Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1915-08-19
lRy ]. |. EnadahI.l

Chicago, ILL.,. Aug. Respectful
Harry w. Ladder tells how the re-
dictionaries have come into their own
at the University of Wisconsin. where
free thought, free inquiry and free ex7l
preston on the part of the faculty had
not only been permitted but gracious
ly encouraged.
In speaking of conditions at the
University of Wisconsin, Ladder says;
''They (the reactionaries) had with
ed for many years under the teach
ings of the college professors who had
investigated the water power, the land
the lumber. the public utility and 9TH
er deals or more or less unsavory
| character, and had given warnings to
the people of the workings of the in
ner circle of Wisconsin finance and
industry.
President Van Hise of the Univers-
| ity had dealt trenchantly with the
question of conservation in his book
of that title.
His treatise was mild enough from
| the standpoint of the genuine radical.
but more Illuminating to the public
than the big interests desired. Pro-
lessor e. A. Ross, one of the country's
foremost sociologisst. in spite OF the
investigation of 1910, when he had
been tired for advising his students te
attend a meteing of a social iconocl
| asst, had continued his fight against
special privilege. Professor John K.
Commons, for many years, has been
working unremittingly for a more com
plete democracy. Prof. Chas. McCar-
thy. a lecturer at the University, ano
head of the famous Legislative Refer
| ence Bureau, which placed the humbl-
est member of the legislature on an
equal footing in the framing Of bills
with the henchmen Of big corpora
+ lions, thus freeing them from obliga-
lions to corporation attorneys, had
n long been a source of discomfort to
the reactionaries. The university had
also, through its extension lectures
been instrumental in getting the COM
mon man to think, a dangerous under
takig from the standpoint of special
privilege.
II Conditions have been rotten in Dem
mark" the reactionaries unused, and
4 now that we are again in control Of
the legislature, we must clea house"
So when Governor Philip and the
legislators began their occupancy of
the Capitol at Madison, one mile from
the University, things began to move.
bills for increased appropriations were
regularly defeated. The loyal eight in
season and out of season fought for
the appropriation requested. A vigor-
ouse fight was undertaken by the leg
islature against the Extension depart
ment, and another against the privi-
leges granted to students from outside
states, in the alleged interest Of eco
nomy. The governor was sponsor for
a bill which attempted to centralize
the control of the institutions of high
er learning in the state into the hands
of one board appointed by the COVER
snor. The bill furthermore was cal
culated to give full power over the
finances of these schools into the
hands of two business men, members
of the board. These business men
were to receive $4,000 a year and to
give their entire time to this work.
The educators. who were to be ap-
pointed, were to obtain no compensa-
ion, and their position would be more
or less advisory in its nature. It is
easy to see who on the board, under
those conditions, would be the virtual
controllers of educational policy.
L investigations were also started In
to the efficiency of the workings of
the university, and the preliminary
F: findings, which tended to indicate
'that there were wastes in the manage
ment of the college, were gleefully
heralded about the state. in order to
discrdit the progressive elements in
/ the institution. The governor and 9TH
ers attacked the "heresies" and ''illu-
sions" of the teaching force, and urged
that they be suppressed. The appro-
pritions for the rapidly growing de-
partment Of political science, which
had been the target for much Of the
criticism at the university, remained
stationary as they had done for many
years. This, by the way. is method
for disciplining recalcitrant profess
sors which has been frequently found
effective.
Al n ,nra,lk az Tho 1,rasanra nna rrn.