New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-25
WHITE BILL LAID OVER.
no CHANGE IN THE STATES EDuCA'
TIONAL SYSTEM THIS YEAR.
THE SENATE KILLS THE MEASURE IMME-
DIATELY AFTER A DISCUSSION OF
1T BY THE REGENTS.

Albany. April Ex-Governor Roosevelt and M
teen other members OF the Board OF Regents
held a conference to-day on the WHITE Eouca-
tional bill, and after two or three hours discus
sion Of the measure. decided that 1t would DE
best TO ask the Legislature to defer action on
It until next year. and in the mean time 10
frame a more acceptable scheme Tor the uh'h-
cation of the schools Of the State. Every Regent
present except the Superintendent OF Puohc IN
struction voted for the resolution expressing this
conclusion.
Some of the amendments to the White bill re-
Gently proposed would turn over the states
schools to the tender merces of politicians ana
thew did not meet with the approval of Gov
ernor Roosevelt or any member OF the Board
present.
The Regents who attended the meeting were
Arson j. Epson, Chancellor of the University;
William Croswell Doane, Episcopal Bishop OF
Albany; Vice Chancellor Martin i. Townsend,
Chauncey NJ Depew Charles E. Fitch, William
II. Watson, St. Clair McKelway. Hamilton
Harris. Pliny T. Sexton T. Guilford Smith,
Lewis A. Stmson, DR.. Albert Van der Veer,
Chester s. Lord Governor Roosevelt, Charles r.
Skinner. Superintendent of Public Instruction,
and John T. McDonough, Secretary of State
Whitelaw Reid who is in California, COM
municated his views on the White bill in a tele-
gram. which was read by Mr. Sexton. Mr.. Reid
emphatically condemned the recently proposed
amendments to the measure, saying IN SUD
stance that educational legislation should tend
toward the unfit cation of the school system ana
away from political control Of 1t.
THE GOVERNORS VIEWS
Governor Roosevelt said that from the in
formation he had there was no chance OF the
bill being passed at this session of the Legis-
lature He thought educational unincauon de-
srable and had believed strongly from the De-
ginning that the Regents should be the appoint
ing and governing power. Referring TO SEN
ator Browns proposition TO elect the heseh's
by judicial districts, the Governor said ne was
opposed TO the popular election OF Regents Inc
Governor OF the State he believed, would usual
" appoint better men than the Legislature
would elect. He suggested that fifteen would De
a better number than the present nineteen, and
that the number could be best reduced by not
filling the first four vacancies which should oc-
cur. He thought that by yielding some imma-
terial points the common schools could all be
nut under the Regents He declared the
cusion OF Cornell University from the law to
be absolutely unjustihable.
SENATOR DEPEw's SPEECH.
Senator DepeWS remarks were NSteHeu 10 Will
great interest Among other things. he said:
have been Regent twenty-five years. My
business and frequent calls out of the State
have kept me away from many meetings. but IN
none of my business or professional associations
do l take greater interest than in the work OF
this body All my life l have noted the fashion
Of chatting the Regents in after dinner speeches
as the "one old fogy institution" but the
actual opposition to them in recent years mas
not been nearly marked as it was thirty
years ago.
In educational institutions one of the greatest
elements of strength and dignity Is age, and
this Board is 115 years old. If this bill passes
those who study politics know that the 1rst
time the Democrats come into power as they
surely will in the natural changes, within thirty
days they Will amend this law so that control
Of the Educational Department will pass into
their hands, and they will make IL Democratic
machine. II the Republicans now pass law
as the state is divided they are sure. of course,
always to have a majority of the eight elective
Regents Republicans. Political attacks have
been made on the Board of Regents at regular
intervals. Governor Hill tried hard to aDol-
ish
For twenty years have been a trustee Of
Yale University. | have often attended ex-
aminations in colleges and other institutions.
When my son was going to college took pains
to attend various Regents examinations.
am bound to say that have never In all my
experience seen anything equal to them in dig
nifty, thoroughness and impressiveness. The
boys and girls from all walks Of life came to
their work realizing its perfect justice, and II
they succeeded their credentials would bear the
seal of an institution more than century old.
/ have talked with many competent observers,
and with the exception Of an occasional edu-
cational cranf find that my high opinion OF
these examinations Is generally shared.
We must think twice before we overturn the
institution which the product of Alexander
Hamilton the greatest constructive Statesman
this or any other country has produced. Our
revenue system stands to-day as he created It,
The judiciary largely reflects the impress OF his
genius. Hamilton adopted in constituting the
Regents the principle OF the survival or the
fttest. The people choose the Legislature, and
they in turn select the Regents system that
has produced such results as has the University
of the State of New-York for over century
must not be lightly modified. Unihcation should
be had by putting the whole educational system
of the state under the Regents, just as the
Board is now constituted.
Speeches we're made by Bishop Doane Mr.
Sexton and Mr.. Skinner
RESOLUTION OF THE REGENTS.
At the close OF the discussion the Regents
adopted the following preamble and resolution:
The Regents reconvened to consider certain
pronosed amendments to the Educational law,
take occasion to state that their impression and
Interpretation Of their constitutional duty is that
they should carefully guard all matters touch
ing the interests of education In the state OF
Weu-York. Created in 1884 and continued and
made permanent in the Constitution of 1874
they recognize the right OF the Legislature OK
the State Ito increase. modify or diminish their
movers" But they believe that in the discharge
~ their responsibilities they ought, with all re-
snect and courtesy, to point out the danger to
the lawmakng body whenever they conceive
that the educational work of the State is liable
10 suffer damage. Under this conviction they
have declared their opposition to certain feat
ures of the bill pending in the Senate.
Having said this the Regents believe that the
best disposition OF a question of so grave impor-
lance would be a postponement for another year
I'm order that these new provisions may be more
clearly understood. and after public discussion
by educators throughout the State, more clearly
defined But, inasmuch as the Regents have
only the strong desire to accomplish two things
namely, unihcation and freedom from political
control il is hereby
Resolved, That the Regents declare them
selves ready to favor heartily any well-con-
sidered law which will secure unification Of
the educational svstem of the State and its