The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-16


 Trustees meet at the University? What difference would 1t maker None what ever in the mana cement of that Board.
 Now, 1t has been unfortunate that we have had trouble at the University. We have even had litigation over the appointment of the trustees. This plan now makes that impossible, if the Con- vention adopts the substitute offered by myself. The Trustees will thcm- selyes elect their successors, subject to confirmation by the State, and If the Senate rejects any member So elected, then 1t becomes the duty of the Senste itself to elect successors. If objection is raised, that may give a life tenure to some of the Trustees, I have no ob- jection to an amendment, If anyone sees fit to offer 1t, and I will accept It providing that no member Lhall be elected more than twice, or shall hold more than two terms. As there are some objections upon that ground, am perfectly willing to accept that amend ment, but I cannot conceive that the Senate of Alabama would confirm man known to be unworthy of the trust. even if he were elected by the Board of Trustees, and I do not believe the plan as offered by me will Insult in the continuation of any unworthy man in the management and control of that institution. However, 1t Is not the trustees whose interest l care for. do not care if their term is limited to one Or two or three, or how you limit 1t. It is the interests of the institution which have at heart, and yhieh am endeavoring to protect, and thts sub- stitute is in accordance with he reso- lutions adopted by the Alumni Associ- ation. Now, l agree with th4 gc7tie- man from Limestone that the alumni have the interest of the institution at heart, and that they do know, as we'll, perhaps. as any other body in the State, or better. what is to the interest Of the school. There are, as is well known, and as is suggested to me by my col league, MT. Fitts, from Tuscaloosa, three members of the alumni who row sit upon that Board as an Advisory Board to the Board of Trustees. Those men aRc selected by the alumni and necessarily have great weight and in- fluence in the management and control of that institution.
 Mir. Reese-May I. ask the gentleman a question? Is your plan known as she Harvard plan; is 1t the same plan?
 MT. Foster-I am not familiar with that, but I am told that the Harvard plan is something like this; that the alumni there recommend the appoint ment of some trustees, and the Board elects Its own successors.
 Mir. Jenkins-f want to say that I agree with the gentleman from Tusca- loosa. made 1t my business to go to Tuscaloosa and visit that institution at the alumni meeting.
 Mir. Grayson-I would like to hear the substitute read before, further discus sion.
 MT. Jenkins-I will state to the gen. tleman what the substitute Is. II slmp- ly provides that all vacancies on the Board of Trustees shall be filled subject to confirmation of the Senate, but they shall hold regularly for only six years. They shall be reelected by the Board, subject to the confirmation of the Sem ate. but if the Senate sees fit to reject any member of the Board, or all of the members of the Board, then the Senate shall elect the members of the Board. Now. Mir. President, l think that pro- vision alone requiring the Senate, if they reject the action of the Board, to re-elect. is a safeguard against any un- due perpetuatlon of the Board by them selves. Their vote is a secret ballot, and every man on that Board has more the interest of the University at heart than he has personal ambition. and any member of that Board. do not believe there Is one of them, and 1 know each and every one of them personally, that would vote to perpetuate a single mem- Der if they did not think 1t was to the interest of the University of Alabama to do so. Now. Mr.. President, I say this, that the only trouble with the University of this State today is the great hue and cry raised by denomina- tional colleges, and pretended friends n nrnn hn tt to. will get in around and about it, and we want to remove that imputation. and r. ws can remove that imputation, say you can put thirteen sticks or fig- ureheads on the Board, and every pow CT and force thar is inherent in the col lege and the faculty will carry 1t over any obstacle that can get in the way. It is not so much the Board of Trus- tees, but it is that hue and cry of poli- tics, and there Is where politics come in through the Governor who appoints ';he Trustees. It has been the history of the University in the past, with a few exceptions, that the Governors have appointed personal and political friends on the Board. and not so much the interests of the University. It has been the dumping ground, as it were, for politicians men who have axes to grind, in order to further the ambitions or Governors to the United States Sem ate and other places. Now, MT. Pres- ident. that charge has been made, and l think there has been good ground for it, and We ought to take that power out of the hands of the Governor and place 1t back with the people in the Senate, and not just leave 1t to the Governor to name them. have no ob- lection to the Governor being on the Beard, If you remove that power of ap- continent from him, but if you do not remove that power 1 think he ought to be taken off the Board But if you do remove the power of appointment, then his being on the Board will not amount to any hing, and he would have only one vote and that IS all, but if you allow him to name the Board, he will have the whole vote. because every man he names he will have some Kind of d claim upon him or win claim to have it. and there are very few men that can resist It. Now, 1 have thought about this question, I have gone to the col lege. l have talked with the trustees, I have talked with the people in the town, and it Is the consensus of opsn- .oE as l could gather that this was the most feasible and practical plan for the interest of the university that could be gotten up, and for that req son the gentleman from Tuscaloosa has introduced it, and l believe that the alumni over the State and the col- leSe. and the college itself will back it up and will support it and 'will be
 thankful to the Convention If they codld see fit to give 1t to them. I Will E,,., IL,