The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-02-14

Of House Bill No. III, reyiyips and
amending the charter Of the Chesapeake
q Ohio Railroad Company, and ask the
concurrence otthe Senate.
On motion, the Senate adjourned until
Tomorrow at 10 o'clock A. NJ.
Letter from Rev. DIR. Scott, Of
MOrgantOwn.
Editors IntGligHeer
II the editor OF the Standard iancies
that any reader Of common discernment
can believe his explanation Of the ID
inst, Tor the suppression Of my letter, l
have no desire 10 disturb his delusion.
/ call attention, however, to his change
Of base from correct" to Substantially
correct" which, under the circumstances,
is Substantially" admitting the charge
made.
So | crest" on that point.
The personal abuse which he heaps
upon myself in the same article is 80
coarse and malignant as to be It's own
antidote. To cast up age TO any one as
reproach, and in manner evidently
intended to combine ridicule and insult
greatly exnggerating the case for effect
is simply brutal, aud can receive no
sympathy ambng true men. So that I
might "rest" on this point also.
l would like, however, to repel some OF
the Standards unjust and untruthful, and
consequently libellous assaults upon my
professional reputation as an educator.
Yet am net sure that even that is neces.
ssry. Who this editor who talks 30
itppantly about college presidents and
assumes to pronounce judgment upon
them with such an mir vi Importance
How much Of aCollege man il he' What
college training and what experience as
an educator has he had? Possibly he is
u mere Quack in such matters. Indeed |
began TO suspect rs much from one Of his
deliveranCes few weeks ago, from which
1t follows by fair inference, as ii appeared
to me, that the president OF college is
not n member OF its faculty-a new doc.
trine, not heretofore even suspected in
college circles, This, confirmed by his
beau ideal OF "the chief end" Of college
president, which seems to he drumming,
drumming, drumming
While his mind was 80 intent upon the
potency Of drumming "a the very life Of
the University and the want OF it, death
the only cause, in fact, Of its de.
Cay-it is wonder that he did not think
Of the potency Of the "drnm ecclesiastiC,"
which, with the hard times, has been call
ing students away from the University,
and under the circumstances would have
caused any university drum, however
well, and by whOmsoeyer beaten, to
seem "as sounding brass or tinkling
Cymbal."
That idea OF things is now happily
ended, and the drum educational will
soon be beaten with good results to the
University. Its chief officer, however,
cannot long afford to be the drummer,
for there is another ideal OF his proper
work which assigns to him far loftier
and more important sphere OF action. 1t
IL that which assigns to him the work of
chief educator in the college itself, and OF
administering its government and discip.
line with justice, impartiality and firm
ness. Her; is the crucial test Of success
in the case Of every untried man, and
neither praise nor blame is properly in
place until the trial is made.
need scarcely say that in all nv
"past services" here and elsewhere have
endeavored to carry out the latter ideal
(even at the sacrifice OF drumnlingl, be.
Iieving it TO be the true one, as will
every man who understands the subject.
1t Is astonishing, however, how much
some editors Especially young editors)
know, in these days, about things they
have never learned, and in regard 10
which they have had no experience; and
the young editor OF the Standard proves
himself TO be peculiarly gifted In this
way.
But have been led away from the
point in hand, viz: Is it really worth
while TO spend time in warding of the
attacks OF the Standard upon my profes.
Sional standing, begun two or more
months ago, without the slightest provo
cation on my part? Upon the whole, l
conclude that it is not. He is evidently
meddling with things that are "too high"
for him.. and therefore his words can
not have much weight. l think the
young man can not do me much
harm, My history is made, and it can
not be unmade by him. AS to disabilities
occasioned by age, he has drawn largely
upon his Imagination for his facts in this
case, US he would certainly even himself
be convinced "on sight" l am aware,
moreover, that personal disputes become
wearisome to the public. 1t seemed nee
cssary, however, for this"quarrel" to be
brought out thus far. There was seri-
GUS Misrepresentation on both sides. lie
supposed me to be an imbecile, and has 80
published; supposed him to be gentle
man, and 30 wrote him a polite letter,
and now tits found, ! think, that VIC were
mutually and about equally mistaken.
| am confirmed in putting IN end to
this dispute, 30 far as i am concerned,
by the odor OF this article Of the ID inst,
in connection with vivid recollection
Of an incident in quite early boyhood,
which gave me lesson of great practical
importance in after lie, when properly
attended to.
One day, in'the bright spring time, fish
ing down n fine trout stream in the
woods, "allalone," unwittingly got into
quarrel" with n skunk. "The COM
bat deepened;' and in the end gained "a
glorious victory" leaving the foe dead
upon the field. But-xx Z; well, there
was some "unpleasantness;" in short, the
victory did NOT pay, either myself or the
Community" at home.
In that case, victory was evidently
worse than useless. So Il might be in the
present case, and for Substantially" The
same reasons.
8QuaCk Ideas.
Yours respectfully,
J.W. SCoTT.
West Virginia Unirersily, February 10.