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Show MERRILL RAPS BOSSES WHO PERSUADED REGENTS ! Educator Forced From Ticket Explains Political Chicanery Employed by Enemies; Calls Attention to Precedents. JOSKPH F. MKRKLL.L, dean of the school of mines, in a letter withdrawing with-drawing as a candidate for state senator on the Democratic and Progressive tickets, scores the ' ' domineering domi-neering politicians" who prevailed upon the board of regents of the state uni- versity to force his withdrawal from the ; race a state senatotr. I The board of repents, it is understood, at t!:e behest of Republican politicians served notice on Professor Merrill that he must withdraw from political affair". Mr. Merrill promptly resigned from the Democratic and Progressive tickets and in bis letter of resignation he expresses forcibly his views concerning the meth-1 ods of 'the Republican bosses who forced , the action of the board of regents. The action taken by the board of regents re-gents in forcing the resignation of a nominee is without a precedent in Utan. Heretofore members of the facultv of the state university and of other educational educa-tional institutions have held public offices of-fices of trust apart from their positions posi-tions with the educational institutions which claimed the greater share of their time. Precedents Are Shown. While a member of the faculty of the Agricultural college of Utah K. W. Robinson Rob-inson served two Jerms as speaker of the house of representatives. Preston D. Richards served a term iu the lower house of the state legislature while principal prin-cipal of a public school aud continued his duties as principal of the school during dur-ing the session of the legislative assembly assem-bly of which he was a member. "Herschel Bullen, jr., one of the Republican Re-publican leaders in the state senate, ranked next to the president of the Brigham Young college during the time he served in the senate, .lohu M. Mills, now superintendent of schools at Ogdcn was senior member of the faculty of the Latter Dav Saints university, being outranked out-ranked only by the president, when he served iu the lower nouse ot' the state legislature. V. N. Williams, member of the board of regents of the state university, is at present a member of the Utah state senate. sen-ate. Byron Cummings, member of the faculty of the University of Utah, served for a number of years as a member mem-ber of the board of education of Salt Lake City, aud R. H. Bradford, another member of the university faculty, is at present serving on the board of education. educa-tion. Situation Defined. The difference in the situation, it is pointed out, lies in the fact that all of the educators who have served in the legislature in the past without jeopardizing jeopar-dizing their positions have been Repub- j licans, for the most part subservient to the dictation of the bosses who control the party. Professor Merrill is a Democrat Dem-ocrat and opposed to practically everything every-thing the bosses advocate. However, no objection whatever was made from anv source to the candidacy of Professor Merrill two years ago for the state senate. That the boses kept silent two years ago and made such an emphatic protest this vear would probably be taken to indfeate that two years ao thry felt certain of winning, while this year they are verv much afraid that Professor Merrill would be elected wero be permitted to remain a candidate. It was rumored yesterday that Governor Gov-ernor Spry had been active in urging the board of regents to insist upon Professor Pro-fessor Merrill getting out of politics. This the governor nnd the board of regents re-gents denied. Professor Merrill said that he was under the impression that the governor had expressed himself as opposed to the idea of members of the university faculty taking an active part in political affairs, bur said he was also under the impression that the action taken ta-ken by the board of regents was not due to pressure brought to bear by the governor, but that it was influenced bv the politicians who control the Herald"-Republiran Herald"-Republiran and the government of the 1 state rather than by the officials who occupy positions under the state government. gov-ernment. Several prominent Democrats met informally in-formally yp.stordny and discussed pos- i sible candidates to succeed Professor Merrill on the ticket. Witln.. me next dav or two it is probable that the Democratic Dem-ocratic and Progressive county committees commit-tees will meet to fill the vacancy on the tickets. The vaeanev will undoubtedly be filled by a Democrat as the Progressives Progres-sives have the other place on the senatorial sena-torial ticket. Professor Merrills letter lo Democratic Demo-cratic Chairman Ray Van C'ott setting; forth his reasons for withdrawing from the contest follows: Mr. Ray Van Cott. Chairman Democratic Demo-cratic County Committee, City; Dear Sir 1 hei eby resign as a candidate can-didate f-r the state senate on the Democratic ticket. And in justice to the conventions that nominated me and to my sell a word of explanation and defense of my action seems necessary. neces-sary. I resign out of respect to the wishes of those that control the government of Hits state. If I understand aright, those controlling the party in power deem it improper for a public educator edu-cator to be a candidate on a ticket opposing that party. To me this idea is new, and 1 believe it savors of a narrowness, tlliherality and political intolerance thai should have no place in our puhlic life. In the past, religion has divided thc people of tiiis state more deeply and sharply than any othr cause. Put we have learned religious toleration, so that now wo can diner religiously and yet live and work together in peace and ani'itv. Educators may be active in reiipiors affairs without criticism or wit h out bringing the schools Into religious controversies. And so is It not strange that we can not differ in our political views and still be friends? That an educator may not be given an unsought nomination to a public office without a threat from the official orga n of the party in power that vengeance will be visited vis-ited upon the Institution with which he is connected? The objection to the nomination cannot spring from an honest conviction that the nomination nomina-tion would draw the Institution Into politics unless politicians of the party In power should make the nomination an excuse for introducing politics into the institution. In the oast, prominent promi-nent educators and men in control of educational institutions have served with credit In our state legislatures and have also taken the tump for the party in power without anyone questioning, so far as I know, the propriety of their so rising. Certainly the schools were not drawn into politics poli-tics by these circumstances. Opposes Wilson's Advice. Had the doctrine now enunciated prevailed in other states we should have heard nothing politically of Wood row Wilson. President Butler of Columbia university or President Sehurnian of Cornell university. It Is opposed to the practice in imperial Germany, where university professors are frequently called upon to serve in legislative bodies. Evry president of the United States during the past twenty years has appealed to university univer-sity men to take more interest in politics poli-tics on the ground that in a democracy democ-racy patriotism demands that the best thought and efTort of all its citizens shall be directed toward making the government better. And President Harper of Chicago university advocated advo-cated the same doctrine. As to myself. I thought T h?d considered con-sidered carefully the question of a nomination. The nomination itself would not interfere in the least with the discharge of my regular duties. Should I be elected, then my work at the university would hae to be arranged ar-ranged for during a short time. But this could be dmc without injury to the work. Besides. I have long been entitled, under the riils of service at the university, to a leave of absence. And since university professors are j active in reliciotis. ed-i. at hunt 1. business busi-ness no'-tal. professional, and other affairs af-fairs in accordance with Die modern doctrine that teachers should be in living contact with the affairs of men that they mnv be better and more practical teachers, it seemed to me that there eould be no objection to my accepting a nomination. A nd. a f ter all. is it not a duty of rit;zmh;p to respond to a call for public srrvire" But wise men say present poll thai conditions In this stat make it Inexpedient Inex-pedient for me to remain on the ticket. I therefore chcertullv withdraw, with-draw, believing that in doing' sn I am rendering t he best service T ran now give to the cause that seeks to drive from power intolerant and domineering domineer-ing politicians who stand in the wav of a genuine rule of the people. Yours very trulv. JOSEPH F. MFRRIT.T.. |