The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-07-30
A JULY DISGRACE.

Governor Lord has the unsav-
ory distinction of being the first
governor of Oregon to drag
the state educational institutions
down into the mire of dirty poll
tics. He is the first man so
highly honored by the citizens of
our state, to pollute the fountains
of learning established by ben
Efficient government for our young
men and women that he might
crafty his political ambition.
Governor Lord has betrayed the
sacred public trust reposed in
him.
G. NJ. Irwin, state superintend-
ent of public instruction, has in
suited every educator in the state
of Oregon. He has aspersed the
usefulness of our system of teach
ers' examinations and normal
training. By his vote he places
political notoriety in advance of
educational training and expert
ence as qualification for instruc-
tors in our educational institu-
tions. Mr.. Irwin, the head of
our public school system, voted
against the resolution declaring
that scientific attainments, teach
ing experience, good scholarship,
and such qualifications, should
be possessed by the president of
the Oregon Agricultural College.
Mr.. Irwin by his vote has sham
ed his friends and justified those
who actively opposed him in his
candidacy two years ago.
The excuse they offer is a mis-
cradle pretext. They claim that
the college needs a business man
at its head, and yet the board
proceeds after electing this sbus-
iness' president, to appoint an
accountant and purchasing agent
Isn't that the principal business
that a member of the faculty
might be expected to attend to!
The board also appointed a dean
of the faculty to look after the
educational side. Where is the
business that will occupy the
time of this $4,000 business pres.
ident who presumably can not
even keep the institutions books.
The Agricultural College is
not money-making institution.
It's expenditures should be guild
ed by wisdom and tempered by
economy. The board of regents
are supposed to see that this is
done. 1t is their duty to man
age the business part of the in
stitution and they have no right
to relegate their Offices to a pro.
fessional politician. If the board
desires to found a chair of practi-
cal business and appoint Mr..
Miller as professor, provided he
has the qualifications, we'll and
good, but to appoint him presi.
dent of a scientific institution
and giving his business exper.
ience as a sole qualification, bord.
ers on the ridiculous. The pres.
ident of the college should be q
good business man, undoubtedly,
but such business qualifications
are not necessarily divorced from
other essential attributes.
But such excuses are the finn
siest of pretexts. The college
has no earthly use for Mr. Miller.
His presence as a member of the
faculty will not advance the ex
perimental station one iota, no1
be of the slightest benefit to tn.
young men and women struggling
for an education. He will a
best be nonentity, a supernum
erary. The very grandest hope we
can indulge in is that he will dc
NO harm.
1t is said that Mr.. Miller, be-
sides attending to the business,
will teach political economy.
There is politics for you of a
practical kind. The idea of &
partisan politician whose political
pull alone gave him his present
position, whose personal ambi.
ton recks not of propriety, who
is imposing upon the people of the
state by occupying a position he
cannot fill, who has really usurp-
ed the presidency of the college,
the idea of this man instilling
lessons of loyalty, patriotism and
pure government into young
American students
Mr.. Miller has endeavored by
misrepresentation to convince the
public that the presidency sought