The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1925-01-21
EDITORIAL Comment
A BAD COMBINATION
montana Farmer}

(Montana Farmer
OF much concern to the farmers and stockrnen Of Mon
tana is the recommendation of Governor Erickson, in his
message to the legislature, relative to transferring the
activities of the Montana state department of agriculture
and the livestock commission and livestock sanitary hoard
to the state college at Bozeman. The governors recon-
%nendation is apparently based upon his belief that there
is considerable duplication in the work of the state de-
partments and the State college aid is made with a view
toward cutting expenses in the operation of the state
government.
While the governors desire to cut expenses is COM
mendable and will have the approval of the people of
Montana, we are inclined to think that Governor Erickson
will withdraw his recommendation with reference to trans
ferring these state agricultural departments to Bozeman
when he has given the matter more careful consideration.
On the face Of it, this move has the appearance of being
somewhat logical in that it would consolidate the agricul-
tural departments of the state in one institution. If the
work of the Montana department of agriculture were ed
ucational there could be little objection to the governors
recommendation but, as a matter of fact, the depart
ments work is not educational but is almost entirely along
the lines of inspection, regulation and law enforcement
Actually, there is as much difference between the work
of the state department. of agriculture and the state
college as there is between oil and water, and IN snoaother
state that We know of have the two functions been sue
cessfully combined.
Wherever there has been a consolidation in one institu-
ton of the functions of education and research on the
one hand and regulation and police work on the other,
the result has been unsatisfactory. The experiment has
been tried in other states, notably Kansas and North
Dakota, In the former the two functions have now been
completely divorced and in North Dakota the separation
of the two departments is now going on.
The Association of Land Grant Colleges, made up of
representatives from the state agricultural colleges and
experiment stations of the United States, has announced
as one of its principles that land grant colleges should
1 give their whole attention and energy to education and
e research and not handicap themselves with the @funda-
mental embarrassment of police and regulatory work.
Many noted agricultural leaders of the country have
5 voiced their opposition to any consolidation of these two
: widely different functions of the state when the question
0 has arisen in the past. Dean F. D. Farrell, director of the
O Kansas Experiment Station and an authority on matters
of agricultural administration, who was a visitor at. the
State college at Bozeman during Farmers week and who
IL read the governors recommendation, stated that in his
a opinion it would be a grave and expensive mistake il
l. Montana should shift the responsibilities of the state de
j partment of agriculture to the state college.
4 In addition to making enemies for the state college anc
building up a prejudice in certain quarters against ths
institution, an inevitable result of combining educatona
{ and enforcement functions, moving the state department
of agriculture to the state college would probably brins
,e no financial saving to the state because the work of tn,
n state department of agriculture is being efficiently con
Quoted and the move to Bozeman would not make possible
any reduction in the personnel of the regulatory and en-
e forcement staff.
N Such a move would be doubly unfortunate at this tim
because it would handicap and embarrass the agricultural
IF divisions of the State college and bring about confusio
aV IN cc tiicut VI agriculture at q critical nerIO
in the agricultural development of the state when ever
: energy should be devoted to building up Montana's agrj
culture and pushing a sane and orderly land settlemen
program.
The Montana Farmer urges Governor Erickson to re
re consider his recommendation relative to these apricul
IA tural departments and we urge the governor and tn
members of the legislature to see to it that the acy;eu
tural departments are given adequate appropriatioua IS
IN that no curtaiment in this vital work shall be neces.af,
r. Limiting the State college at Bohemian to- the min an
s. one-haf levy woald be most short-sehted policy nhd<
- present conditions and would ahecsssftatc rigid c4,rtai
= ment Of some Of the mos vital branches Of the at1Scu
tural~ extension work. Almost every institution and i
~dividusi in the state Is interested IN The: sehabilitsation -
development Of the sagrieultaTs ipdsaty 4ps. pesas.M 1
economy ln err OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES at *his ~
~ would sipdeed bel poutde foniishsss s q es.s~4stI
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