The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-10-22
A MISLEADING STATEMENT

someone that to be an elector in Soutl
Dakota this year is 10 have specia
honor. For the voters Of the state ar,
TO be real law makers. No less thar
to be accepted or rejected by them
Also three acts passed by the last leg
islature have been referred to the PEG
pie for ratification or rejection. Also
a proposition relating to the CALI IL
Of a state constitutional convention
All these questions-twelve in mum
ber-will be submitted for considera
ton on three separate election ballots
The wording of the several measures
would require large sheets of paper
bulky and awkward for handling, sc
it has been decided by the state au
thorities to confine their submission
to an Identifying number of abbre'
Waited title. In some cases this cor
d~ensation will be easily comprehended
by the average citizen and he will ex.
p~erience no trouble in being able 10
vote intelligently. In other cases he
may have more difficulty in arriving
at a satisfactory conclusion. Take, for
instance, Proposition No. Three: The
only information afforded on the bal
lot as to the merits or dement's of
this measure is this brief but ex.
tremely blind statement-'An Act En-
titled an Act to Amend Section COS of
the Revised Political Code of the
State of South Dakota, Relating to
Education. Shall the above measure
become a law of this State? Yes,
No" That is all the voter has to
guide him in arriving at a conclusion
as to how he had best dispose Of this
question. Now in this specific case,
the average practical, patriotic and
public-spirited person would reason
presumably something like this: Why
this measure must be in the interest
of education and certainly | favor any
thing that will advance educational
interests" But, in fact, the PROPOSE.
ton is not designed to further or
strengthen the educational work of the
state, but rather the reverse-to
weaken it. The proposition. If carried,
will result in a practical duplication
of our State University-the creation
and maintenance of two State Univer-
stiles where n exists now, and for
the adequate support of which the
state has found it uphill work to &C.
complish, though each succeeding
progress in this respect Is being
reported we are happy to say.
The proposition to amend Section
COS of the political code is simply an
effort of Aberdeen to convert their
Normal and Industrial Training School
into another State University, divid-
ing honors and expense of equipment
and maintenance with the State Uni
versity long ago located at Vermillion
and which alone is fully ample in all
respects for properly caring for the
needs of every youthful student in our
state DESTROYS Of obtaining the highest
educational training and develop
ment possible. It must, therefore, be-
come obvious to the thoughtful mind
that the duplication of University
work In our comparatively sparcely
populated state (and no other state in
the Union, not even the largest, has
yet found it feasible to luxuriate in
two universities supported at public
expense) would tend to weaken and
confuse instead of strengthen and cor
relate our present state school system.
There was strong opposition in the
to the passage Of the act,
but the Brown county delegation sup
by a powerful lobby, forced
its passage. Immediately after its
passage, however, prompt and effec-
tive means were taken for suspending
its operation until 1t was referred to
the t~ax-paying people of the state for
their financial approval.
1t is confidently believed that when
the people of the state under.
stand the full and consequential i'm.
port Of the proposed amendment in
creased taxes and duplicating our es-
college work-they will
promptly and decisively stamp out the
scheme with their vetoing vote. There
should be no duplication Of State Uni.
work or Of State Agricultural
College work or Of State School of
Mines work in any normal school; let
these latter schools remain confined
to their legitimate function, which Is
the training Of persons for instructors
In the grade schools.-vermillion Re-
publican.
-. p. At WICHITA