The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-03-30
THE UNIVERSITY.
CONTINUED from First Page1

its roote must he in contact with the
soil The elevation of the standard
has been gradual and tentative until
now, as has been shown, the univer-
aity compares favorably with other
institutions. speaking as an indivld-
ual, however, l am inclined to think
that in some thing the standard 10
too high at present, and that in these
things it can be- profitably lowered
until the high schools in the stale
were more thoroughly equipped.
The third count III Prof. Co0pers
arraignment of the university is the
undue influence in its management
exercised by tbs Austin clique,
cabal, soldari y, etc, as he
in various connections styles it. In
his exposure OF the nefarlous chilean.
cries of this clique Professor cooper
makes the most reckless statements,
all of which are unsupported by any
proof. In his opinion 1t seems, Mr.. A.
p. Woodbridge, brother-in-iaW OF the
chairman and secretary OF the board
ofregente, Is tho central figure In the
clique. He alleges that through Mr..
Wooldridge's influence | was elected
professor OF English literature and
history in the original faculty. 1t 10
not for me to say what influenced tho
regents to elect me to tho place. was
in Kentucky at the TIME and my testi.
monials, as those of others were be-
fore the board IL il to he presumed
that 1 was elected OH tho strength OF
those testimonial know, however,
that DR.. Il. ID. Wooten then and now
q regent, spent "a month in Russell
Vile, my home in KeDtueky, during
the summer proceeding my election,
and had ample opportunity
to find out all about me.
He has told me and others
that one object OF his visit was to
ascertain my fitness .0r the chair tor
VIII ch | was an applicant, and that
when the election took place ne made
q favorable report. But perhaps DR..
Wootsn's testimony will be discount.
ed as ne ID amemosr of the "Cabal. ="
refer, then, to Judge j VI. Harwood
OF Gonzales, Tex, then and now NOM
Der OF the board OF regents, He has
the reputation in his eignbOrhood OF
being u truthful man, and Will, l am
confident, answer any inquiries on
this point addressed to him.
Professor Cooper charges that 1T
was through DR.. WoOdridge's iuhu.
ence "that DR.. WOOten WAS elected
president Of the board OF regents in
1856 This is false. Col. Seth Shop
ard of Dallas and Judge E. j Sim
kins OF Corsicana were membors of
the board of regents at that time, and
can testify in the matter if necessary.
Pro ess0r Cooper Likewise charges
,hnt NNonII ri UaIa n n n a n - M a
DIR. Waggener chairman Of the faculty
In 1884 In the paper read before tho
house committee on education no had
in addition to this and suspect the
same influence has kept him chair.
man" Both Of these charges are
,alse. AS far rs my first election 10
concerned | refer DR.. MAllet and Or.
Humphreys, now of the University of
Virginia, and to such members of the
present faculty as were here in 1884,
Judge Gould, DR.. Halstead and Or.
Everhart being among them. 80 far
as my subsequent elections are con-
Cerued | leier to all the members OF
the present faculty. The election Is
by the faculty, aud occurs every year.
| have been elected chairman OF the
faculty nine times, and on eight of
these times my election was unani.
nous. AS II matter Of factit has been
this latter feature that has induced mo
to hold the place. The money con-
sheraton, $780, 900 per year Is the
chairman's salary, was prac-
iically no inducement to un.
de take the enormous labor and
responsibility of the position,
not 10 speak of the calumny and
abuse to which | have been gratuit-
ously subjected. l have felt that it
was my duty to bear this heavy bur
den, If, after trial, it was the unan-
imous wish Of the faculty.
Professor Cooper insinuates that
the "caval" has been instrumental in
drawing the funds of the university
from the state treasury and deposit
ing them in the City National Bank
of Austin, of which Mr.. Woodbridge
used with Dr. Wooten's and my con-
nivance tor banking purposes. This
charge was made more directly be-
fore the house committee, and PrOfes.
sor Cooper was forced then and there
to retract his assertions. The charge
is absurd on its face. AS everybody
knows, money can not be drawn by
the university from the state treasury
except upon an approved and re-.
Celpted voucher, the voucher being in
all cases an itemized occount of work
done or service rendered.
AS a matter of tact have bad moth.
ing directly or indirectly to do with
the disbursements OF the university
funds. The proctor of the institution,
James b. Clark, u bonded officer, has
had the entire management of this
hatter. He has made an explanation
of his methods time and agaiu-once
during the current session OF the legis.
lature to the inspecting committee OF
both houses and once before the edu-
cstiOnal committee OF the house
Judge Clark tells me that he is ready
10 assume all responsibility in his
money transactions, and to free DIR.
Wooten, Mr.. Woodbridge and myself
from all suspicion of having anything
to do with 1t, for any purpose what
ever [ understand further that the
books of the City National bank will
show that on an average the proctor's
account has for series ofyesrs, been
frequently overdrawn, and therefore
the proctor has been indebted to the
II 60 a hn. Al