The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-05-14
Through COlluSiOn Of Willis
And Pres. Thompson
Resentment Growing For Set.
ting Back Agriculture
In Making University A Foot
Ball For Politics

Columbus, O., May 13-The political
interference with the conduct of af-
fairs at the Ohio State university
threatens the worst possible results
for the future Of Ohios great educa-
tional institution. Especially is this
true of the agricultural department,
where in collusion with President
Thompson, Governor Willis appears to
have reached through the amenable
board of trustees, to secure the de-
motion of Dean Homer c. Price, Re-
publican, whose crime was that he had
been honored by Governor Cox in
spite of his politics. Now Dean Price
will resign the place he made and has
held for fourteen years and of which
he has made a success. The political
domination and interference will not
have reached its worst until not only
is the agricultural department ruined,
but every branch of the university de-
preciated. AS a result of the scan
udI w ulCu 10 SloWihS, pdiShlS arc
writing their sons in the agricultural
college to close up their work as they
feel the best results cannot be had
from an institution of learning where
petty politics is allowed to interfere
with matters of education as in the
case of actions since Governor Willis
assumed office.
AS the days pass and Dean Price is
denied the reason for the action taken
against him, the reason is being sup
piled by others. Appearing first that
it is the jealousy of President Thomp-
son whose desire is for all things great
and small, it further is shown that
Governor Willis took advantage of
that jealousy to secure the automatic
removal of the dean from the state ag-
ricultural commission.
Other things that the educational ia
cilities of the state are threatened,
and if the present tendency of the
state government and the Ohio State
University management is allowed to
continue, the farming interests of the
state will lose such support as is now
coming to the agricultural interests
from the federal government through
the agencies and economies fostered
by the preceding state administration.
Every day the feeling of resentment
is growing against Governor Willis
and the Republican legislature for
the steps taken to set back the cause
of agriculture in the mud and place its
future in the meanest kind of partisan
politics. 1t is matter of odious COM
parison for the Willis method, that
when Cox was governor steps were
taken to unity all the interests in
way that saved more than $4,000 to
the state the first year, and that par
ty politics were eeleminated in the forma-
tion of a supervising board which did
not add a single office but eliminated
an even dozen; now the number of Of
fees has been increased three-fold,
there is no unity of effort, dissension is
threatened between the agricultural
college and the state experiment sta
ton, expense is bound to increase, and
party politics abounds under the Will
lis law. Under the Cox idea of cen
tralization and saving there were five
commissioners each of whom had al
ready been employed by the state in
coordinate capacity, and not single
one of them sought the job to which
he was appointed, or had the endorse
ment of political committee; under
the Willis decentralization idea there
are ten members of main board and
| five members of an advisory board
| adding ten new Offices, and every man
who seeks appointment is going, not
| to the farmer, but to the ward healer
for his endorsement. If referendum
should be brought on such a plan
where is the man who will have the