The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-06-09
ALCORN UNIVERSITY AGAIN.


JACKSON, Miss,
June 9th, 1875. !
EDITORS CLARION The old Board o
AlcOrn University have managed to keeI
the new Board enjoined until they could
make settlement with the Treasurer
and, as everybody expected, they have
pronounced his account call right"
Nobody, who is familiar with the past
conduct of these gentlemen, could have
expected any other verdict. They are an
honorable set of men, like Caesars wife,
"above reproach."
As W. ii. Gibbs (who has, at last,
! got his =" hearts DESIRE" and is now
Chairman Of the Executive Committee, }
has generally told the public that ''every
dollar was accounted for" perhaps he will
satisfy the public that his statement is
true, by publishing the financial exhibit OF
the late Treasurer, and let the public know
just ,chere that SIT 900 went TO. When
the Legislature ordered the money to be
paid back into the State Treasury there
was S35, 900 in the University Treasury.
That law has never been obeyed in
single particular, but the Treasurer re-
ports that he disbursed SIT, 900 for debts
that must have been contracted during
the six weeks that elapsed between the
passage of the bill, and the closing of
the school. Besides the fact that the
expenditure was an open defiance of the
new law, it is serious question to inquis-
tive taxpayers, how so large a debt could
l., 81 l.
Just look at the facts for a moment
When the Committee of the Legislature
investigated the Treasurer's account, he
stated on sworn testimony that he had
$50 600 after all outstanding debts were
paid, that was $50, 900 in the clear. The
Legislature had previously passed a law
which prohibited the Trustees from ex-
pending any of that money for the main
tenance of students. The only debts
incurred on buildings, was bill for re-
pairing three buildings amounting to
thousand dollars which has not been
paid! The following paragraph which |
quote from the unanimous report of the
Legislative Committee, is suggestive of the
question / am driving at {: 1.-The annual
expenses of the University need not
exceed fifteen thousand dollar (S15, 900. J"
Now, then, where did that 81 900 90 to?
1t was not paid to students, nor for build
ings, nor for repairs, nor for lands, nor
could it have been paid for salaries, since
all the salaries of the officials for the en-
tire year would not equal that amount.
There were not over forty students during
the last part of the session and only one
Professor and two assistants. Only one
of his teachers received his salary in full,
and the reason why he was paid in full
was because Mr.. Dedrick had sold him
some furniture and could not get his
money unless the Professor was paid in
full.
After allowing nearly half of the money
to be unlawfully expended, the old Board
tell US that the remainder is deposited in
Bank, ''subject to the order of
proper authority, there being doubts as
to who, under the law, is entitled to re-
ceive it." On the contrary the new law
says, ''the State Treasurer shall be En-
o6icio Treasurer of said Institution, and
as such shall have the custody of all
funds" And the late Treasurer is
hereby required to forthwith pay into the
State Treasurer all unexpended balances. "
Can there be any doubt as to who, under
the la,c, is entitled to receive it? Is not
this willful misunderstanding of the
law? Well, we will take that $4,000
from the old Board, if they have the
conscience to return it to the taxpayers.
1t is the all that remains of some $780,,
900 that have been squandered by that
old Board. We will take it, | say, with
out murmur, as it is the last we will ever
ppt from them. ours,
"WHITE WASH"