Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1917-07-06
STATE DIVISION SAVED THE .
UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO

mains that the ruling machine in
Idaho, the head of which is Jew,
planned to destroy the University of
Idaho by creeping paralysis. This
political machine planned to destroy
the University by slow and adroit
process of starvation. To this policy
President Brannon would not be a
party. He would not stay on the
job as figurehead. He had a big
program for our state, and must have
! funds to make progress. 1t was the
purpose of Nose Alexander to deny
these funds as far as he could, under
the pretense of economy, and the only
! thing on earth that stayed the hand of
the politicians was the counter attack,
in the form of a proposition to divide
the state That proposition was
bomb that created CONSERVATION in our
state capitol, for it carried with it
the removal of the state capitol from
Boise to Pocate llo. and its consumma-
tion spelled ruin for every holder of
real estate in and aronud Boise. And
the Jew had large investments. The
comt ination was made and sprung.
1t was signed by enough members of
both houses to insure its passage, and
the governor was powerless, even
with his veto to stop it. Then it
was that the wind oozed out Of the
ulterior schemes Matched to bring slow
/ k,,t 70 hn tafa T,,i
versity, and the college was saved.
But Brannon was doomed. He was
man who would not bow in humble
alteration at the feet of ''your gov
ernor, ladies and gentlemen of
Idaho, and he placed his resignation
in the hands of ''your governor s"
state board of education every time
the gang began an attack from am
bush. For his courage we have only
admiration. Because he would not
cringe and COW before the throne of
DO itical conspirators we see the big
ness of his soul and the temper of his
manhood He was too big man to
pay that humiliating price for a
chance to continue to render great
service to the state, and he did the
manly thing when he resented every
and all assaults.
Men of small vision, inspired solely
with ambition for political power,
and clothed momentarily with power,
when they struck at the University
and fired President Brannon, started
an avalanche that threatened to engulf
themselves. They fired" Dean
Ayers, who had built up great law
school, and Dean Shattuck, who had
b,,i lded big Department of Horti-
culture. Thus the state board
stuck the knife into the University to
the hilt, and was turning the dagger
in the wound. But an outraged pub
lie began to investigate and demand a
: reason for this work. The state
board saw the writing on the wall.
They saw their own doom written in
, the hearts of the people, and there has
been undue haste to recover. The
state board is now trying to square
itself and is backing up. 1t is tryir 6
to stem public sentiment. 1t is try.
ing to let go gracefully, under the
guise of concern for the welfare OF
the college. Therefore, where il
planned to wreck the University, it,
7 most happily, offers the job of Com
missioner of Education of Idaho t.
Enoch A. Bryan. for years president
9 of Washington State College, and !,
:, really big man, who accepted and t,
!, some extent saved the face of the con
spirators
There is no question about Enocl
> A. Bryan. A better selection fo
) Commissioner of Education could no
be made. But however able and com
. petent he may be, and however hare
/. the new president of the Universit,
! may work, and regardless of his fit
ness and ability. it will take lonl
time to undo the evil work of tn,
Alexander machine. This is true be
cause university is,' primarily, no
a libraries. not equipment. not endow
. ments not appropriations, but tn,
man behind the college on the on
hand and the boy or the girl on tn
other. In other words whateve
strikes at the soul of a college cuts t.
the heart, and that is exactly wha
happened when a political machin
struck the Department of Law, an,
u the Department of Horticulture, AM
= fired President Brannon. For ex
y ample, in choosing college younJ
l. man weighs the head of his specia
# depal tment. If he is to study law h
II wants to know that the University 0
Idaho Law Department has compe
tent man at the head. Dean Aver
was competent, and was attracting
h students.
= A young man is in Orofino toda
. from Montana. He came here t
work during the summer expecting t
reoiator in 1au af Mnacou II wo