Omaha daily bee., 1914-10-30
Nebraska
ON CAMPUS CONSOLIDATION
Shall University Of Nebraska Be One
Big or Two Small Schools.
SOME OF FACTS IN THE CASE
Opposition Arises In Lincoln and IL
Fostered by Those seIfishly In
terested In Keeping school
Down Town.

To the Voters Of Nebraska: In few
DAVIS the voters Of the state VIII De
s called upon to decide the question as 10
whether the State university is to he
permanently developed upon the city
campus In Lincoln by the requirement OF
more land adjacent thereto or whether
the whole institution shall be CONSOLE
dated with the agricultural college UPON
the state farm.
Az the law now stands, which provides
the money, in the event of consolidation
all OF the tax which has been voted py
the legislature will be used for the pur =
nose Of building up a unified university
upon the state farm.
should. however the voters decide 10
> separate the agricultural college and de-
velop 1t as a separate institution upon
the state farm, then one-third OF the tax
is to be used for that purpose and two
thirds will be used for the purchase OF
more property contiguous to the CITY
campus and the erection of new build
ings thereon.
II ia estimated that the tax voted will
yield s2,5OOOOo
organized Opposition.
During the last few months there has
been. a very determined effort made by
committee having its headquarters In
lincoln and largely financed by lincoln
business interests, to make the taxpay-
ers of the state believe that 1t would be
wasteful OF the public money to consOii-
date the university with the agricultural
college at the state farm.
Large sums of money have been spent
for that purpose, mostly subscribed by
those who think 1t would be detrt-
mental to their private interests for the
state 10 consolidate the university at the
state farm.
Statements which misrepresent the
facts have been printed and scattered
broadcast over the state and the boast
made that university removal is de-
feated.
We are very certain that the average
voter in the state is anxious to do the
wise thing when he comes to vote upon
this question, and that the element of
personal gain or advantage shall not be
permitted to take prior right over the
public good.
startling revelation Possible.
1t is a notorious fact that II It had
not been for the selfish interference OF
certain Lincoln interests that the two
last legislatures would have voted to
consolidate the university at the state
farm. Insidiously and continuously these
interests have labored and are laboring
to defeat what they consider to be det-
rimental TO their private interests. II
the history of the inner workings of this
opposition to consolidation we're writ
ten and made public 1t would be a
startling revelation to the people OF the
state.
In view OF these facts, we deem II our
solemn duty to make this last appeal to
the voters We have no personal inter-
csts to subserve. When we took our oath
of office as regents we promised to give
, the state our best service and TO do the
states business with the same prudence
we would our own. Personally, we are
firmly convinced that it would be abso-
lutely wasteful of the public funds to
develop the university apart from the
Agricultural college and to purchase high
priced property adjacent to the city
campus. Six blocks. comprising about
fourteen acres. which It is contemplated
purchasing. have a value of about $4,000.
nearly as much as the value of all the
good buildings upon the city campus
which would go into permanent. scheme.
LincOIn's Charter Scheme.
At the behest Of the Lincoln interests
there was rushed through the last legis-
lature a provision to enable the city
council to vote money for park purposes,
the understanding being that the money
was to be used TO help defray the cost
Of these six blocks of land, together with
the houses thereon. and that new char
49, liz.
vision, was formulated. This charter,
however, was voted down by the people
of Lincoln and the validity of the levy
E'ade by the city council is now being
tested in the courts and there is very
grave question as to its legality.
There has also been purported bond
given and. signed by a great many OF
the property owners and business people
in the downtown district of Lincoln
guaranteeing the purchase of these six
blocks for 100000 This bond as It now
stands is not legally enforcible.
However. the people of the state have
n right to ask this question: Is It the
result of an altruistic spirit that this
money is offered? or do the business in
terests expect 1t to be a good investment
for them personally?
what - tne history OF tnlS movement
for consolidation?
EndOrsed by Two Governors.
Governor shallenberger. the outgoing
governor. strongly recommended con-
solidation at the state farm in his mes
sage to the legislature of 1911, and Gov
ernor Aldrich. his successor, also favored
It, That legislature appointed special
committee to investigate the matter, four
members from the senate and seven from
the house. Senator Oils was its chair
man. After two months OF elaboration
the committee unanimously recon-
mended consolidation at the state farm
and brought in bill for that purpose.
The senate adopted the report of the
committee and the house committee OF
the whole did likewise.
This was on Friday. but between that
time and the meeting OF the house on
the following Monday the Lincoln in
terests got busy and the measure was
defeated on third reading and so passed
over to the legislature OF 1918.
AS Is well known. at this session the
senate stood firmly for removal and at
the early Part OF the session the house
would doubtless have passed II, but there