Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-06-28
WHOLE LOAF or MOVE.

There are two, ana only TWO reaSous
assigned, so far as We can gather, by
our Republican contemporaries in justi-
ication Of their seeming purpose to
wreck the State University.
The one Is partisanship in the Facul-
ty, and the other partisanship in the
Board of Regents.
As now constituted the members of
the Faculty are divided; some are Re-
publicans and some are Democrats. A
majority Of them are Democrats. They
have never been exclusively OF N
party since the Democrats came into
power, though previous to that they
were all Republicans, a We understand,
and the institution never had but ons
Democrat for President until a year
ago, when Hon. l.. WILSON wa
ell ected.
The ground of complaint of our Re-
publican critics must therefore be, so
far as the Faculty is concerned, either
that q majority of them are not now
Republicans, or that any member of the
Faculty should have any politics or
party preferences at all.
Since it is a fair inference to make
that any man who is so indifferent.
oblivious 20, or ignorant OF the affairs OF
his country as to have no preferences or
predictions in favor of any political
party, or that he is such a nincOmpoop
as to lack the courage to own or ex-
press his preferences, it is, We say, fair
to assume that such a creature would
not be man enough to occupy a chair in
the University.
Therefore, since our Republican
friends DO not complain because some
members Of the Faculty have political
convictions, provided they are Re-
~publicans; the only reasonable con-
elusien is that they are not offended by
the fact of partisanship in the Faculty,
but offended becausei il is not exclusively,
or at least predominantly Republican
partisanship.
We suggest, therefore, to our Republi-
can friends that they amend their in
dictment so far as it is expressed in the
terms, "partisanship in the Faculty"
and make it read "a lack of Republican
~partisanship in the Faculty"
In regard to partisanship in the
Board of Regents, we presume also that
we would hear not a word of complaint
from the Republican side if it was
made as exclusively partisan in a Re-
publican sense as it is now in a Demo-
cratic sense We think they were ex-
tremely serene and silent when every
member of the Board was Republican
IN politics. Were they not" Where
is the Republican paper in West Viz
ginia that chirped a single note in dis
lent when the State University vas Ut
terly and outrageously a Republican
organization from pit to dome? Who
speaks?
Would they even now be satisfied
with a fhir party representation on the
Board? Would they be satisfied with
less than a partisan majority? Says
the Huntington advertiser:
Gov. Jackson kept one or more Rcpub-
liCan members on the Board of Regents OF
this institution for some time after his in
duction into office, but they would not at
tend the meetings Of the Board, so that
their being members was a hindrBnce to its
management. Why they thus acted was
not in anywise explained or accounted for.
unless, as Surmised, they reirained from
attendance in pursuance Of a well organ
lied plan to use every method of making
its management a failure and bringing it
into disrepute. The Republican press have
apparently seconded this policy by a con-
slant fusillade OF abuse of the meE aud
methods employed or used in the business
OF carrying on the University. We do not
hesitate TO assert that the Board of Regents
have exercised their very best judgment
in the conduct of that institution,
and hat they have been CONTROL
ed by q sincere desire for its success aud
prosperity. Their endeavors lave met
nothing but brutal abuse and outrageous
criticism from the opposition press. That
this criticism has not been induced by
sincere men for the good of the University,
seems apparent. The Board have become
fully impressed with the idea that 10 mat
ter how we'll lis affairs may be ordered, the
same criticism will be met with. Under
these circumstance the Board feel war
ranted in ~disregarding the unseemly and
unnatural cries of the wreckers and the
Governor finds, in the estimation of every
II cere friead OF education in this State,
bundant warrant for comforting its man
ypem emf upon its friends"