The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-06-16
THE A. & NJ. COLLEGE.

'IHe HOSt QOes uOJ lOOk upon Ine
history of the A. & NJ. College, at
Bryan, as rejecting credit upon the
state. Touching the old squabble
in the faculty, it says:
80 ave have nothing to do with the
old squabble, which we think was a
disgraceful one, and resulted in in
fiicting great injury on the educa-
tionai interests of the state. We
agree with the friends of the elected
faculty that the evIcted professors
were treated with gross injustice,
and that the summary disposition of
the case was a cowardly blunder.
But still we cannot shut our eyes to
the fact that the breakup and reOr-
ganiZation has resulted in placing
the college in its proper position
and in the right line of Developments
Whatever may have been the incOnt
sistencies and errors of the Pilot in
reference TO the old administration
of the college, we fail to see that its
articles ON the present state of the
institution are anything but proper
and reassuring." ...
But the. Post thinks it better now
to turn public attention towards inn
proving the Institution, than to keep
alive old issues that have long oper-
ated SO fearfully against its success
The only means by which this A. &
NJ. College can be brought to pO-
sition, commanding the interest and
support of Texans, is to enforce the
provisions upon which their state
accepted the bounty creating it.
Make it in reality an agricultural
and mechanical college, where Wig
orous-minded young Texans may
learn the science of agriculture and
mechanics, and learn how to apply
them to the best advantage of Tex
as, and then the people of Texas will
take deep interest in this ihstitu-
ton, and it will grow and prosper.
The Post again says:
"The want of labor, of machinery
with motors, both IN the workshops
and in the fields, and more than all,
the want of water, is lying like an
incubuscon the institution, and is
defeating every honest attempt to
fulfill the true idea of its endOw-
meat. This should be remedied as
soon as possible. The water supply
is the most difficult to meet. Can
dor cOmpels US to assent to the criti-
cism that a great mistake was made
in locating such an institution where
the rainfall is uncertain, and where
no stream could be used for irriga-
ting purposes" . ..-I.....-
~ We have before written the his
tory of the location of this college,
showing how il was manipulated III
fraud.and how the state was cheated
out of many thousands of dollars in
buying land and in beginning the
erection of the buildings. All this
is an episode of Republican admins
tration in 1928, which ought to be
familiar to allwen informed persons.
The thing had its inception in fraud,
and the bad name at first attaching
to it seems to have hung with te-
nacity. As an educational institu-
ton, it has certainly been a sad fail
ure, and unless improved under this
new regime that now goes into eff
feet, it would be well enough to turn
the thing out to grass for a while. The
| STATESMAN has all the time insisted
on this institution being made just
what the law requires it to be, and
| lit will endorse it only when it be-
comes an agricultural and mechani-
cal college in the true sense of the
ignification. In such a course it
has often, as we are informed, re-
ceived censure from persons i'll au-
thority, but since it is not the simple
| desire of this paper 10 court indiyid-
| ual favor it must hold to its doc.
trine ofright, and this is represented
1 in the fulfillment of a contract,
which is demanded by the people OF
Texas, and which when complied
with will receive their appreciation
to the extent of substantial en-
dorsement that will give the A.
& M. permanent prosperity and
credit. Reorganization is demanded,
and the beginning of the next ses-
SION must show a purpose to carry
it out to the requirement, or else we
may see the small number of sea
diets" in attendance still more great
ly diminished. AS to the natural
disadvantages referred to, these
are sad features when applied to the
conduct of the institution, but they
may be overcome. The vast amount
of money expended at Bryan re-
| quires that no means be neglected
which may improve matters, and we
are satisfied the Legislature will be
pleasedto make the necessary appro-
priations. 5. ...t..