The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-11-29
HELD AN ALL DAY SESSION
Opinion Unanimous That Sale
Was UnWarranted.
SPECIAL COMMITTEE WILL ACT
Report to be Submitted at Meeting
of the Society Called for Decem-
Der 10 at Tuscaloosa
The Proceedings

Montgomery, November 2S.-(Special-)-
A giant meeting of the executive, legisa-
tive and advisory committees of the alumni
society of the University of Alabama was
held here today. The meeting was for the
purpose of inves tigating the notorious
University land sale, and to take some
steps to have the sale set aside. There was
very good attendance at the meeting,
thirteen of the ninteen members respond
ing to the roll call. Every member pres
ent seemed to have the interest of the uni
versity at heart and all through the long
informal discussion great interest was
manifested.
1t was practically the unanimous opinion
of those present that a great wrong had
been done the university in the unwarrant-
ed sale. and If there is any way In which
the sale can be declared void the lands
will be reclaimed by the school. There
were no harsh arraignments of any per-
son or persons connected with the mat
ter. The meeting had the appearance of a
funeral party, the friends of the universi-
ty seeming to realize that some of its most
valuable properties had been sacrificed
while the little squad of the governors
friends who were onlookers wore express
sions which indicated that they realized
the earnestness of the investigation. After
an all day session the joint meeting adopt
ed a resolution
to investigate further into the details of
the sale and report at full meeting of
the society called to meet in Tuscaloosa
on December 49,
The Meeting
The meeting was called to order at. noon
10y j. H. johnson, of Talladega, president
the Alumni society, who read the Of
fical call for the joint meeting Mr. John
son was chosen chairman of the meeting,
with M. M. Baldwin,, of Union Springs.
secretary.
Roll call showed the following members
present: Executive committee, J. X Dix
on chairman, e. M. Robinson, w. E. Hollo-
way, M. M. Baldwin, A. NJ Garber, r. E.
Pettts, Hugh Morrow; legislative, Syd
Bowie, w. W. Brandon; advisory commit
tee Sterling A. Wood, Phares Coleman and
DR.. John Massey.
The chairman read several letters of re-
gret from those persons who had been in
vtted but were unable to attend the meet
dng. Among these were letters from PresI-
dent James K. Powers of the university
w. d. Bankhead of the executive commit
tee, w. H. Lawrence of the executive COM
mittee, w. c. Fits, land commissioner;
Dr. Eugene A. Smith, John T. Hef1in and
Tennent Lomax. Mr.. Lomax stated that
he was member of the board of trustees
of the university, and therefore felt deli
cacy in sitting with the committee.
OF the other letters received Messrs.
Bankhead and Lawrence were rather Sc
we're in their criticism of the recent sale of
the university lands. Mr.. Bankhead used
these words I'VE must take some steps
to stop the shameful and inexcusable sale
to the Sloss-Sheffeld people,"
The First Step
The chairman stated that the meeting
was then ready for business Mr.. Bowie
suggested that the advisory committee
make report. In response Mr.. Sterling A.
Wood made statement at length of the
matter as had come under the observation
of the committee He said that the one
chief fact which had brought the commit
tee here to meet with the other committees
was to promote the good of the University.
and so long as that was subserved. nothing
else would be considered. One fact was
patent, that the recent action in the sale
of the lands was action by the board of
trustees. No one person was to blame, but
the blame was general. He advised that
the committees go slow in their investiga-
ton, but to take some active steps to set
aside this ill-advised SALE 1t was against
the declared principle of the trustees, the
land commissioner and President Powers
also having declared against further sales
of the lands. He said that probably the
advisory committee was self-touched In so
much as they. had not been invited to sit
with the trustees at the September meet
ing. They had heretofore been invited to
sit as members of the board.
He also said that the call for the Septem-
her meeting was irregular in so much it
had been issued by the governor through
his private secretary When asked why he
had not invited the advisory committee to
attend the meeting, the answer had been
given that he forgot 1t. This looked as
though the alumni was being overlooked
and ignored. The call was most extraor-
dinary one The governor did not have au-
tbority to issue the call. and only five days
notice was given. when the statute requires
twenty DAYS This made the meeting irreg-
Mar. and the society thought that the mat
ter should be investigated and see that the
former settled policy in regard to land mat
ters should in future be adhered to.
The Legal Aspect
He had looked into the legal aspect of the