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Aside from the financial argument, perhaps the most potent reason for the change was the desire to suppress the insolent local lobby which persisted in regarding each institution as a gratuity from the state to the town in which it was placed, and therefore to be managed by local wisdom in local interests.
In the appointment of the Board of Control it is said that the cities of the state were not to be "recognized" because they had already received more "patronage" than they were entitled to have, and therefore the members must come from the coun- try. In spite of the infelicity of having made use of the same men for investigating the merits of a system of which they were to be beneficiaries, the general impression is that the men com- posing the new board are capable and honest, and that the sys- tem will be fairly tried on its merits.
SAMUEL G. SMITH.
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA.
