New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-29
THE UNION COLLEGE CONTROVERSY.

TIE UNION COLLEGE CONTROVERSY.
The State officers are not to be COMPEL ed
to attend the meeting of the board of trustees
of Union College, called for August q The
motion for "A nandamus has been denied.
They will not he present unless they choose,
and, Judging from their course heretofore,
they will not choose. The decision of Judge
Bockes will doubtless strike most of the frit nds
of the college az being sound on general prin-
ciples. The point was made In opposition to
the motion that whether or not the State ci-
GERS woald attend the meeting of the trustees
was n discretion, and that n mandamus would
not lie to compel the exercise of diScre-
ton. This may Or may not be good law, but it
seems sensible when applied to this particular
case.
None of these State officers have attended any
of the meetings of the board during the past two
years. Their absence was taken rs matter
of course until the lines were sharply drawn on
the question of the presidents administration
Then the board split into two factions Of
about equal strength. To-day in full board
one of the factions has a majority of one.
But the factioa that has the majority is short "A
member who is out of the country. In this
state of things to have compelled the State
officers by court process to attend the meetings
of the board, was 10 forcs them into a quarrel
as bitter as il is deplorable, aud to run Dos
sibe danger of making bad matter worse 10y
giving it a political turn. 1t has been charged
that denomlnatiOnalIsm has something to do
with the present controversy. Compel the
State officers to attend the trustee meetings and
it will not be long before there will be rumors
Of political influences. A college ia capital
institution tn keep ont of politics. If there has
been desire in any quarter to see these officers
put under mandamus. it has grown out of q
belief, or at least mcclure, that the intro
duction of new and unparalleled element
into the board of trustees might result in a
wise and speedy solution of the pending diff
culties. But it is not sure that these &c
oGicio members of the board, who probably
have only general knowledge of the merits OF
the controversy, would readily prove equal to a
task which has long baflied the elective mvn-
beers, vino are perfectly familiar with Those
merits and who have read and digested all the
many pamphlet in which they are detailed.
The meeting for the I'd of August will be
held without the State officers, and so possibly
will amount to nothing. But it ought not to. III
every one of the trustees will attend il with an
eye single to the welfare of the college and
with firm determination to discourage fac
ton, and an understanding can he reached
which will result in peace based upon justice.
And peace based upon justics is all that any
true friend of Unicn asks. Certainly no man,
be he president or member of the faculty, is
necessary to the institution. If the president
must go, we'll and good. IL the faculty must
20. well and good. Let the obstacle to peace
oe clearly apprehended, and then let the
remedy be promptly and vigorously applied.
The removal of Professor Webster, whether
wise or unwise, was but halfway measure
it accomplishes nothing; indeed, the quarrel
continues with increased earnestness The
board is composed of practical men, of expert
ence and Judgment. They must realize that
this is not one of those troubles that can safely
be left to the healing influences of time. Cure
is conditioned on radical treatment, and moth
ing is gained by delay.