Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1894-03-02
OPINION OF A STATE.
What the State at Large Thinks of the
Charges Against the Regents.
The Unanimous Opinion is That Ttere
is no Ground for Action.

The anonymous charges made against
the regents OF the agricultural college
have occasioned vast amount OF COM
ment throughout the state, but no one
who has made an examination Of them
finds the least cause for action, or reason
for the charges having been brought.
| Great wonder was expressed at the fact
that anonymous charges were ever acted
upon in the first place, but at the time
the governor decided to have an investi-
cation he did not look upon the charges
as being strictly anonymous. He had
been assured by a resident of Olympia
rhat reputable citizens of Pullman would
sign and substantiate them, and he acted
wisely in refusing to carry on the inves-
tigation further when those citizens re-
| fused to sign. Ii the state must be put
to the expense of an investigation every
time an anonymous charge could be sent
in, it would be but short time till the
people would be taxed to death. II any
thing is really wrong with any institu-
| ton or official there will be no need Of
anonymous charges, but the charge
would be brought signed and backed up
by responsible parties. Throughout the
entire state public opinion is that there
is no ground for the charges, and that it
is shame to have the college again
hauled through the mire of suspicion.
The regents have each asked for public
investigation, and in justice to them it
seems only right that the b4ame should
be put where it belongs. Until this is
done there will be those who will think
that possibly all is not right. 1t is a
very easy matter to get at the facts in the
case. Examination of the records,
coupled with common sense, will prove
or disprove them. kThe newspapers OF
the state, with one exception, have
looked at the affair in this light. The
Spokane Review says:
To allow the mild sensation recently aroused
at the agricultural college to die out without
further actiou would be unwise, By many the
| er e5diiter ~ last week will Se considered q
drawn battle, ana unless u htIlleHleuJ 10 udu,
more or less suspicion will remain that all is
not well with that institution.
One side claims the other has failed to face an
investigations the others retort that the pro-
posed investigation was of the hair-trigger kind,
and they were denied time for preparation. If
the present board has nothing to conceal, it
should insist upon an investigation and declare
Willingness to have it held at any time, at any
place, and under any conditions desired by the
conlplainants. Then if the dissatisfied element
fail to make good its charges public opinion Will
condemn it and public app oval will GO to the
board of regents. If the disturbance has merely
been kicked up under selfish motives, factions,
influences 9r unjust suspicious, as charged by
the defense, an sffense has been committed
against the college and the state, and unless the
clamor is silenced it can be repeated a few
months hence and the college be kept in contin-
ual turmoil. This, then, is no time for truce.
If any of the regents have been guilty even OF
petty larceny, he should be removed The man
who would iilch few dollars in the performance
Of so sacred trust, would flch thousands if OPP
poTtunity and prudence permitted. On the
other hand, if sthe college is infested or sur
rounded by envious and unworthy malcontents,
the untrhth of their accusations should be proved
and heralded to the public, that they may be
deprived of future powers of evil.
The opinion of the ColfaX Gazette is
The Gazette believes that the board of regents
have plain duty. They should demand an in
vesdgation under signed charges and if the pros
ecution is proved frivolous, the signers of those
charges should be taxed with the costs of the
trial and if possible proceeded against criminally
If the regents were found guilty of even petty
larceny their services should be dispensed with.
Every citizen of the state would wish
to see any official, who would stoop to
any irregularity, even though it be petty
larceny, removed from office, and more
worthy person put in his place, but it is
criminal libel to charge a man OF such
misdeed when there is no ground for the
complaint.
The HERALD las examined the charges
from beginning to end, and we fail to
find charge that would stand, or that
is unexplainable. The only point which
we would criticise is that OF Regent
Ingraham in using mileage. We think
he had perfect right to use mileage and
charge the state for the same, but he
should, doubtless, have charged only the
amount he would have paid for first
class ticket. This was very small diff
ference, and Mr.. Ingraham's was an
error OF the head and not OF the heart
Ii Mr.. Ingraham should ride cayuse to
Pullman it would be right that he be
paid whatever amount the state would
have been out had he come by rail.
The exception" referred to in a pre-
ceeding paragraph is the "Olympian
Tribune" newspaper published at
Olymaia by j. OBJ. Scobey. 1t is nat
ural that that paper should be an tex
ception," inasmuch as it was its editor
who put the charges in form, and placed
them in the govesnor's hands. The fol-
lowing is from scobey's paper OF last
! Tuesday