The University's Work

The Michigan legislatura woukl not be perinitted to besitate over the annunl approprlatlons lo the tute unlverslty if tbe pfoplc bad ;i better MMlerstaudinp of the work tliat institutlou i doinu nuil liopef to ilo. A suspiciou, fostered by prejudice niid ignoruuce oí Quivernity work, baa been gradually growlng irito u beliel tli.it it ecluc ites üie sons and daughters of tbe ricli; that families in modest HdhiicíhI circumstaace are no Unrely repreccntetJ aoioilg tiie Ntiiücnts; that Ule .salaries ol profeators aieexcessive, and th.it ihe curlent expenses aruarreater tli.m is oommon in InstltutioDS of similar rank elsewhfre In tne Uniled States. The legUIatorí kuow ihat every one of these objections i icroundleaa becnue they have been put uto poswwlon of aiiihentic mformatiou lo Ihecontiary. lint niany ot theui un. nity the popular belief to whiili we huvt irfeired, and iu obedience to wliat they renard na the wishes of tlieir con.-tituents, manifest a mUtaken diaposltlon to cut down the appropriatlon asked for at some vital pomts. Au exaraination of Uuiversity allairs make it un easy matter to show tlie uitei t'allacy ot tlieobjcctiotif noted above. Figures have been compiled ihowiug the pur.-uits of the piients of the studeiits iu tlie institution, and froiiitheíe il appears tlml at tbe lime lliey vvere oollected tbe eliililren of taiméis and niecliauícs nuiubered 8 per eeiit.in the literary dcpai hik nt, 5U per cent, iu tlie law deparlm nt, (4 per cent, in the medical deparunent, and 70 percent, in the dental department. Jn olher words, 5(i per Ornt of all Ihe ItUdeiits were chlldrea of farmers and me-li,ini's. That tact refutes tbe cbarge that tlie anlventlty is euiployed ín eüuoatlng the sous and dauhteis of ricli meu. Besides tlie children ot tliose wlio are faimers and miclianics lliere are a very iñlgu Dumber Of siudents whose parents are tu olher OCCUpatiOlia which do BOt bling theiii Kieat wealtb. The charge that the professors are pald enormotu salaries la equally frlvoloug, a ootnparUon of talarles paid in the leudlnu ooileges of the country shows jnst how liiviiious U is. Tliey are as (bllowa : University of Michigan, $2,200; (Jornell University, $2,750 t. $3,000; Browi Univeisity, $3,000 ; Yale Col-ee, $3,000; Prjicfton Ollege, $3,400; Hrvrd Ui.ivirsitv, $4,000; Ji.hns llopkins tJnivr sity (Ballimore), $5,000; Coluuibla College (N. Y.), $7,500. The statement that the animal expenses are (realer tlian s usual in similar institutions is as enily met. Tlieie are but three other inütituUons whicli runk with Michigan L'niverMiy in mMffiiltDde, These re Cor., el I ÏHleand Harvard. Tlie ininiial current expenses ot' Michioan Universiiy, willi about 1,400 KUdellU, are $180000; of Uornell, with 401 student, $143,ai5; of Vale, With iibout 1,000 studeiils, $250.000, hikI Hmvard, with ubout 1,500 stuileuls, $400,000. In view of these faots a penurious polIcy loward univer.-iry rould be not only inexcusable, but coiuempuble. .lust wlmt is propiiMd may be jiulged trom the liicl that ihere is hesitation ubout yrantini; $25,000 tor a mechaiiical laboratoiy Only $4,000 have been expended tor that purpowthui fat-, making the total $29,000. Cornell hal expended $150,000 lor the s.mie purpose; Vitr.derbilt Universiiy $100,000: even the Uuiversity of Wïnconí-in Í'J8,000 forequipment alone. The ,.- pie are Inylted tooonsldar these fifrnres and tlien inf'nrm their repiesentatives in the li'jrislature as to whether they want the Univeisiiy appropriations cut'. " Two sciasors grinden wen in fcown at the same time last Tbureday," remarki theChelsea Ileiald. Whicli undoubtedlf accuuuls fur tlie muny "grind" nn,' razor-edgetl Items in the Herald.