The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-29
The Board OF Regents.

The two Houses Of the present Republic
can Legislature. voting 10 joint meeting,
will soon elect a Regent OF the University.
to take the place vacated by the death OF
the Right Rev. FRANCIS MoNEIRNY. Cath
ole Bishop Of Albany. The Board OF Re-
gents consists of nineteen members. chosen,
as vacancies occur. by the Legislature in
the same manner as United States Senators
are elected. There are also four er-o1icio
members. the Governor. Lieutenant Gov
ernor. Secretary OF State, and Superin-
tendent Of Public Instruction. It's officers
are Chancellor. Vice. Chancellor, and Sec
rotary. the Secretary being the director OF
the State Library or that institution, since
1874. the members OF the Board Of Regents
have been trustees.
The Regents OF the University date back
to 1884. when the law establishing the Board
passed the Legislature and received the
concurrence OF Governor CLINTON. They
are authorized to incorporate colleges and
academies. aud to establish uniform condl-
tions for such Incorporation. They inspect
the academies Of the State. prescribe rules
for making their returns, apportlon the
moneys annually distributed among them,
and report to the Legislature the statlstl-
cal returns OF colleges and academies. They
are trustees Of the State Library and OF the
state Museum OF Natural History. They
appoint the director and librarian OF the
State Library. and tho geologlst. entomolo-
gist. and botanist OF the museum. They
appoint the Executive Committee OF the
State Normal School at Albany They are
authorized to confer annually the degree
OF NJ. ID. upon four persons nominated
by each OF the State medical societies and
may confer any degree above that ofA NJ.
at their discretion. They are authorized to
appoint the Board OF Medical Examiners,
and on their recommendation to confer
the degree OF NJ. ID. The Regents receive
no compensation for their services. They
hold office for life or until resignation. re-
movai from the State, or neglect to attend
at least ono meeting in year. Among the
present Regents, a majority OF them Re-
publican In politics. are the Hon. CHAuNCEY
NJ. DEPEw and the Hon. WHITgLAw REID.
In consequence OF protracted Republican
control OF the Legislature. the Democratic
representation in the Board ~ Regents is
not large. but as political considerations
do not prevail in this ancient body. no
serious public injury Is wrought thereby.
Some rural journals. and especially some
Albany journals. comment. from time TO
time. on the vacancy to bs filled by the
present Legislature. and the Times Union
Of that town declares that in its belief Re-
gent MCNEIRSY's successor should be of |
the same religious faith as that distin- |
guished prelate held. I've believe" the |
Times Union declares. that the Board |
ought to include Hebrews as well as Chris |
tians. Catholics as we'll as Pedestrians, so |
that all the people of the State may feel |
that they have representatives. The Leg |
isature is now Republican. and will nat |
urally Incline to elect a Regent that will be |
Republican In politics. or at least not hos |
tile TO the party. The problem. then. is 10 |
find a person who is both Republican and |
Catholic. and at the same tim0 qualified by |
mental attachments and physical strength |
to make an energetic. active. aud useful |
member OF the Board, We have no hesita-
ton in saying that the successor OF Bishop |
MCNEIRSY should be Of the same faith as
he was. and when another vacancy Is to be |
filled the Legislature should select some
well-educated aud competent Jew from the
many excellent citizens Of that faith"
The Republicans Of the Legislature are
not likely TO consult the Times TaioH in I'LL
ing this vacancy, though they may go TO
the town Of Albany. whore ii is published.
for their candidate. II they establish any
test or condition Of membership |
OF the Board. they will be taking a new
departure, Ehs religious convictions Of