The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-02-12
A Card from Prof CnlIler.

MANSFIELD, Feb. o. Editor HER
AID. In the HERALD of the Sth inst,
your Austin correspondent states that
Senator Pfeuffer's university bill pro-
duced CONSERVATION among the friends
OF the university, and that Prof. Collier
was in Mr.. Pfeuffer's room discussing
university matters, when Mr.. Pieuffer
permitted him to read the original notes
prepared for formulating the dill intro
duced; aud from these it is alleged was
obtained the IDEAS 50 skilfully elected
into the interview. / was invited by
Senator Pteutfer TO meet him ia his
room to discuss the bill introduced by
him, amending the public school laws.
l had read the bill with great care, and
made such suggestions as | thought
proper. / was there simply as a teacher
aud well-wisher of the public schools of
Texas. the university was inc dentally
| mentioned, and its present status, its
management and it future prospects
discussed. | ascertained that il cost
the state about $3.50 for every pupil;
that The regents cost the state about &c..
900; that the salaries paid the professors
are from $4,000 to $4,000 per annum; as
slstants 81, 200; Proctor 81 800; 10 run tue
NDU,UDU,
that there we're 100 pupils in the literary
department, and nearly two-thirds Of
the number from Austin and vicinity;
that tho stats was paying for the law
students; that the professors were
selected from other states; that the Uni
yersity was not popular; ascertained
from other sources that the people were
expecting some rolief from the legisla-
| ture, and they desired their representa-
tives TO investigate the matter, aud IL
evils existed TO remedy them. The
above facts we're occupying my mind
when Vne HERALD correspondent asked
for an expression III regard TO tho Uni
yersity. My opinion in regard to the
| management of the Uniy ersity WAS
formed at the time the bill for the es-
tabllshment of tho University was
! pending in the Legislature, years before
! quaintance. The writer believed then
| that the time had not come for the
inauguration of the Texas University 4;
he believed that the University
should have feeders, located in dillt rent
parts of the state, und0r the same man
Rgement; he believed then that "Tegen-
tai authority" was wrong in policy aud
would prove disastrous TO the best n-
tereNs and the prosperity OF the uni
versity. His idea was to keep the uni
yerslty as the center and the head of
our public school system, and not
nucleus around which to build up an
insignificant and petty autocracy, under
the very shadow OF the capitol. lie
believed that the appointed regents,
however patient and intelligent, would
rely too much on tho information of
those who might be near tho city of
Austin, and would therefore fail TO &C.
complish the object tor wAich they
were appointed. Mr.. Pfeutfer, as | un-
derstand him, is a friend TO the uni
versty; / know | am. | believe that
every intelligent citizen wishes it we'll
Then, why CONSERVATION among the
friends Of the present management,
when one OF the servants OF the people
Introduces measure In our Legislature
to remedy tho evils and perfect
the management of this great in.
terest? There is bug under the chip.
do not endorse Mr. Pieufler's bill ms o
whole, but believe is TO be one of tht
best and most needed measures tina.
will be before the ninteeuth legislature
believe with proper management
the Texas university, with its vast re-.
sources, Will become one of the grand
est enterprises of this country, nut I'M
der the present regime will be the sad
dest failure on record. The inuendo in
the beginning of this article, that used
information or the notes OF Senator
Pfeutfer for sinister motives, and the
declaration OF an irresponsible cores.
poudent of the Galveston News "that
picked up some ideas about the public
school and university from Mr.. Pfeutfer
and had myself interviewed by north
ern Texas paper and gave out for my
own that which HAD Just borrowed
from Mr.. Pieutter," are false in letter,
false in spirit aud false without mitiga.
ton and the author OF the article In the
| Galveston News OF the 7th IL ma.
lisious calumniator and avile slanderer.
JoHN COLLIER.