The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-01-18
Senator S. Morton Ruthor-
ford of Muskogee Has
4 Launched the Opening
4 Attack
OUTBREAK CAME AT
UNEXPECTED TIME
THE SENATOR ANNOUNCED THAT
STATE "WAS PAUPERIZING 1T.
SELF" BY SUPPORTING GER
TAIN INSTITUTIONS.
BY Staff Correspondent)

OkItuuOulA NllSp Suii. io' AS ~SS
tioaal policy OF Oklahoma is under
attack-and from a democratic source.
Sen. s. Morton Rutherford of Musko-
gee, staunch democrat and one of tht
most scholarly men in the legislature,
got the floor Of the senate late vest
ertay afternoon and announced that
the state was pauperizing itself by sup
Dor ing educational institutions for
which II had as much use as an au-
tomobile does of sails.
The outbreak was unexpected. Most
of the legislative business OF the day
was completed. The introduction or
bills and resolutions had been disposed
Of, bills and second reading had been
refssyed to committees. the bill making
an appropriation of 100000 TO pay
the expenses OF the session had been
passed, the governors budget message
mad been read, and adjournment SEEM
ed TO be in order But Rutherford
had something on his mind and took
the occasion to tell the senate about IT,,
All bills carrying appropriat ons foi
state Institutions should be gone over
very carefully by me committee on
appropriations, with the budget recon-
mendations of the governor in mind.
Rutherford thought, and deficiencies
for a certain class of institution should
be whitfield to the bone. Then he pro
ceeded 10 discuss the institutions to
which he referred The state uni
versity, the A. & NJ. college, the peni-
tentiary and reformatory and the nec-
)ssary eleemosynary institutions had
20 be supported; they should be dealt
with as literally as the states means
would allow. But the Institutions, par
ticularly schools, which were not serv-
ing useful purpose to the state,
0hould be discontinued or forced to
run on appropriations cut down in
ratio 10 their service. He said they
we're local institutions operated o,
state expense. He announced he
would oppose defic' encies for them
incidentally, Che attacked what he CALI
ed the "infamous habit" Of issuing de-
ficiency certificates 10 augment appro-
priations.
The secondary agricultural schools,
the schools OF mines, and such insti-
tutions were objects of Senator Ruth
erford's attack, Il soon developed. Then
Sen. w. J. Holloway OF Hugo asked
Rutherford II he also referred to
normal schools. To be frank, / do,
was the reply. And Rutherford ex-
plained why. He contended the nor
nal schools of Oklahoma were not
confining themselves TO their proper
business-pedagogy They We're at
tempting TO rival the university, he
charged, when their sole function was
to leach persons how to teach. Hol-
lowuy suggested that the normals
furnish 20 per cent of the teachers OF
The state. II was also mentioned that
the normals were 30 give college de-
grees. Rutherford said II they were
10 do this, and do II right with proper
ly trained faculties. they would bank.
rupt the state In two years. The nor
nal schools of Oklahoma al present
are merely state-maintained high
SCHOOL,, he asserted.
Rutucrford's idea about no7nals.
s. that two or three could do tn"
work In this slate; they should be
conducted solely as institutions FOR
the training Of teachers. and should
not a.empt to duplicate the work of
high-schools or Of the I'm versiiy, His
theory Is that state should not a.
low institutions of dubious value 10
hinder the development OF its few
large Institutions. The CHIEF orna-
ment and jewel Of any state is i,s UNI
versty," he said.
After defend ng his position against
number Of senators. among whom
were Holloway, Mcpherren. Cordell and
Durant. Rutherford closed with the
statemeni THAI he was simply attack
Ing the policy OF dividing the small
amount of money the state hal to
spend OH education among lot of lit
tie institutions scattered over the
state instead OF concentrating II on
few valuable institut ons. This
statement was received with applause,
much OF which camc from the rcpuls
,lcan side OF the senate.
And Immediately. Sen. W. II. Woods
introduced two bills, one appropriatins
si05,Gs0 for new construction and
equipment at the university, che other
appropriating s25s,OOo to pay salaries
of university teachers Cor the remaind-
or OF this fiscal year. And Senator
Holloway announced n mco ing of the
CONTINUED on Pine lwol