Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-04-25
CONTEMPORARY OPINION
Progressive or Prohibitionist?

sure from papers all owe the state
for his vote against putting the
clincher on the Ployhar-Blakemore
bill, and although The Citizen sup
ported him during the campaign, we
US that he deserves all he gets. If he
Is a prohibitionist before re is a pro.
gressivc then he ought to have run Oh
the prohibition ticket.
His contention that the bill refer
red to would allow any municipality
or district to vote to grant licenses
to sell liquor, is a mere bubble, for
such a thing would be impossible If
prohibition were q part of the cOnsti.
tutional law Of the state. And If the
constitution should be amended to al
low the sale Of liquor, why should not
each district or municipality vote Ii.
cense If they want it?
We are supposed to be living in a
country where the will of the major
ity governs. This being so, we see no
reason why the majority should not
be allowed to have what they want,
even il it does them harm. Expert
|ence is the very best teacher, so why
deny to the people the privilege of
gaining the experience.
For our part, w despise the in.
stitution known as the American sa-
LOOM and would be glad to see its
finish, but We believe in democracy,
and are not afraid to trust the peo.
pie. Distrust of the people is a strange
attitude for a progressive to take.
A Corner on Culture.
Mandan Pioneer: 1t is one Of the
misfortunes Of most western states
and North Dakota is no exception,
that their development started at the
eastern border and in the hurry to
spend money for state institutions,
the eastern part OF the state corraled
all the most desirable ones, leaving
those last to develop, holding the bag.
And while the people OF western
North Dakota have long been cogniz.
ant of the determinations against
this section, they have been power.
less to remedy things because of the
stronger voting power OF the valley
counties. However, we are coming
into our own, and the rapid develop.
ment OF this section promises ere
another decade has passed to put the
western part of the state in a position
where it can dictate in many mat
tiers affecting the welfare of the state
at large. and particularly with re-
spect to its WI section.
In one particular especially does
western North Dakota feel keenly
the effects of this early, unwise and
unjust distribution of state institu.
tons, and that is in the matter of
educational Institutions. Ranged
along the Red river from Grand
Forks to Wahpeton are four institu.
tons, the state university, the agri-
cultural college and the school OF
science, into which this state Is pour.
ing hundreds of thousands OF dollars
annually, and without bearing any ill.
will to either institution, the Pioneer
feels constrained to assert that the
state is not getting it's moneys worth.
Because in the early days Fargo,
Grand Forks and WahpetOn each as.
pired to shine as the coming metrop.
oils OF the new state, and perhaps for
the reasons that a combined vote OF
the three counties was needed 10 put
over the deal, these three institutions
from four to five hundred niles away
from the further border were located
where Minnesota would derive as.
much benefit from them as North Da.
kota, and where. they are inaccessi.
Bile to the greater part of the state,
Mayville Normal is another example
OF the eastern part Of the states graft.
True, some amends have been made
by giving Minot Il Normal school ana
by the steps being taken to place an.
other Normal school at Dickinson.
but these hardly give the western
part OF the state the facilities we
need. We don't all want to be teach.
ers, and the preparation OF teachers
is primarily the function of the Nor.
NAL school.
North Dakota should have one
great university, no matter where To-.
Gated, and that, North Dakota never
Will have so long as politics cuts the
figure 1t does in the conduct of cd,,.
cational institutions. This year the
state university at Grand Forks ask.
ed for a very modest sum for the ex.
tension of its work, and 1t was given
a mere pittance, because the poli.
tlctans did not want to discriminate
against Fargo and Wahpeton And
furthermore, each year sees both the
agricultural college and the state
school OF science e%ncroaching on work
that properly belongs to the state
university.
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois ond
other great universities have attained
their greatness by c%cntering the worj,
OF higher education IN the one statc
institution. Here in North Dokoto
we find the agricultural college otfer.
ing courses that are foreign to Tho
work OF an agricultural school, 1ike.
wise, the school OF science is cross.
ing the agricultural college Win
elaborate domestic science co,,rsas
Each school is doubtless doing o pond
work IN It's way, but With this dJinli.
cation OF work, ali in one restricted
territory, the state at large IS bot set.
ting value received.
Here Is a problem that mist be
dealt with by the people Of this st.te
~ a larger and broader spirit tban
mat one usually finds DOMINATING tha
cts Of the Legislature. It is abn,t
tl.ne mat we put a stop to the speciaI
Tram n brass band methods Of IT.
tempting to Influence legisiattnn N
pena'f Of some particular Institution
ana considered 8 readinst,nhnt ~ ~.