
-Four hours the members of the
chamber of commerce had listened
and waited: about fifty had been
compelled to retire on account of
business calls But the rest of the
men listened ~courteously and at
t%entively. Then they voted.
The count was SO against the con-
solidation plan and 6 for it. Three
of the. six were members of the uni
versity faculty.
The vote was taken upon a motion
to adopt resolutions presented by w.
M. Bickford On behalf of a commit
tee which had been named by the
executive committee. of the chamber.
These resolutions follow:
The Resolutions.
Whereas, We are informed in con-
nection with the proposed plan of ON
%solidating the Institutions if higher
education in the state of Montana, it
has been represented that the senti-
ment among business men and others
in MiSsoulA is overwhelmingly in
favor of the plan that has beer sug-
gested, the Missoula Chamber of
Commerce feels that the time has
come when its position as representa-
tative of the business, commercial and
financial interests of Missoula should
be made. clear; therefore, be it
Resolved, First, that it is the sense
of this organization that while the
argument for consolidation may have
had considerable weight 20 years ago,
before the institutions had Deer locat-
ed, the fact that they are already es-
tablished in different cities and that
large sums have been invested in their
equipment. ~disposes to a great extent
of the arguments that are now being
advanced in favor of consolidation In
support of which opinions are cited
from college presidents who wrote
these opinions under the condition of
1892.
Second, we believe. it to be the duty
of Missoula to act in concord with
the cities Of Montana with whom our
relations in the past have been so cor
dial and whom we have co-operated
in many campaigns for the public
good. And further to consider the
financial interest of the state in a
matter which involves 50 large an ex-
penditure.
Third. that we believe that the
statement is incorrect, which we are
told has been made to the. effect that
nine-tenths of the people of Missoula
are in favor of the proposed CONSOLE
dation plan. We believe that nine
tenths of the people of Missoula are
opposed to the plan of consolidation
that has beer proposed.
Fourth, that we believe the ocation
of the university in Missoula has
placed the state under obligation to
maintain that institution here. that
obligation resting between the state
and the many people who have moved
here to make their homes, who have
invested here in business and in Hal
estate with the belief that this was
and always would be the site of the
University of Montana.
Fifth, that we feel the proposed
plan for consolidation is defective in
many essential features. We believe
that the possible endowment resulting
from the sale of state lands has been
greatly overeStimated; we believe tnar
the statement Of the attendance of
Montana students in colleges outside
of the state has been presented in a
misleading manner; the proposed es-
adjustment of polytechnic schools at
the abandoned plants of the uniVer-
sity, agricultural college, normal
school and school of mines would en-
tail expense which, added to the cost
of epuipping maintaining the con-
Solidated university, would greatly in
crease to the state the cost of it's
educational work instead of decreas-
ing it: the proposal to leave the 10.
cation of the consolidated school to
a disintcrested commission is nullified
by the succeeding paragraph. which
proposes to place the institution on
the auction block and bestow it upon
the highest bidder; that the argument
against the advantages of small col
leges is not sustained by opinions and
experience of the leading educators of
tit ttHllllNy lho lhS ohio >oAiSSC
with an attendance never greater
one thousand is the most effec-
tive institution of higher education;
that the great distances in Montana
render it even now desirable that
there. be several institutions of higher
education in the state, distributed as
at present and that this necessity will
increase with the growth in popula-
ton which is inevitable.
Sixth, that the secretary of the
MiSsoula Chamber of be
instructed to notify other similar or
CARNATIONS and the Western Montana
delegation in the Legislature espe-
cially and all members in general, that
it is the sentiment of this %organiza-
ton that the consolidation of the
state institutions of higher education
is unWise.
An Eloquent Speech.
President Coffee presided at the
meeting. The attendance numbered
1870. President Craighead was intro
duced before. the luncheon had been
concluded and the cafe Of the Palace