Louisiana capitolian., 1880-08-14

Mechanical College is an institution
Of learning supported entirely by pub
lie funds, for the benefit Of the youths
Of Louisiana. It is governed by o
Board Of Supervisors, serving without
pay, who have perfect right to elect
whomsocvcr they please as officers or
Professors. Some Supervisors are
appointed for one, others for two,
three, or four years. When first ap.
pointed, three years ago, their COM
missiens failed to stipulatc tho dura.
ton Of the tenure Of the holders.
Since then several seats were vacated
and filled.
At last tenSupervisors out oftwelve
were appointed after the adjournment
Of tho Legislature to replace the in
discriminatory selected members.
On the 25th Of June, the day adver-
tiscd as that designated by law for a
regular meeting, quorum composed
of the Superintendent Of Education,
the President Of the Faculty, both cr-
oOcio, and holding over members,
with seven others holding recent
commissions, assembled at the Uni
vcrsity, with the tacit acquiescence Of
the old members who failed either to
protest or put in an appearance.
Everything was lovely until . ma
jority Of the quorum thought proper
to effect q change in tho management.
After that was done trouble arose.
The President Of tho Faculty and
the Treasurer of the Board; soon
ceased to recognize those with whom
they had acted and when tho next
meeting day came, everything was
wrong and illegal. A suit was insti'
tutetl to rc-install tho old Board and
finally an application was made to
Judge Sherburne to issue m injunc-
ton restraining the new Board from
further action.
1t had become necessary, although
tho members have no pecuniary IN
tcrcst at stake, that John Jones
should take tho place of Tom Smith.
Pending the settlement neither Jor es
nor Smith, could pay overdue sala-
rics of Professors, nor arrange to open
the Institution until the quarrel be-
tween these parties could be settled
through the slow process Of the courts.
But the great principle of ''ifl can't
you shan't' was involved, and the
Institution supported by the peoples
money might remain closed, for that
matter, pending decision.
And Judge Sherburne thought that
the law didn't mean that because
Jones and Smith were quarreling, a
public institution should bc shut
up.
He refused to do it.
So that the new Board can go OH tc
prepare for the opening OF the session
in the early days of October, and III
the meantime, or after that, if tho
courts should decide by chance, that
the old Board was the legal one, tht
new would then step down and ou'
and the College would still live.
Where's the wrong'
If the law says that Judge Sher
burne was compelled to close thi'
public Institution because of the quar-
rel between Jones and Smith, under
such circumstances, then such q law il
an Infringement upon the rights oft TIN
people; a blot on the statutes Of a
civilized State.
But We don't believe any sucl
thing. In such matters, as III Others
circumstances alter cases.
Judge Shcrburnc has done right tt
protect tile people, rather than per
NIT men, having no pecuniary inter
est involved, to make the public suf
fer because of quarrcls of outs agains
ins.
"Tlike Jcfferson's way of inaugura
ton it suits our system. He rode OF
horseback to the Capitol, tied hi