Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-06
THE Y. NJ. |.
REPORT OF THE LEGISLATIVE INvEsTI'
eating COMMITTEE.
They Recommend that General Francis L.
Smith be Made Lmeritus-
superintendent.


Stubbs, chairman Of the special joint
committee appointed to investigate the
affairs of the Virginia Military Institute
presented the following report
10 me General Asscmbivo( Girqinid;
The Joint committee consisting OF Messrs.
Stubbs chairman, Read. and Mcdonald. oi thc
Senate. aDd II Messrs. Dupuy. Arnold, wilkins
Pitcher and Mayo. Of the house, appointed un-
der Joint resolution adopted February -, lsoo'
beg leave 70 submit the following report;
l.
This investigation ves asked for by General
Francis n. Smith, the present superintendent Oh
the Virginia Military institute. through his couh-
sell Colonel Edmund Pendleton, he complaining
that certain portions Of tho last report OF the
Board OF Visitors OF snid institute, signed ~
General r. 7. hunford as president, reflected Ia
an Objectionable manner in several particulars
upon the superintendent
RI.
The assertion made by the counsel fot General
Smith that the report Of the Board OF Visitors ot
the Virginia Military Institute for tho nscal
year ending September 80, 1881, was not IN TACT
the report Of said board. hut personal
document Of General T. r.. MuDford alone, actu-
ated by hostile feelings, "dislbgeneous ana IN
worihyn in its character, has not been mace
good BY the evidence. but on the contrary thc
board unanimously endorse 10 as their authentic
report required bv law, only two members
qualifying their endorsement In the matter OF
verbal criticisms. in which 10 was held that tne
report might have ooeh 1pfesscu ia eohe"u''
The committee find that it is the authentic re-
port required by law aud deal with II as such,
hut would recommend that such report be hence
forward signed by at least majority OF the
oolrd.
Astothe specific charges made against the re-
port as TO its inoccuracy. unworihlness' &c, Ine
committee enumerste them and their findings
below:
% Report, Pago 3.-"The finances were not
in a shape for Us to know with accuracy the con-
dition OF the Indebtedness Of the institute. Ihe
credit Of the institute was AT low ebD ana the
state had 10 payJor such credit"
FINDING.
One Of the most important books bearing
upon the finances Of the institution is now and
was at tho time the report wa written In the
hands Of the Court Of Boteiourt county, hnd
neither the committee nor ihe BOARD had tne
means in consequence of knowing Win accuracy
the condition OF the indebtedness OF the tnsu-
int That tho credit Of this institute. without
State aid. was at a low ebb," &C. ana thht nc
intervention Of the state saved u from hopeIe5s
bankruptcy has, we think, been cohclusiVeiy
shown
military stOrekeeper and treasurer can 90 INTO
any market aud purchase all supplies without
having to pay three prices for time and risk, &c.
FnDING.
The supplles can be bought on better terms
with the endorsement Of the state as asserted,
but we regard the expression "hTee price" as
extrayagaut and unwarrauted.
t3) Report, Page 4" Your attention Is most
resnectfully called TO the fact that no thorough
Investigation has been made for years by experts
ne 10 The status OF the various trust tUnds con-
nected with the Virginia Military institute: Ih-
der the present system toe boatd oi flsitoi
are not com pensatei for their time. aud even II
they we're Il IS TOO heavy an undertaking 10 e1-
pect it OF them. II Is best a. the state Is prin-
cipally interested. that thorough Cyerhanling
be bad. that our successors may Al least nave a
clear understanding Of those matters to start
with"
The manner I'm which the trust funds OF the
institution. amounting In the aggregate TO sj5'-
1000, have been recklessly ABSORBED ID the gene
rel expense fund Of tho Institute have been as
sipafel and their very existence compromised
cannot be too severely censured. The COM
mittee recommend that an expert be placed
al tho service OF the present Board OF flsi-
tors for the purpOse of tracing accurately the
amounts OF said funds, the disposition lnele o.
them. and that they embody the result Ia their
next report, with q view OF reinsiauns said
funds and reconsecraiing them 70 tho purposes
for which they were originally esiabllshed, ana
that they SHALL likewise examine INTO tho DOudeu
and floating debt Of the institute And 1t Il re-
commended that sum not 70 exceed three nun
dred dollars be appropriated for this purpose.
an Report Pege (. Tho appropriations order
ed bv the Board Of Visitors have been transcend
ed i'm one or two instances whom the amount was
specified by them, under the immediate supervi.
sion of the superintendent, and the Insurance ol
the public buildings has been entirely over
locked in his estimates OF expenditures
FINDING.
The appropriations referred TO have been
trarscended IN a slight degree. but disposition
to disregard tho order OF the bOsrd on the part OF
the superintendent IN this particular ana tne
he would have dono so but for the checks esiao
llshed by the board was very clearly esaD
II was claimed that insurance was compre
| berded in the item "c0nangencies-fl ,OJO "-oL
! page - Of repor-.
the institute were sent 10 Charleston, ;. C., bl
! tho superintendent without authority from tue
| Board OF Visitors under the present cifcuin
stances we have not seen where we could oD'Aii
| the tents 10 carry out our views"
FINDING.
! Tho committee not only sustsin but most earn
| esfly commend the superintendent in his actor
| in sending the tents TO Charleston an'
| his acton was approved both by the Governor
| of the State and By the president OF th'
! BOARD of visitors The expression "withOut au
| thorityn conveys an unnecessary and unlustin
| able reflection upon the generous ACTON Oh tnt
/ superintendent in sending the old tents TO th'
! sufferers IN Charleston and should not nave
been used in the report
/ =
| FINDIsG.
Tho military band at the institute has beer
costing from g. 800 % 5000 annuslly. The su
| perintendent claims mat under chapter 81 o
! section 2J OF the Code OF 1913 he alone Dad M
I legal right 10 enlist or appoint musicians. Al
| hitting this TO DO true, the recommendation
! tbe board tnRt men be employed VINO could plH.
4 i'm the band and DO other WOrz when not thus o.
I cupied with a view 10 reducing expenses seem
| A very correct aud very reasonable one. an
- .f.r huN
rity and earnestness on the part OF the superln
| tendent In making experiments IN that dlrec
! ton The services Of the band In the single iten
! Of making music for drill, dress parade, inspec
tion, and the ball, should not cost the amour
| indicated above.
Itbas been quite clearly established that IN,
! snDeriutendent has not boen in cordial co-opera
| five sympathy with he Boards OF visitors IRON
that period in the history OF the Institution Whel
/ the management OF the finances was taken b.
what is know as the ReadJuster board out OF hi
hands and from under his personal control
V.
The com mittee find that a manifest want 0
! harmony existed between the last Board OF Nisl
! tors and the superintendent. ana they cannot II
| An caudOr see why itmay not continue under IN
board now directing tho interests OF the stsu
! involved in one of Its most expensive insutn
tions-one that has cost the state since 10"
nearly S50O,OOO. A.. l..
! tegriiy and the noble and heroic character o
General Frangts II. smith. we would reconlmen
that In consideration Of his faithful ana eml
nent services In the past and his untiring energ
i'm calling this splendid institution out OF IN
ashes in Whivh a hearthss and ruthles
DESTROYER left 1t into a new and Wgorou
existence, and, too, on account OF his age, tnat
the end OF the present year he be retired fror
service on half the pay he il now receiving VII
the honorable title OF " "EmcTitus SupeTtnfeHdsn
ofhe Virg,nid Military Institute" AMI that IN
burdens OF the responsible position which he hs
filed so well be placed upon younger shoulder
than his.
Iu this investigation no suspicion OF imprope
conduct In connection With the financial manage
mont Of the school has been imputed 10 the ven
cradle superinte ndent, aud in no other partcu
lar except in those cases in which the ltfe-lonl
established habits of an old man, long accuston
ed 30 have hls own way (and that military way
came in conflict with the Innovations which IN
boards of Visitors have seen ht 70 Introduce !
what they sincerely regarded-and we believe :
bs-tho Rest interest Of tbs state and OF ID
school.
The committee are Of the opinion that the lai
board. Whilo cOnscientiotTsly and breyely az
charging what was manitestly their duty ha
acted az least with some degree OF impatienc