The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1915-05-01
RANSDELL FAVORS LARGER
APPROPRIATIONS FOR L. S. U.

There isn't farmer IN Louisiana
who couldn't make money for himself
by attending the short courses in agri-
culture at Louisiana State University.
There isn't planter who wouldn't
make profit if he would send his mana
ger or go himself to those short courses.
One of the best services to be rendered
Louisiana would be for the associa-
tons of commerce of the state to con-
duct a campaign to treble and quad
ripple the number of farmers who at
tend those courses"
This statement was made by United
States Senator Ransdell to members Of
the land and immigration committee of
the Association of Commerce in New
Orleans following a conference on
ways and means to establish more
sympathetic and cordial relations be-
tween New Orleans and the rural sec
tions of the state, and to promote more
efficient methods of agriculture.
Il know that from my own exper-
ience," said the Senator. Il sent my
plantation manager to Baton Rouge
last February to the short course in
agriculture and what he learned about
farming generally, especially about
feeding balanced ration to my mules
and stock, is saving me many times
what / have ever paid in taxes to
support the schools of Louisiana.
Our people do not realize what a
practical working plant, busy twelve
months in the year to help them, has
been builded up about the State Uni
versity. 1t is modelled after the Univer-
sity of Wisconsin; its work is devised
along similar lines, and it's results, in
quality, have been of the same excel
lent sort. There are experts in prac-
tical agriculture there at Baton Rouge,
DR. Dodson of the State Experiment
Station; DR.. Dalrymple, the great vete-
rinarian; DR.. Kidder; Prof. Jordan;
Prof. Tiebout; Prof. Tucker, and others
not to mention DR.. Coates of the
Sugar School-whose regulations are
established in the country.
"Unhappily, the state has not given
the institution the funds needed to
enable it to do its greatest amount of
good; or to carry the gospel of what it
could do down to the individual farmer.
l am told that the University Of Wis
consin, after which it is modelled, gets
three million dollars a year. The LOU
isiana State University gets only a
Ipaltry hundred thousand dollars a.year
from our state!
"To our shame be it said, that Louis
lana, where agriculture is now and al
ways will be the greatest interest, has
spent only ten thousand dollars for ag-
ricuitural buildings at the University!
The structures occupied by this depart
ment were all donated by the Federal
government, were part of the old garri-
son and arsenal equipment and the
agricultural hall'' was once Uncle
Sans blacksmith shop!
Il would suggest two practical things
to stimulate agricultural methods and
improve country prosperity in Louisi.
lana:
First. Let every commercial organi-
cation, every agricultural society, every
police jury, every city council in Louis
lana, and at least fifty leading farmers
in every one of our sixty-four parishes
tell the Louisiana General Assembly
that the people want Louisiana State
University equipped to do it's full work
of good for Louisiana's farmers.
Second. Get these same agencies
working together on campaign to in
crease the number Of those who 90 to
the winter short courses from the