The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-09-05

sent to the people of North Dakota
regarding the so-called agricultural
college muddle. Some time ago The
Forum gave some facts regarding the
attempt to "get" DIR. E. F. Ladd, pure
food commissioner. Later The Forum
told of certain rumors that were 60
ing around on the streets regarding
alleged efforts to get President Worst
ousted.
The Forum has absolute and positive
proof that there was movement on
foot to attempt to get Dr. Ladd ousted.
These attempts came from the enemies
of DR.. Ladd among the manufactur-
ers of food and others who have felt
the iron hand, of the North Dakota
law, enforced through the u1ttring ef-
forts of the North Dakota commits
sio1er. The Forum stated this fact
plainly and unequivocally.
AS to the rumors about DR.. Worst,
The Forum stated that they were rum
ors, and that is all they were. And 1t
is a fact that the streets of Fargo
were alive with these rumors, and 1t
is a further fact that The Forum was
the nrst paper to give the people of
North Dakota the first inkling of them
But now an attempt has been made
to twist these facts regarding DR..
Ladd ard the rumors concerning Dr.
Worst into lot of false and malicious
charges purely for political purposes
The charge has been made that the
board of trustees of the A. C. and the
North Dakota Experiment station ex-
oeeded their authority when they
separated the work of the North Da-
kota Experiment station from the
work of the agricultural college.
The charge has been made that the
board of trustees did wrong when they
took ever the work of the better farm
ing association, assuming a RESPONSE
bility of $40,000-falsely and malicious
ly said to be a "debt''--in taking over
this work.
The charge has been made that the
board did not have authority to put
5 Mr.. Cooper in charge of this work
and make him directly responsible to
the board, instead of to- President
Worst OF the A. c., .. .s.-..,-
The charge has been made that by
taking over the work of the better
farming association tho board of trus-
tees put the agricultural college into
the hand of big business"
AS to the charges that the board ex-
ceeded its authority the following from
the North Dakota statutes, shows how
much power and authority is vested in
the board. of trustees, According to
the code, the trustees have absolute
control over both institutions and
every person connected with them.
The code says:
Extracts From Code.
Section 1101: The government and
management of such college is vested
in board Of trustees to be known as
the board of trustees of the agricul-
tural college.
Section 1115: The agricultural ex-
pertinent station as heretofore estab-
lished in connection with the agricuI-
tural college is continued and the same
shall be under the direction of the
board of trustees of such college for
the purpose of conducting experiments
in agriculture, etc.
Section 1105: The board shall have
power to employ president and
necessary teachers, Instructors and as
sistants to conduct such school and
carry on the experiment station con-
nected Herewith.
Section 1107: The board Of trustees
shall fix the salaries of the president,
teachers, instructors and other en-
ployes and prescribe their respective
duties. The board shall also fix the
rate of wages 70 be allowed the stud
ents for labor on the farm and ex-
pertinent station of in the shops or
kitchen of the college. The board may
remove the president or subordinate
officers and supply all vacancies
Why Change Was Made.
AS to the charges that big business
has been given control of the A. c.
and the experiment station.
In taking over the work of the Bet
ter Farming association the trustees
of the North Dakota college did the
biggest thing they could have done for
the advancement of agriculture In
North Dakota. In fact they were
practically forced to take over this
work for the following excellent rea
sons.
The United States government pass
ed law, called the lever law, where.
by it made available certain funds tr
carry on the work of agriculture in the
various states. The Forum PLAYED
up" the news concerning that law
when it was passed. 1t was recogniz-
ed as one of the greatest laws for the
benefit of agriculture states that had
ever been passed.
That law provides that the United
States government will give to each
state in the union a large sum OF
money-$10,o00 annually to begin with
and an increasing amount up to $4,000
annually when the state has fulfilled
certain obligations. But this sum was