The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-20

pocketed the $500, when Colonel John,
who had paid the money for a farm to
teach our girls how to make cheese and
butter, killed that lie, and it died and was
gathered to its fathers.
Fourth-Then a great hue and cry was
raised over the sale of some university
lands. 1T was charged that the lands were
worth anywhere from $50 to 5000 per acre.
and had been sold for $12. so, and it was in
simulated that l was interested personally
in the transaction. The opposition news
papers and the treasurer of the board, who
insisted upon the legislature issuing $1,000
600 of bonds to the university on claim
that was subsequently shown to have no
foundation and who has been sucking the
university teat for almost a generation,
secured the country from New York to Mo-
bile to find some proof, and one man was
unearthed in New York, who had applied
ITO me for loan whilst l was there, and
his most damaging statement was that he
had seen General Rucker and myself hav-
ing an interview with gentleman, who
afterward became a subscriber to the pur-
chasing syndicate. The fact that the Sloss-
Sheffield company bought other lands join
ing these at the same time and since at
$40 seems to have no influence upon the
calumniators, and the fact that the uni
versity could today buy as valuable lands
for less money seems inmaterial.
Editors and reporters of papers making
charges called on gentlemen in New York
and elsewhere and were told the truth, but
carefully refrained from publishing one line
of 1t. They were not seeking the truth but
to sustain a lie.
The alumni were called upon to assemble
and to depounce the sale and the governor
and thus land their influence to my defeat
for United States senator. Doubtless the
truth will come out about this transaction
and this latest lie will die and be gathered
to its fathers. Gentlemen may think that,
like the ostrich, they can stick their heads
Into these muddy schemes and that the
people will not be able to discover their
purposes, but they are mistaken.
While the alumni are in session ! hope I
may be allowed to suggest some subjects
of investigation that may be fruitful of
good, and among them:
First-Why no meeting was called to pro-
test against the sale of 1900 acres of these
lands at an average of about $40 per acre
under previous administrations questioned?
Second-What the university has to show
fo- tho money received from these previous
sales except two or three buildings that
could probably be erected for $4,000, and
how much was squandered an salaries and
expenses questioned?
Third-Why the alumni did not meet some
three or -four years ago when the attend
ance of the university had fallen to less
than 100 in the collegiate course questioned?
Fourth-Whether it is better to take a
special appropriation of $4,000 a year from
the peoples hard earned money rather than
sell some of these unproductdve and untax-
ed lands questioned?
Fifth-Whether 1t is wise in the state to
pay eight per cent. interest on the $3oOOO0
due the university, when 1t can borrow the
money and pay the debt at an annual cost
of less than $4,000 against $24 900 question:
ed?
Sixth-Whether 1T is best to make special
appropriations that increase tuition at the
university to about 5000 per capita, while
we are devoting 70 cents per capita to the
education of the boys and girls in the COM
mo1 schools questioned?
Geyenth-Whether It Is wise TO give few
BOYS an education in Latin, Greek and high
or mathematics and then disfranchise those
for the want of funds to keep open the pub
1,c schools who are unable to learn to read
and write?
Eghth-Let che society also see how many
leases they can procure on the $1,000 acres
vet remaining untaxed and unproductlve IN
the next six months or What bids they can
get for the land.
Ninth-Whether under the impending
threat of the establishment of the single
gold standard which will probably reduce
all values. 1t would not be wise to sell all
these lands, convert them into good bonds,
and use the interest on these bonds to sus-
tain the University rather than tax the peo-
pie?
These are serious questions, worthy of
tho consideration of every friend of educa-
tion and the Society of the Alumni. hape