The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-19
CAN'T FIND HIM.
Search for a President Of Agri-
cultural College Unavailing.
Controversy is Becoming More
Bitter Every Day.
NICHOLS HASN'T SAID.
Accordance of Rhode Island PO-
sition Is Still Open.

No One Has Been Secured For
Chair Of Agriculture.
The dissension at the State Agricul-
tural college at Manhattan has reached
the stage where Governor Stanley's
friends are liable to draw him into it
before the expiration of his term OF
office. The governors friends, as well
as Governor Stanley himself, would like
to see everything running smoothly IN
the state institutions when the new
governor takes the reins-
The hopes of smoothing things over at
the Agricultural college seem further
away than ever. AS the records stand
President Ernest r. Nichols is in an un-
comfortable position and the special
committee has junketed pretty much
over the United States and failed to
find man who will accept the position
of professor of agriculture and superin-
tendent of the farm at the college while
the present conditions exist.
1t is expected that President Nichols
will accept the call to the Rhode Island
Agricultural college as it will be an
easy way for him to escape the stren-
uous existence he has led at Manhattan
for some time. The fight on Nichols is
becoming more interesting as many in
f1uential politicians in the state have
taken up the fight which was originally
charged to F. D. Coburn, who opposed
Nichols although the other five members
of the board of regents sustained him.
The friends of the governor are maxi
ing themselves heard. Many of them
are anti-Nichols and not on too friendly
terms with the regents who are sustain
ing Nichols. Governor Stanley has rea-
son also to feel displeased with the reg
ents as he and Senator Kennedy cham
pioned the candidacy of ]. NJ Pieratt,
| Kansas man, for the chair of English
but the regents Ignored the governors
recommendations and sent to Kalama-
zoo Mich, for Clark M. Brink, man
| they had not seen, to take the chair of
| English.
At the June meeting Coburn intro
duced the following resolution
Resolved. That the president of the
| board appoint at its present meeting a
| special committee of one regent, who,
! acting with himself. shall make diligent
search for, find. and recommend to the
| board for employment at the earliest
practicable date a suitable available
man for professor of agriculture and
superintendent of the college farm.
That the man recommended shall be OF
| high character, strong in executive
| ability, trained in the science and prac-
| tice of agriculture, an enthusiastic,
| original investigator along agricultural
| lines; an instructor capable of creating
| enthusiasm among students for agricul-
| ture, agricultural study, and investiga-
| tion, and of centering in the college and
| 0XO0r1m 0nC SIdI1On the interest OF pro-
| gressive farmers throughout the state" !"
President ]. S. Mcdowell of the board
| of regents, did not follow the precedent
| of making the person Offering the reso-
] luton member of the committee, and
| the resolution was changed to make the
! committee of but two members. Presi-
| dent Mcdowell. of Smith Center, and
! E. T. Fairchild, of Ellsworth, made up
| the com n ittee. They began their search
| for a professor of agriculture several
| weeks ago. The committee junketed
around and visited the Ohio state uni
versity at Columbus. Cornell university
at Lansing, Iowa agricultural college
I at Ames. and other places.
The professorship was offered at a
| salary of $500 year, raise of $500 q
to Prof. Gibbs, of Durham, N H. He
declined to accept the place. Then the
| position was rendered to c. w. Burkett
of North Carolina, at $500 a year, and
| he also declined to accept the position
E. E. Elliott. agriculturist of tre
| Washington state college, was then ten
| dered the place he asked for at S2,250
In the meantime he had heard of the
troubles at the college, and Monday
word was received that he had declined
the position. The fall term will soor
| commence, and from the present ap.
| pearances with no professor of agri
culture.
President Nichols is member of the
board of regents by the grace of a bill
passed by the last legislature making
the president Of the college a regent ex-
officio. Senator Kennedy has interested
himself in the Agricultural college trou-
bles and he is expected to prepare bill
for the next legislature which will re-
move the president of the college from
the position of regent, thereby curtail.
ing his power with the board. Wher
Coburn opened his batteries on Nichols
at the June meeting the president OF
the college sat in the meeting and heard
the following resolution read by Mr.
Coburn:
Resolved That the president of the
board appoint at its present meeting {
special committee of two regents. who
acting with himself shall make dill
gent search for, find, and recommend t.
the board at the earliest practicable
date a suitable. available man for tn,
presidency of this college. That tn,
man SO recommended shall be a Chris
tian gentleman of unquestioned higl
| character strong in executive ability
an educator familiar and heartily il
! sympathy with agriculture, agriculture
education, and the larger purposes TO
. which agricultural colleges were origi
| mated and endowed
The resolution was defeated with only
! Coburn voting for it. By defeating tn
resolution President Nichols was givei
; a new lease of life at the college bu
| was not reelected
Several members of the board of ag
riculture have interested themselves il
the controversy and one by one tn
: politicians are taking a hand The pro
| posed bill to go before the legislator
i | which would remove Nichols as the ex
officio members of the board will be tn
, final struggle in the fight, unless h
. leaves for Rhode Island before then
The fight was started on Nichols b.
Coburn on the ground that the agricul
tural departments of the college wer
being slighted for the scientific and ar
departments The members of the boar
of agriculture look with favor upo
Coburn's criticisms of Nichols and the
l have taken up the fight individually O
Nichols. The agriculturists who clair
that the department of agriculture a
the college has been showed to the rea
r instead of being brought out as tn
main feature of the curriculum ststai