The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-02-27
OUR STATE INSTITUTIONS.

In our opinion the representatives
OF the various State institutions who
appeared before the appropriations
committees Of the Senate and House of
the Utah Legislature on Tuesday even
ing, to represent the needs of those In
stitutlous aud to protest against the
cuts that have been suggested that
would starve the work and growth of
those institutions, did good work in be-
half of the people. There is much said
from time to time in the way of elimi-
mating "frilIs' from various legisla-
tive propositions. We think it would
be we'll to consider the question of
eliminating the "frills' from appro-
priations. There are many propositions
for extraneous appropriations of vary
ing amounts, from small to large,
most Of them desirable in themselves
if we had the money to spare aud
many of them being urged with great
show of reason and persistence. 1t
would be pleasant if the State had
money enough and to spare for all Of
the propositions that can show merit !;
but the fact is that the State hasu t
got the money, and must make choice
between the "frills'' and the main
tenance Of the regular State ipstitu.
tions upon which the good administra-
tlon, the advantage to the public. and
successful management of public affairs
must rest. We can afford to pass up
mere temporary demands, but we can.
not afford to cripple our educational
and other State institutions for the
sake of yielding to importantly or add
ing "frills" to an appropriation list
which might easily be spread out alto
gether too thin with respect to the
needs Of State institutions, A good,
warm support for the State institutions
that will see them safely through the
ensuing two years, that will provide
for efficient management, and also for
growth, is far moro important than
many Of the measures that have much
importantly behind them. We trust
that the Legislature will not lose sight
OF the absolute needs of the State in
stitutions through the attractive clamor
of enticing propositions to spend
money for various negligible PROPOSE.
tions.
The needs Of the State University are
plain. It is much hampered in its work
by reason of the poor support that it
has from the Legislature. The Agri.
cultural College also has great need OF
appropriations TO do its work But lit
tie can be expected of either Of these
institutions if they are strangled and
choked so that they will be merely able
to survive, In place Of being equipped
with strength and vigor to do the
great work that is expected of each. 4
public institution that is impoverished
may exist, but can hardly be of much
real value to the State. II the Legis-
lature puts Just enough money into
these institutions TO keep them alive,
but saps their vitality by denying the
needs for growth and better equipment,
but little can be expected, except a
mere pinched existence, from either.
The same is true OF the State iustitu.
tions in general. They must be kept
up on a basis commensurate with the
demands Of the time and the needs OF
their administrator These institr.
tions must all DC made creditable to
the State If We are to get any real
good out of them. And certainly they
are the motive power for the growth
and advancement of the State. Pinch
TO poverty our advanced educational in.
stitutious, deny adequate support 10
our administrative work in the Mental
Hospital, IN the Normal School, in the
State Industrial School, the Institution
for the Blind and Deaf, and the State
would become contempt iu all these
advanced measures of administration.
The penitentiary also must be kept
up to standard, or fall behind, 10 the
disgust of the people and TO the scorn
Of the country at large. The State
must be kept abreast OF the times in is
educational, correctional, and benevo
lent institutions. The progress OF the
State, the needs of humanity, the pro
lection Of the people. all demand the
fair treatment OF these institution
and also OF the various facilities for
protecting the peoples health and
wsrdiDg of cpideuies. All these must