The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1922-05-18
FACTS ABOUT
STATE COLLEGE
President Holland Points
Out what Taxpayers
Are Getting

Speaking of the establishment of
the State College of Washington in
accordance with the Morrill, Act by
fine state legislature in 1891, Presi-
dent E. o. Holland says it provided
for new economic and social needs,
and also sought to equalize education
al opportunities so that the children
of the poor and industrial classes
would have as good chance as others
to make the most of themselves"
AS to what the institution costs the
taxpayers, and in what way it is
serving the farmers, their wives and
children, and all the people of the
state, he analyses the tax dollar to
show the distribution of funds for
various uses.
"The King county tax dollar shows
that the people of that county pay
97-hundredths of one cent for all SER
vices rendered by the State College,"
he saws. "The Yakima county tax
dollar shows 1.2 cent of the support
of all work offered under the direc-
ton of the college. These figures are
somewhat below those of number
of other counties, but in no case does
the amount go above 2 cents out of
the entire dollar.
'In Whitman county it is 1.75 cent;
in Pierce county it is the same as
King: Walla Walla county LAG cent;
in both Whatcom and Snohomish coun-
tets LA cent; in Spokane county 1.26
cent.
Gwen tho this sum is small it is
right to know what returns, large or
small, are received by the pople of
h. asvko nf
the institution. If it produces more
dollars than it costs, it is a good In
vestment; if it costs more dollars
than it produces then it is bad, and it
should be cast into outer darkness
"There is variety of wheat bred
and distributed by the college which
now constitutes more than IL per cent
of the wheat grown IN Washington.
1t is now yielding in Washington more
than $4,000 bushels annually more
than the two strains from which it
was developed would yield if grown
instead. With wheat worth 81 a
bushel the college should be credited
with at least $375, 900.
Improved culture and methods of
seed treatment have reduced the
states loss from smut, faulty tillage
and similar difficulties by an amount
which can reasonably be figured at
no less than 2h per cent of the total
wheat crop. On approximately 49,
OOO,O bushels per year amounts to
at leaht 100000 bushels of wheat
saved, of approximately 81 600, 600 an
nually.
"The apple growers of Washing
ton recall that in the beginning of
their industry the codling moth threat
ened it with destruction. Shortly after
the college entered upon study of
this pest. Fruit growers averaged
more than z sprayers year in the
attempt to control the great menace.
The State College work out an efici-
ent method of combating it. Washing
ton was losing about 40 per cent of
the fruit crop; at present it is losing
5 to 10 per cent. Conservatively fig
ured, the apple crop of Washington. is
worth about sos, 600, 900 annually. If
we allow the college credit for only 2
per cent saving, we should credit the
institution with 81 600, 900 year.
"The college has helped increase the
yield and profit of every other lead
ing farm crop in the state. The poul-
try industry has made it possible for
many farmers on small tracts of
land to survive serious economic con-
ditions especially disastrous to the
agricultural classes. The poultry in
dustry is direct beneficiary of the.
Western Washington Experiment Sta
ton and the main station at the col
lege:
"The increased production of alfalfa
thru the use of fertilizer introduced
by the college has meant not less than
100000 year; the salvage of cows
affected with red water, not less than
| 100000 and the prevention of goitre
and hairlessness in domestic animals
is worth at least 100000.
"The total saved in the above de-
tailed account amounts to over 3d.
OOO, 900, and is only chapter in the
story of the splendid service rendered
by the college.
"Many people would be surprised at
these amounts. They would wonder
less if they realized fully what a
wonderful state Washington is. With
it's great crops of many kinds, eli
mate wonderfully varied, and vast
reserve of undeveloped resources, its
vast crops go far into the millions.
at is gratifying to know that our
State College of Washington, even tho
young, has for years been paying
more than it's way. A nation can not
buy it's way thru a crisis with money
alone. 1t must think its way thru
and this it can not do unless it has
well trained leaders. The college has
for years been taking Washington
sons and daughters and giving them
the most efficient training.