Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-12-04
State Agricultural College.

State Agricultural College.
One despotism at least exists in
Iowa, end for some years has been
fostered by the State. Recent events
have more clearly proven this fact,
which was made sufficiently patent
last winter in the course of the Ran
kin investigation. President Welch,
1t appears, has been no less than a
dictator at the State Agricultural
College ever since he first assumed
the position of President of the Insti-
tuition. The Board of Trustees was
intended by the Legislature to be
superior to the President, but he has
the Board under his thumb, or at
least the Board appears to do his bid
ding and endorse his illegal and arbi-
trary acts, as if they were unable to
do otherwise. A communication in
reference to the recent changes in
the Faculty, we copy elsewhere,
from the Marshall Times of the 9th
ult. 1t shows how things have been
managed recently, and exposes the
trick by which the President and his
ring managed to displace those of
the Professors who were disposed to
raise their voices against the wrongs
which have been committed by the
President and the Board, and who
were favorable to an investigation of
the affairs Of the College by the Leg
islature this winter.
The facts. developed last winter
(sslFs sisl I5b ~ Ut n sfse rsegfss
iatnre In deposing the President and
several members Of the Board. The
President has misappropriated thou
sands of dollars, and the Board has
seen fit to keep still about it if not
sanction it. Therefore, being all liza
BILE to censure together, all were in
terested in repressiDg Investigations,
and those members Of the Faculty
who were unable to see the wisdom
and justice OF covering up these
wrongs in order to shield the guilty,
were regarded as enemies to the
power on the throne, and hence must
be kicked out.
We have gathered information
sufficient to warrant us in asserting
the belief that if matters connected
with the College and its its funds are
investigated by the Legislature this
winter as they shauld be, the Presi-
dent and several members of the
Board will be removed, and the late
work of the Board be mainly un-
done. A competent committee Of
investigation should be appointed
early in the session, and be fully en-
powered, i'm order that no time nor
means necessary to enable the COM
mittee to do its work thoroughly,
may be wanting. So far as we have
heard, no charges were preferred
against any Of the Professors who
have been dismissed within the past
year, viz: Thomson, Anthony,
Townsend, Mathews, Foote and
Jones. They did not bow down to
President Weleh, however, and must
90. Numerous students were dis
missed unceremoniously, and with
out trial, at the command Of the
Great Head Of the Institution.
A few of the other complaints
made against the management may
be thus stated: The law Of Congress
by which the grant Of lands was
made to the State for the founding
of the Agricultural College, provided
that no funds arising from the sale or
lease of the lands should be used,
under any circumstances, for the
purchase of any other lands, erecting
or repairing buildings, or making
any improvements. The lands We're
strictly an endowment fund, which
was to be used only for the payment
of salaries and otherwise In accord
ance within the character Of the fund.
The State was TO erect and furnish
all necessary buildings, and make all
needed improvements, and was to be
responsible to the United States for
any breach of this law, or any misap-
plication Of the fund thus provided.
The State accepted the grant, with