The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-05-05
Justice to Ross.


! ago The Post gave place TO an ar
tice from DR.. f. II. Ross Of Austin,
in which he took exceptions to an editorial
which had previously appeared In the Cur
rent Issue My recent Illness from which
| am Just now recovering, prevented my
responding to DR. Ross communication and
| would not now do so but for the fact
/ that inasmuch as he did not quote the edi-
| torial reference to his father, Of which he
| complained, the Current Issue was plAceu
| in false attitude.
Although the matter Of the A. & NJ. presi-
| dcncy has now been happily disposed Of
and in line with the Current Issues con
| tention, / would be pleased to nave you
60 p~ " Louis j. workman.
The March number of the Current Issue
contained an editorial which was prompted
by what was then a persistent rumor
throughout the state that the presidency Of
the Agricultural and Mechanical college was
being held open to provide, at the eXpira-
ton Of his term of office, a place for the
retiring governor of Texas.
The Current Issue is firm friend of the
Agricultural and Mechanical college ana
| subscrlbes to the opinion that that lnstl-
| tuition under competent management is'cap
able of being made an Indispensable aid
to the Industrial development Of this awak-
ening. The Current Issue did not be-
lieve that competent management for the
| Agricultural and Mechanical college was
reasonably possible If its presidency con,
| tlnued a reward for retiring politicians, ana
In the course of its editorial on the sub
| ject the Current Issue said:
when Governor Ross was elected to the
presidency the college was in no need of the
influence Of a great name. 1t had had q
| tempestuous career and had merged lnto
| the open Of proper educational endeavor
with a faculty of capable men. But IT llck-
! ed that element Of public confidence when
| is necessary to any institution related to me
| popular mass It lacked other things also
| bur this was its greatest need. The chai-
acter Of L. s. Ross completely hlled that
requirement.
'still it is no disloyalty to the greatness
Of Ross To say that he was not college
| president in any element of native endoW
ment or acquired accomplishment, except
| that he possessed clear head for executive
details and was controlled by conserv.
atlsm that would never permit rashness or
adventure But he brought nothing ot IN
tellectual impulse or educational method,
He was in no sense the spirit or the motive
power. He was the mere balance wheel
Of the engine. And, after all is said, II
must hc confessed that the purpose or
Ross election was quite as much to give
him n comfortable berth as to AFFORD the
college the prestige of his good name.
Upon his death there was an unfortunate
scramble tho pOSitiou. which need not
he hero recalled hut il is proner 10 remark
thar noliticnl Influences sought to unduly
coptr6I tbn sclection Of president Col.
onei + l. Foster manager Of the guberna.
toriol camnoirn OF Major savers. was
chosen Inder the circumstances. he was
doubtIess the hest man VINO could have
been elected hnt II is NOT too much to say
thai If ali politicol considerations had been
set aside the name Of Colonel Foster would
never have been considered and IL so han
nerod TINT no was skillfui executive. but
like Ross. he utterly lacked educational
Qualifications Eis administration was sue
Gessful IN tho extent that the affairs of the
college were economicalIy and conservatives
lv managed but the institution was stiu
,yi+bont edncationaI initiative and moved
along nv its own momentum rather than
hy any propulsion or promotion from the
nresident As in the case Of Ross there
fore. the college was made the refuge of
gentleman who had rendered acceptable
nolitjcol service fo his state Int who was
otherwise without recommendation
To these observations on the mart Of the
Current Issue Dr Frank r Ross took eX-
ceptions in a statement which was publish
cd In many NJ tho neyvapAters ~ tho Stare
When this statement had rUn the gamut of
the daily press the editor OF the Current
Issre WIS oyerrooched nv a serlons illness