The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-02-11
DON'T DIVIDE TO WEAKNESS.

We see that o proposition is being
made to locate branch Of the Agri'
cultural College in the southern part
of the State. We do not doubt the
local pride in that part of the State
that would be taken in such a branch
Agricultural College, but we wish once
more to protest against any policy Of
segregation. We are segregated too
much already. The best results are
obtained by consolidation. Thus, Iowa
repented of the segregation which it
made among its public institutions, an
account Of which and the effort to
amend is thus given in an Eastern ex-
change:
Iowa Is one Of the States with land
grant" colleges; She did not build them
! versity. but. like Montana and a few
other States, spread a set of institutions
widely over the State. Each went regu-
larly to the Legislature TO ask for all
the money 1t dared, and each proceeded
| TO develop itself without reference to the
others Six years ago n Joint legislative
committee was appointed to investigate
the situation. II reported unanimously in
favor OF single governing board for
| the University. the College OF Agricut-
iure and Mechanic Arts, and the State
Teachers College. Such action has been
| taken. TWO Implications We're regarded
! as especially harmful: that OF the en-
gneering department at the College Of
! Agriculture and OF the College Of Ap-
( piled Science at the University, and that
! of instruction in liberal arts at both the
| University and the State Teachers Col
/ lege. These Implications were got rid
Science at the University. and making
| the Teachers College a normal school
Yet the fundamental difficulty remains
owing to the tenacity OF The institutions
with respect to AL that they have gath
cred under their control. Nevertheless
the new policy seems 10 be working sue
cessfully
There is no doubt but that the
efforts OF Iowa to consolidate the
energies of its public institutions is
in the right direction The University
of Wisconsin has become famous
throughout the world for the great
work it is doing. 1t is enabled to do
this great work because ii has the
Agricultural College with if, and Is able
TO swing to the benefit of the public all
the energies, the available resources,
the scientific achievements, and the
practical appliances that are available
in University work proper. and in
practical hclpfulness to the people.
through it's costly and up-to-datc
equipment and appliances, a duplica-
tion Of which is too costly for any
State. If Wisconsin had State
University a separate Agricultural Col.
lege, and few segregated branches
Of that Agricultural College, there
would be nothing heard of the work Of
the University Of Wisconsin. 1t would
be SO broken up, so cnfeebled by seq.
regatlon, that nothing worth while
could be done, But as it is, the whole
work Of the State in this field is
directed from the strong central CON
solidation both Of the University and
of the Agricultural College. and the
full resources Of both are at the dis
posal Of either at demand. The result
is great University and Agricultural
College which makes itself felt in the
remotest parts Of the State Tt
carries instruction. education, and prac.
! teal help to the farmers everywhere,
and great, with an equipment costly,
modern, and complete.
The Wisconsin example is undoubted-
lily the best one 10 follow. Iowa sees
its mistake in segregating its institu-
tions with the inevitable result that
each feeble fraction grasps for all
in sight, and is jealous lest its grab
be less than the grab of some other
institution Of its own class or of like
class.
Utah has already followed the Iowa
example too far. 1t is time to reverse
the policy. TO get consolidation and
| consolidated results. The idea Of enter
ing upon mincemeat policy of seq
regation and weakening now, when the
lessons Of the times are so emphati-
cally in the direction Of consolidation,
would be a serious mistake.
| Utah can, Of course, establish num-
| ber Of public institutions, agricultural
and otherwise, in different parts of the
State, but the more it establishes tho
weaker ali will be, because the State
is not able to maintain with proper
dignity and vitality 80 many public
institutions; we doubt if any State
is SO; hut il is able TO maintain
one good general institution which
viii afford vital help. strength. and
encouragement TO the farmers all over
the State. And having that, it ought
to be content TO build where strength
will count rather than TO build feebly
] and scatter lis nnnrnlns so I'M ,rastn