The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-08-16
Crr7fci.ang the University.

University.
The first is to bring to light what
ever defects or wrongs may affect it,;
to freely discuss, criticise and if need
be denounce them, in order that they
may he corrected and the institution
reformed.
The second is to deny everything
and admit nothing derogatory to the
institution, and assiduously cover up
anything and everything that may
be secretly or openly working its
ruin.
There is one class of persons who
denounce those who do not adhere
to the latter course as enemies of the
University. They hold that no man
or newspaper has right to tell the
truth about it, unless the truth stated
be hattering. They hold that only
those are friends who shut their ewes,
and help to shut the eyes of the pub
lie, to all that is wrong and continu-
onsly shout its praises through evil
as well as good report.
We most respectfully decline to
have our friendship for the Uni
versity measured by such standard.
The New DOMINION claims to be a
sincere friend of the University.
Through all it's history we have given
it consistent and hearty support.
We have esteemed it as one of the
most valuable and useful public in
stitutions of the State. We have,
moreover, in common with the people
OF this community, felt special in
terest and pride in its prosperity,
because Of its being located in our
midst.
But the manifestations of our
friendship have frequently been con
strued by the quondam friends of the
University to be the acts of an enemy.
Because when we have seen wrong
we have denounced it. When we
have seen Encouragement we have
criticised it. When we have seen
misfeasance or maltcasance in its
officers we have rebnked it. When
we have seen any drawback to the
prosperity Of the institution we have
not hesitated to point it out in the
hope that it might he removed.
We have thought, and we still
think, that this is the best and most
suitable way Of manifesting our
friendship. If a man has IL son who
is addicted to vices that are working
his ruin, he will not try to persuade
him and his friends that he has no
vices, or defend him in the indul-
gence of those vices-rather, if he is
an intelligent parent, will he dcnounce
the vices and rebuke his son as
means of bringing about his refor-
nation.
So will tue New DOMINION continue
to manifest its interest in and friend
ship for the University by exposing
every evil that comes within our
knowledge. and by assisting to Grad
icate everything in its organization
that in our oppinion affects its pros
perity.
The University is public iustitu-
ton. Its Regents and Professors are
public officers, and as such they are
Legitimate subjects of criticism. 1t
is for the good of the institution that
it should be subjected to public criti-
cism. The people have right to
know what is going on in it, aud so
far as we can assist we intend they
shall know, whether that be good or
bad. We have right to criticise
and we intend to exercise it. We
are not to be frightened by threats,
or deferred by the "stop my paper"
racket.
Neither are we concerned about
having our Democracy impeached on
this issue. AS long as the New Do
MINIoN lives-and that will be for
some weeks hence--t may he de
pended on to have some opinions on
public questions, public officers, and
public institutions, and to have the
courage to express them. The milk
and water journals hereabouts that
carefully avoid any opinion on a
matter that has two sides may serve
that class of readers who prefer confec-
tionary as steady diet, but if you
want opinions--if you want paper
that stands for something, You can
find it in the New DOMINION.
Let the Press of the State Urge |
this Dem n md.