Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-10-08

shown by the bills for that year, not one
dollar OF that $4,000 was ever received by
any member Of the Board in the way OF
mileage, per diem, or travelling expenses,
which the law allows them. By the per-
mission Of the department, however, 1t was
provided for, but not used by them.
The other item in this spportionment
which disturbs the "statesman's' mino is
the appropriation of E.. 0C0 for the purchase
Of thirteen district Libraries, TO which our
statesman" devotes special attention.
These are held in trust by the various
members Of the Board for the use OF the cltl-
zens in their respective Senatorial districts.
They are kept in public offices, accessible
TO the farmers and general public, and IN
some cases at least have been advertised
and are not claimed as private property oy
the members Of the Board OF Regents.
do not have the slightest doubt that al any
time l can have them delivered at MOI gan
town within three days, or as soon as TEL
egram and the return express can bring
them. This was fully explained 70 the
auditing officers in Washington and was
approved by the United States officers VINO
had control Of the distribution ofthe FUNDS.
The law provides, under Section 5, That
the Commissioner of Agriculture NOW
Secretary Of Agriculture shall furnish
forms, as far as practicable, for the taoul9-
ton Of results of investigation or expert
mentS; 10 indicate from time 10 time such
lines Of inquiry as TO him shall seem most
important, and in general 10 furnish such
advice and assistance as will best promote
the purposes Of this act" The Board OF
Regents up TO the present has doubtless
been under the impression that after II Sc
cured the approval of the Secretary OF Ag-
ricultu;e and met the requirements OF the
Treasury Department it had complied
strictly with the law. Under or
binary circumstances, have no
doabt such would be considered
the case, and apprehend that the dis
tinguished statesman will find il difficult
to convince the public otherwise. The
Board had no farm at It's command and no
means for carrying out the line OF agri-
cultural experiments that were being
clamored for so vigorously by the agricul-
tural press of the country. The press in
sisted that experimental work should be
entrusted to practical farmers, and In
order 70 meet this clamor, the Board OF
Regents determined to distribute the eX-
detrimental work for that year largely over
the State, directing that experiments should
be conducted in each Senatorial district OF
the State. This experimental work con-
sisted principally in testing the adaptaolll-
" of different varieties Of wheat, other
grains and grasses to the soil and climate
Of the various sections Of the State. About
200 of these experiments were conducted
under instructions from the station being
placed in the hands OF numerous farmers
in the different Senatorial districts. Some
Of the members Of the Board found 1t diff
ficult 70 find farmers who were willing TO
take hold OF the experimental work as pre-
scribed in the conditions supplied by the
Station. Regents Brown, Bennett and
Hayes are particularly mentioned by the
distinguished statesman" as worthy OF
criticism. On page %, Vol. /, Station Bull
letlns, Mr. Campbell could have found Of
he had desired) that Mr.. Hayes |distri0-
uted work among seven differeAt farmers
in his district two at Clar6sourg, one at
West Union, one at Lost Greek, two at
Harrisville and one at Weston. In the
case Of Mr.. Bermett, the work was dis
tributed among thirty-four different farm
ers i9 different parts OF the Senatorial ais
trlct. In the case of DR.. Brown, the work
was distributed among seventeen differ
Tent farmers located at different points.
mention this because these members OF the
Board are made the objects of special
criticism. The work in the other Sena-
torial districts was distributed in the same
manner
Our distinguished statesman" goes into
commissions OF anger over the fruit tree dis
/ lEkGAbAOu hnQ hAuONuNCS WIN EAS0p oHN"
Of learning and investigation that "Direc-
tor Myers claims to have purchased ,64S
fruit trees and paid 81 500 for them. They
must have been ones, costing S453 each"
| The distinguished statesman" must have
/ invented that statement, as l never made
il, ard there is not even the groundwork
for it in our published reports. Some time
since, ia preparing a popular article for
the newspapers, | said that /, myself, had
spent over $1j for sO-called improved fruit,
referring To private purchases and bear
ing no relation whatever TO the business OF
the Station. IL never occurred to me that
the figures would be changed from $50 to
g., 800 and charged to the disbursement Of
Station funds, and then be taken
up by great Republican Estates
man. and Daraded before the public
OF West Virginia in the hope of saddling
some alleged crOokedness upon the Demo
cratic administration Of the State or upon
tue Board of Regents OF the State Uuiver-
Sity. Equal 10 this, and OF like character,
is his announcement with great show OF
sincerity. that the general government re-
fused 10 allow sn item of Sl,0S0 and sent IL
back with a note, Not allowed; State must
stand thls'n The note arrived while the
Executive Committee was in session. The
Director Of the Station exclaimed: II told
Harvey treasurer of the BOard) to cover
that up.n And upon this our distinguished
statesman" lays great stress The founda-
tion fer which is that there was some
weeks since a meeting of the EXecu-
tive Committee and Station Committee to
attend 70 business connected with the two
Institutions. Among the matters under
consideration was the report OF the dis
bursement Of the Morrill, fund required by
the United States Auditing officers, and
the nature OF these requirments, which
were not clearly understood, was under
discussion The character Of bills that the
auditing officers would accept were recelv-
ing consideration. BY the law, the pur
chase Of machinery and materials is allow
ed but would the cost Of the freight upon
that machinery and the expenses Of the
man who went to the factory TO superin-
tend its construction, or 10 select 1t, be al
lowed! / expressed the opinion that such
a bill should be charged or covered into'
the cost of the machinery, as the machinery
when mounted in the University buildings
ready for use had certainly cost that much.
This, like the SIS magnified into $500 is
construed into an effort upon my part 10
conceal or cover up the accounts.
Nothing appears to satisfy this Estates
man" Although the u University has been
increased in usefulness, in buildings,
equipment, and in power for developing
the higher education of the state: although
the staff of the Experiment Station is com
posed oue-half of Republicans and fair
proportion of the faculty of the University
are Republicans; although the disburSe-
ment Of the funds received from the gen
eral Government has met with the entire
approval OF It's auditing officers and they
Republicans, still this great Republican
statesman" declares that the University
is humbug and boldly announces that II
the Republicans can secure the power they
will tear the thing TO pieces. You touch
the button and Well do the rest"