The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1888-02-24
,EC1L COUNTY, Md. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY "a, 1885,
The Management of the Agricul-
tural College.

The Management of the Agricul-
turai College.
BY law the Board Of Trustees of this
institution has twelve members. Seven
Of them act for the state. VIE. the Gov
ernor, the President of the Senate, the
Speaker of the House of Delegates, the
Comptroller the Treasurer, the Attor-
ney.General, and the United States
Commissioner of Agriculture. The
other FIVE represent stock holders, the
persons who subscribed some thirty
years ago the money to establish the
college
AS rule few if any Of the states
trustees attend the meetings. To the
difficulty of securing their presence is
ascribed the fact that sometimes one or
even two years elapse without meet
ing 1t seems proper, as the state is
JONI cwner in the property, and pro-
vides all the money to carry on the col
lcge, that it should have some repro
sentatlon; but the selection of these
officials does not appear particularly
appropriate,
From their positions they must be
eminent citizens and men of character
and talent. yet the very nature of their
ofices makes their tenure uncertain,
whilst their duties there n have nothing
in common with those as trustees of
the college. Sometimes coming from
rural districts. but ftener not, they
have no intimate relations with agrlcul-
tural affairs they find the service as
signed them uncongenial, and to be
escaped when possible.
The stockholders trustees are by
law required to be elected annually,
but this provision is not always observ-
ed. There were probably FIVE or six
hundred stockholders originally, per.
haps more. Do they assemble in a
spacious hall and 60 through an cleo
tion? Oh no. Many of them are dead.
some have left the state, others are in
solvent The voting is done by proxy;
many of the proxies are held by trus-
tees, executors, assignees, etc., and the
bulk of them by persons unconnected
with agriculture. Three or four gen
tlemen--they are already the incum.
bents-meet and re elect themselves !;
and gentleman informs us that on
one occasion wishing to attend. but be
ing jnst five minutes late, he found the
work all accomplished when he arrived!
At the last called meeting four of the
trustees were present one was chair.
man ; another secretary; the other two,
tellers. The stock book had not been
brought, and no one knew who were
owners of the stock, or entitled to vote.
A gentleman who holds the proxy of
the heirs of the largest subscriber was
not on hand but had transferred his
proxy to second hand, who voted it,
and--being chairman of the meeting
ordered and had it counted Members
of the Board have sought TO buy, and
actually bought stock, which helped
them. to maintain their positions. The
stock has no intrinsic value, and is liable
to be offered at any day at Orphans
Courts sales, and to be bought up at
nominal figures. On such plan has
long been conducted public institu-
tion-one belonging to the educational
system of the state-which exists only
IN the breath of the state, and for years
has lived on its bounty and that of the
nation. and which has received of pub.
lie moneys not less than $300,000.
Is it possible that the farmers, who
are the parties directly interested that
the Legislature, the representatives of
the farming as of all other classes, will
permit such method of control to
longer prevail?
Would it be wisdom to give the
spending of $4,000 more year for :
au Experimental Station to any few
men who might buy up, or otherwise
control, this practically valueless stock?
-Ameracan Farmer.