The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1883-02-03
A few weeks ago the Fairmont

west Virginia University MS
seems to have been the signal for
The Republican press generally to
open war upon the institution. The
Wheeling Intelligencer being of
course the central figure, around
which the lesser lights Of Republi-
canism revolye, has now taken charge
of the onslaught and in its self as
sumed majesty, proposes to sweep
from the State the last vestige of the
institution.
The West Virginian with for
midable threat of "war to the knife
and knife to the hilt," calls on us to
@explain," and that this rising phan-
tom of wrath may be appeased, we
hasten to comply.
In fact we think we can explain n
little more than we are asked by our
radical contemporary. But before
we proceed we will state that there
were 140 students enrolled last fall,
and now there are 80, and not 70 as
the IntelHgeacer SO recklessly states.
In fact there are more students in
attendance during this winter term,
than any other winter in the history
of The school.
Now we will endeavor to explain
why a few students have left. The
change made last spring by the Re
gents from the curriculum to the
University or "School' plan, was
sudden and radical, and it would be
impossible for a change of this kind
to be unaccompanied by a greater or
less degree Of friction in the work Of
the school. A very great majority of
the departures were owing to this
very reason, and they were mostly
former students whose class arrange
ments were disturbed by the new
order of things. Politics had moth
ing to do with these, for there were
about as many of them Democrats
as Republicans. In addition to this
a great many have gone out to teach
during the winter months and will
return in the spring.
So much in explanation of the de-
parture Of students, let us now see
if we can explain the. cause of the
Radical uproar.
First: Ignorance; that is to say
they do not know what they are talk
ing about We will venture the as
sertion that the Republican editors
who are raising all this hue and cry
have not often, if ever, visited the
University, since the State has been
under Democratic control, and be
sides they have not given the mat
ter any serious consideration what
ever.
Another cause appears in that the
Republicans seem to be Judging Dem
ocrats by themselves and take it for
granted that the latter are as partisan
and selfish as they were when they
were in power. In this they are
mistaken, for Democratic liberality
in its control has been as marked as
Republican selfishness.
This is the first year, since the
Democrats have been in power, that
it has been under Democratic man
agement. Is that partisanship?
There is not a single instance on
record, Of removal of professor or
teacher merely because he was a
Republican. There are now four
Republican professors in the school.
How many Democratic professors
were there when the Republicans had
the management? Not one, at least
net till several years after its open
ing.
Indeed one of the Republican pro-
fessors, himself, has called attention
to this very thing, and says that the
Democrats have shown a far more
liberal and progressive spirit than
the Republicans did
Another cause we suspect can be
found for the Vest VirqiniGn's ran
cor. 1t is not impossible nor indeed
improbable that there being a branch
of the Normal School at Fairmont,
makes it desire the downfall of the
University Stranger things have
happened, and it is not uncommon
for those who are ready to burst with
envy, to give vent to their pent up
emotions Of gall and hatred, when to
their blinded Imagination favorable
opportunity is presented.
We notice by an article in the In
telligenee, that the number Of stu
dents in attendance at the University