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Show Breeden Talks For the Cote - State's Attorney Says He is Against Consolidation Con-solidation and Tells Why. Word from Salt Lake city Is to the effect that certain Influential forces heretofore supposed to be for consolidation consoli-dation of the college and university arc not so disposed In any sense of tho word. The statement Is made that consolidation does not meet with favor fav-or In any place where the real design Is understood, and not a few Salt Lakv crs revolt at the proposed Injustice toward tho Agricultural College. It Is very gratifying that one of 'these Salt Lakers, Attorney General A Breeden, has no hesitancy in speaking boldly his convictions In this matter. Whllo In Uils city Tuesday evening, Tug Republican had the opportunity opportun-ity of talking with him about the matter and he very readily consented to an Interview for publication. Mr. Iirccden said he had no feelings about the matter that he cared to conceal, and when asked to make a direct statement offered the following: Strongly Opposed. "I am strongly opposed to any plan which has for Its ultimate object the crippling of the State Agricultural College This great educational In- stttutlon has long been the pride of the State and I do not believe that the people are willing to sec it shorn of Its prestige. I do not desire to enter en-ter into discussion of the relative merits mer-its of the various reports made by tho legislative committee. Threo reports having been made, each one differing from the other, is quite sufficient to raise a doubt respecting -thoi merits of , the attack upon this college. I am 'favoiable to the suggestions made In the minority report and 1 believe If the unnecessary duplications of work "done by the Agricultural College and the Stalo University were eliminated and cut down to the minimum, the taxpayers of the state would Unci no fault with I he burden of running the two Institutions. The Agricultural College Is distinctly distinct-ly a sclent I (lc, Industrial Institution, and Its aim and purpose is to promote and develop the Industries and resources re-sources of the state, such as Domestic Science, Agriculture, Commerce, En-glnecrlng En-glnecrlng and kindred subjects. The University should be restricted to general gen-eral courses, such as Medicine, Law, Mining and Klcctilcal Engineering, Pedagogy, Liberal arts, and kindred subjects. This college has been In existence ex-istence for more than sixteen years and has made splendid headway and it would bo unfortunate to obstruct Its progress now, Of course the state is short of funds and the expense of running run-ning the two great educational institutions insti-tutions makes a heavy burden on tho taxpayer under the present assessed valuation of property. This year the assessed valuation as now fixed Is about $133,000,000 and I believe It Is greatly below what It should be. There Is said to be 40 millionaires In Salt Lake city alone, and a much larger number In the state, and If the assessors of the various counties would get a move on themselves 1 am sure that instead of $1:19,000,000 the tax roll would show not less than $150,000,000, then the burden on the ordinary taxpayer would be minimized and the Agricultural College would move on to greater pjrfectlon and continue con-tinue to add luster and glory to our great and growing state.' Attorney General Breeden's view is worthy of earnest consideration by the public, and we commend his suggestions sug-gestions to thoughtful people. Ills disposition to speak of the matter so fully and earnestly is to be commended. |