Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-01-25
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

An Answss to Judge Dcstsr's Political
Opinion and . Companion BE-
tween Pop and Rspublican
Management
The other day in giving his dissent.
ing opinion in the cases Of Voc vs..
Hoffman and Mcdowell VS.. Lubbock.
er, Chief Justic. Doster took occasion
to make what might be called strong
partisan stump speech from the
bench. The gist of the judges speech
from the bench was to the effect that
the Investigation and custer of Hoff.
man and Limbocker was contrary to
law, wholly without justification, and
part OF scheme to get control of the
agricultural college in order to use it
for political and partisan purposes.
In view Of the fact that for the first
time In the history Of the institution,
when the Populists obtained control
OF the state government, they delib-
erately undertook to turn it into an
institution for the dissemination Of
the theories Of the controlling spirits
Of Populism, this charge from Doster
comes with poor grace. Judge Dos.
ter is the most prominent and extreme
socialist in the state Of Kansas Next
to him most prominent in socialism
are John W. Breidenthal and Chris
Hoffman Of Enterprise. Hoffman was
the controlling spirit on the board Of
regents appointed by Leedy. As soon
as the Populists got full control Of
the board they proceeded to reorgan-
ice the faculty. The president and
members Of the faculty who were let
out had to 60, not because they were
incompetent, but as Hoffman boldly
declared, because they were not in
line with the social and. economic
theories Of the board; in other words
the board had determined, under the
influence Of Hoffman, to turn
the institution from the original
purpose Of instruction in the
science Of agriculture, into an insti-
tuition for propagation OF socialistic
propaganda II the Republicans,
when they again gained control Of
the state government, had made the
college Republican political insti-
tuition they would have only followed
precedent set by the other side, but
the facts are that they have done
nothing Of the kind, as we will show
from the record.
But first, let us review the history
Of this agricultural college case
briefly:
On the Goth Of March, 1899, COM
plant was filed with the governor by
Il A. Perkins Of Manhattan, making
certain charges against the regents Of
the college, Limbocker and Hoffman.
On the strength Of these charges a
committee was appointed, as provided
by law, by the governor, lieutenant
governor and speaker Of the house, to
investigate the affairs OF the institu.
ton After an investigation occupy
ing several days, the committee
found that Regent Limbocker had
been regularly drawing a salary
Of SIS per month in addition to his
salary as regent, for acting as pur-
chasing agent for the college dining
hall, something entirely unauthorized
by law; that meetings were repeatedly
held, teachers hired and salaries fixed
when no quorum OF the board of re-
gents were present, and that minutes
Of these meetings were kept in some
cases falsely stating that the board Of
regents had done these things, when
as a matter of fact only Hoffman,
Limbocker and one other regent were
present; that $3.50 was set apart to be
used in part in the maintenance of a
dining hall, and that the records had
been so kept that it was impossible to
tell whether or not the dining hall
had been source OF profit or a losing
venture; that the board had author.
lied the expenditure Of $1,000 to es-
tablish book store, although there
was no authority or law for
either tine dining hall or the
book store; that Hoffman, who
runs a -four mill at Enterprise,
had taken advantage Of his position
as regent to sell -four to the college
that the board in violation of the law
Of the state, had expended S739.32 in
excess OF the receipts of the institu-
ton; that in some cases double salar.
les had been paid to teachers; that the
salary of one instructor had been
placed 5000 in excess of the salary
fixed by law, that in direct violation
Of section 2 chapter II, laws of 1897, a
law passed, as it will be seen, by a
Pop legislature, these regents, in Jan
uary, 1899, authorized and directed
the president Of the college to enter
into written contract with faculty
for two years ending June 80, 1901.
The whole object OF this, of course,
was to tie the institution up for two
years so that it would be under Pop.
ulist control during that time.
When the committee of investiga.
ton filed its report the governor re-
moved the regents Hoffman and
Limbocker, and appointed zoe and
Mcdowell in their stead.
Hoffman and Limbocker asked
Judge CLASS for an order enjoining
zoe and Mcdowell from acting as
regents Glass, though a Democrat