The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-08-02

Institution With their scholastic oiigarciiy
disturbance In existing conditions
After much hystericaI discussion. seven
teen united In a. so-calied protest against
q disease. and heated screed against, my
intellectual attachments in the field of
Economics. ION which subject. by the
nSy tnas dsiSer BY Syopua 81 3
worthy statement as follows: Further
Of Mr. Miles Is not such as 70 Justify his
appointment as the head of the ,Univer-
sfty of Virginia. We are prepared to lay
this aliegation.''
-Four members Of the Board sent me
conles Of x protest; finally one e came q, nc
faculty .rf tran sn By Dr.. Charles W
Kent, friend of mine. at their request.
! addressed immediately letter to Or.
sent Cory onf M lei su To each e %
the seventeen members Of the faculty
signing the protest, denounclng this lat.
sayIng TO them that would demand their
specifications and hold them TO strict
account. They refused TO- furnish any
this charge. but from conversation with
members Of the Board, and from friends.
! found that there was going on a sss-
down my chara cter In the eyes. OF the
PEOPLE OF Virginia and among the stu,
dents of the UNIVERSITY and the meinneIs
mongering has rarely exploited itself in
any circle. much less when supposed to
be MS honorable and dgnifed as the pro-
fessors OF Il great State university. One
o. their favoritc methods was to write
communications to the Richmond papers
over nom de plurncs. Prof. Richard
Heath Dabney cxcelled at this
However when the Board Of visitors
met on the nth of October. 1902. ap-
peared before them. accompanied BY my
counsel, Hon. 3. f. Buchanan. OF Marion
Va. and Hon. Charles v. Meredith. OF
Richmond. Va.
1 thought it was to be fight for what
was dearer to me than life. These men
had attacked the fifth essence, the Eood
name, the very soul OF man. felt
that they would recognize the issue that
either ! must come away from Charlottes-
Vile ruined man in reputation, or they
would have to come away ruined In rep
utatlon No wonder then that asked
the presence, counsel and sympathy OF
strong and honorable legal advisers.
LETTER TO THE BOARD.
When reached Charlottesville. adj
dressed TO the Board OF Visitors the FOL
lowing communication: 49,,
charlottesville, Va, Oct u iso, u
To the Rector and the Visitors OF the
University OF Virginia:
Gentlemcn.-There has been filed before
your honorable body paper dated sep
4tember q, 1902. signed by certain pro-
fessors. whose names will be seen by
reference to copy of the paper which
Is hereto attached.
Ny self-rcspcct forbids my taking no.
ticc OF the contents OF that paper further
than 1t reflects upon my personal char
acter. but when my character has i".n
assalled In the following extract irCH
that paper, namely:a
Further. and especially, we Denese
the character OF Mr.. Miles is nc such
as to Justify his appointment as he head
of the University OF Virginia. We are
prepared to lay before you clear evidence
in support ofithis allegation,
self and demand OF those who made the
charge. specifications and proof OF the
matters which they allege they are pre-
pared to support BY ey i,1.1Is, a,,o. -,
the laws of Virginia to make an lnyes-
tigaton OF this charge made by the pro-
fessors of the University OF virginia; ap.
stated to be untrue in written com.
munication addressed to .eacn s,grer OF
the paper, and demand from the spe-
cificat lions and proof OF any conduc. IN
character
I.rcspectfully state. considering the dig
nifty of the University and The dislncltna-
ton OF any gentleman to obtain vindica-
ton by an action at law, that Tile Only
appropriate tribunal for the inyest'ga-
ton of this attack upon my character
is your honorable body, as you have the
power tn examine witnesses uncer2 .mth
and require the production OF papnrs.
vindIcation. must have. ana conlt
full investigation of every action from
my childhood until now. and court this
Investigation at the earliest momenl
which Is practicable and convenient ana
which will give those making charges
against me full opportunity to produce
their evidence, This should not cause de-
lay. as the signers OF the paper say tnaL
evidence in support OF their allegations,
A simple waiver explanation OF with
drawal OF this charge would BE- unjust
OF mel am entitled to an absolute re-
traction or the fullest investigation.
THE FACULTY APPEARED.
In response to this communication, a
committee of the faculty signers at the
request OF the Board appeared before 1t,
consisting Of Professors Malet Dab ths,
We're there to respond and, explain their
communication called the protest.
70 Guote 70 Gar'eT Thss
IN account Of what happened n his paper'
pened: "Dr. Mallet as spokesman for the
faculty proceeded to argue and elaborate
the protest of the faculty. against Mr..
Niles Qualifications and fitness for the
Craftsmanship Of the faculty and to the
However, when he came. to that para
Stood BY Mn NV Miles and lis altoEneys; as
we'll as by every member of the Board of
Visitors. 10 imply, a sweeping impeach-
ment Of Mr. Miles moral character.
Or. Mallet surprised the Board BY giving
protest Of which no member of the Board
had dreamed, and which seemed abso;
context itself; In grief, Pr. Mallet con
impeach Mr.. Miles moral character, but
Intended to convey the Idea that Mr..
lao #yd, f,f n IL n no otn vIc.
tics as to unfit him for the appoints
ment as the executive head of the In
stitution. This remarkable Interpretation
OF the Language OF the protest, was the
the members Of the Board that the mem
hers of the faculty had stated that there
We're serious charges against Mr. Miles
personal integrity"
DR., Malet. however, insisted upon his
Interpretation Of the paragraph, He was
mercilessly probed and s-examlned by
members of the Board, but he still In
sisted upon what. one of the members of
the Board characterized as a chemical
analysis OF the word character or labor
ntory methods, applied to the English Ian
gunge." Finally, when Hon. Carter Glass
asked him the pointed question, y the