New-York tribune., 1899-12-23
UNIFICATIOe
Try rELxeRA II TO THE TRIsuSE.l

,,hsnv Dec. 22.-The Regents OF tne CnlNer-
%. surrendered most Of their session to-day
careful consideration Of report made to
-, nv the Special Committee on Educational
,-~,scation upon the nature and result OF Its
N.,x I'D to the present period. This special
..r,ittee had as Its members Chancellor Cpson,
chancellor Doane. Whitelaw Reid. who
80 ,s proxy for Chauncey NJ. Depew; ST. Clair
y,Xelway and Pliny T, Sexton,
p,eently. the report recited, this special COM
's.. submitted TO the Unihcation Commission
.,,,erent IN favor Of a certain method Of unit
-, ne school systems of the State. appended to
Ss,h were drafts Of legislative enactments to
~ out the suggested plan of unihcation
TENT OF TIE REPORT.
The report then continues as follows:
vou- committee report that since the presen-
,,tion OF their address 10 the Cnihcation Com
'ssIon that honorable body has closed its de
VIBRATIONS and given publicity TO the substance
- ts conclusions. 1t recommends the estAb-
,,sbrrent Of Department OF Education. con-
,istine Of the University and Department Of
pnbic Instruction as heretofore existing; the
executive head Of this department" TO hold Office
fSr eight years with an annual salary OF
siOOl0 "tO be called Chancellor Of the Univer-
lev and 10 have all executive powers now vest
"A in the superintendent OF Public instruction
.-s in the Regents Of the University; the Uni
,s-.,,v 70 be continued as the legislative head
~ the department. the Lieutenant Governor,
ssc-Atarv of State and Superintendent Of Public
Trst-ucti0n 10 be no longer eX-officio Regents
leaving the Governor the only eX-offcio men,
hs-, uron reaching the age Of sevenTy years
regents TO become simply honorary Regents,
without right OF voting, the permanent num-
he- Of Regents 20 be fixed at fifteen, and no
vscsncies 10 be filled until the present board is
rA8uced 10 that number, and Regents hereafter
81 he appointed by the Governor and confirmed
ty the Senate instead Of being elected. as now.
~ the whole Legislature; the Governor. with
confirmation by the Senate, 10 appoint the hrst
Chancellor and the Regents 10 elect succeeding
chanceIors. The department 10 have the fol
Iowing Eve bureaus: C) The Bureau OF Public
instruction ~ the Bureau of Higher Educa-
,ion (3) the Bureau Of Home Education, (4)
the Bureau OF Law, (5) the Bureau Of Admins
cation and Finance: each bureau 10 be pre-
SIDED over by a director who shall be appointed
nv the Chancellor and removable by him. the
bureau directors to appoint and remove thelr
subordinates, subject 10 the civil service law
The present Superintendent Of Public lnstruc-
ZION 10 be continued in Office as Director or the
Bureau Of Public Instruction I'LL the end OF MS
term ,,A,
,pbdiyision into bureaus Of the work Of the new
department is not sufficiently outlined 10 permit
Intelligent comment. But we may ptopests ~
,sjls az methods for carrying out the educa-
topal work TO be intrusted TO the supervision
;, the Regents might more wisely be left TO their
responsible discretion. Certainly such WORK
N organization and regulation quite naturally
ans within the sphere Of the legislative powers
which the Regents have long possessed ana
which in general. the report Of the Commission
Indicates the Regents are expected 10 retain
But bv whom such details shall be finally ar
ranged is comparatively OF minor consequence
ERROR OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
The Commissioners announce that they have
sqreed upon a plan OF unihcaton. They say
tThs University Is continued as the leglslatiVe
head Of the department the present bosro u, ta %
i,,fr t,rfl ligff
Executive head Of this department Is 10 pe caleu
Chancellor Of The University" Again. they
say Of their plan that 1t preserves an the az
,sntages Of the life tenure Of the Regents chief
,-nong which Is the removal Of the action or the
Board from the influence Of partisan politics.
Thus as 10 some hitherto mooted questions the
sxuressed conclusions of the Governors honor
sry Uniacation Commission are that edueauonaii !
unihcation is desirable; that preferably II snou!d
be accom- plished under the Regents or the Uni
yersity with the Chancellor Of the University
AZ the executive head OF the unified system ana
mould be kept free from the influence OF Par
tisan politics ,
n the Commissioners will be generally accept
a as principles no longer controverted. Iheir
proper application is the problem awaiting sol u
Hon Here your COMMITTEES think the CohhIs-
Iioners have been led into radical error, one
s.bfch we hope they will. on further cOnsioera-
non correct and thus clear the way Tor sale
educational unihcaton, which Is so much ue-
Iirad by thoughtful people throughout the state
mis- error 4. in the proposition that the Gov
sruOr with confirmation by the senate. shaIi
,ppoint the first Chancellor-the executive heau
" the entire educational systern-and that !he .he
Regents of the University shall elect only the
succeeding chancello.s. we believe that on re-
lection the Commissioners Will see that no sur
tcient reason is stated, or exists Tor glVIhs SUI
rower OF appointment 10 the Governor; that
,hev will realize that the example once set OF
thus making chaacelors would likely be imltat-
q and that however excellent the hrst ap-
polntee there is grave danger that similarly
,nnointed successors would owe their selection
70 Willingness TO comply with the oemanos OF
political managers Such a result the Comms-
toners surely would deplore. and its avoidance
should be the prime consideration IN any pan
lor educational unihcauon.
The Commissioners proposal that the Regents
n the University elect the chancellors after the
srst one comedies the fitness OF the Regents Tor
Iuch 2 duty which may be regarded as thelr
lervice Of greatest value 70 the pupHc. ne He
lelection Of capable. independent non -partlsan @
,hancelors cannot be expected uniformly ILUIn 10
sther than tust such a non partisan board. me
teri involved in any departure from an assul "a
son-partsan method Of elecuhg c~hahcsIiois nance .o9
seen ouiciIv discovered and convncingly pointed
sut bv the public press. and your committee
recommend that the Board OK Regents eAPIe Pls
heir Judgment that In that particular the @ CoIll-
s-lssioners have given sanction 10 VITA ettoi
IND request the recon sideratlon by them OF ina
portion Of their proposed plans Which wouIu y
sornr1it the selection Of the first chancelior 10
he Governor.
FINED TERN OF OFFICE.
Your committee also doubt the WISDOM U oL
tanning fixed term OF ofhce for chanceLoIs, o.
giving 10 them unlimited power 10 appoins
iubordjnates The duty Of such an ofhcer shouIu
se mainly executive, and the Board OF Kegentss'
Preferably. should be the repository OF the uIC,
nate nov.er and discretion that must be looged
iomeThere in providing for the governing OF
he unified educational system. NO one man man
pdgfnent or fidelity may safely DC so feiisu ~,
ls IN iTsfifI, giving him anything like autocrauC
tower over interests OF such magnitude. ne
'ecord Of the Regents should dispel apPierea Ts
lions of their improper exercise or power. INT Ines
lssuredlv can have no selfish desire 10 increase
Eer uncompensated duties ~ poo.a =.
We recommend the adoption oy the noaru vi
Q, following resolutions: . =, ~.
Resolved. That II is the judgment OF @ tnv
Board Of Regents that in the proino,i.on - "n.
eheme OF unihcation OF the eouuaeio eoucato,ei - y,
lem the first essential is the preserVs.loor o VI oA
lhs educational interests Of the state OF ~ ~
York which deservedly rank high among ns pse pne
rents and Denartment OF Public Instruction
ihould be brought into harmonious relations OF