, 1923-02-10
OF
ROYALTY F j N DS
CAUSES DEBATE
Proposal to Boost
Unipersity's Share
Is Senate Issue
Wyo., Feb. 10

CHEYENNE. Wyo., Feb. u
Especial 20 Tbs Tribune)-
The University of Wyoming
adequate provision for ex-
pansion of the plant of the
University of Wyoming-was
an issue in the Wyoming senate
when senate 81. relating to the dis
tribution of the money accruing to
the state from the federal leasing
ROYALTY fund. came before the com
mittee of the whole. Senator John
Dillon of Fremont county was OPP
posed to giving the university nine
per cent OF this fund for building pur-
noses, believing that five per cent
would be abundantly adequate. The
opinfon OF the committee, however,
that the u~niversity's portion of the
fund should be nine per cent lacked
only Senator Dillon's vote to make
it unanimous.
Senate s7's considered involved pro
longed debate on numerous features,
including how much of the fund
should be apportioned to the counties
in which the oil on which royalty is
paid originates and how much of 1t
should be apportioned to highway
construction. but the most interesting
discussion conferred In the university
provision.
As It was drawn when introduced
by Senator A. D.. Kelley Of Laramie
county, senate 81 provided that the
university should receive 10 per cent
of tho royalty fund when and after II
had received S375. 900 from this fund
undo the provisions of a statute
passed in 1921. The standing commit
tee. however, recommended that the
university allotment be reduced to
Mint per cent, and this recommended
ton was approved by the committee
Of the whole senate. The bill as APP
proved for passage. therefore. pro
rides that the university shall receive
nine per cent of all money accruing
10 the fund after the 1915 600 provid-
cd by the 1921 statute has been paid.
The nine per cent must be utilized for
permanent buildings. The university
management. II is stated. desired that
the income from the royalty fund do
not be restricted to use for building
DC only, but this desire Is not
reflected in the bili's provisions.
Senator Dillon. supporting an
amendment t. reduce the u~niversity's
share of the royalty fund to five per
cent, argued that Wyoming was n
state Of small population, that its uni
versity was a small Institution as I'M.
iversities go, that It would remain
small and that five per sent of the
royalty income would provide it an
adequate Income to meet all building
- 49, -
pense OF conducting the university.
and especially TO the desire of the
management OF the institution to in
crease the salaries of faculty mem
hers. The bona fide attendance at
the university. he stated, was not
$500 students, or approximately that
number, as stated by proponents OF
more liberal financing for the insti-
fusion. but Approximately 700 stu
dents in regular attendance. About
500 students were enrolled in ''sum-
mer classes" he said, and about 1000
in correspondence work. but in calcu.
lating the states per capital provision
for the state school, he argued. only
the 700 students In regular attendance
should DO considered. Calculating
from this basis. no stated that the
cos per student OF maintaining the
university was amazingly high.
Senators Hartweli of Niobrara.
Sibloy n Kelley of Laramie. Wan.
cru of Campbell. johnson OF Natrona
and Fowler of Converse took issue
with the argument of the senator
from Fremont. The ooncensus OF
opinion which found expression
through them was that the university
deserved all tho support that the state
could afford to give It. and that the
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