Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1903-07-17
THE PRESIDENCY
OF UNIVERSITY
AIumnuS Gives His Views
on a Selection.
Communicated

ing interest to the people at large. Nat
urilly, the question has aroused a good
deal of discussion, most of which has
been Concerned with the names OF va
rious gentlemen who hive been sug-
gested for the place. A gool deal OF
this discussion has been based upon
false premises and has led To curious
conclusions.
1t ought to be conceded, and il is
supposed will be conceded when Il @
proposition is squarcly put, that the
place is not one to be given TO any man
FOR his own honor or advancement. The
place will do honor To any man, but
that is mere incident. The only thing
to be considered is to secure the man
who oan most nearly measure up 20 the
requirements OF that high position, who
caff'pcrrorm the duties most effectively
and most harmoniously with the char
acter, history, spirit and traditions of
our great University. The character
OF the man must be OF that noble order
which knows no mean thing. His schol-
arship must be ripe and recognized in
the educational world. His standard
of manhood must be one of high ideals
and he must be the embodiment of
those finer feelings which mark natures
gentlemen, knowing no sclflshness. His
sense cf honor i'm all things must be 40
fine that he will understand and uphold
the traditions which have always char
acterized the University. His personal
ambition must be lost and raised into n
broader and better ambition which shall
have for its object the development and
strengthening of the University, and.
through IL, the bettering of the world.
II il not easy to find such man. The
duty Of securing such man, which de-
wolves upon the Board OF Visitors, IL IA
responsible one They, doubtless, ap-
prcciatc this fact and they would wei
come discussion OF men, made along
the lines here suggested. Such n dis
cussion would help them.
But what kind of discussion do we
hcar1 The Abingdon Virginan. In it's
issue OF June 2Gth, makes very severe
-
member of the Board OF Visitors from
Wise County, because he refused 60 en-
doHe the application Of Col. Geo.
W. Miles for this place, basing this crit
icism principally upon the ground that
this gentleman comes from the Great
Southwest. The argument is, that M
Mr. Irvine il from the same section, he
should support Col. Miles. Tho Wise
News OF the 9th inst. takes the same
position. MT. Irvine's card, I'm answer
to the editorial In the Virginian, is both
temperate lin view OF the provocation
he hadD and sensible in giving the con
siderations which governed his action.
Ii Is not the purpose of this paper TO
say one word In derogation OF Col. Miles.
So far as the writer knows, he is all
that his friends say he is. 1t is certain
that man big enough TO be President
OF the University is too big TO base his
''claim" 10 the place or found his ap-
plcation upon the fact that he belongs
to any particular section; neither would
he strengthen his claim or "applica-
ton by such argument, The sober
truth is that the man we want for Pres
ident of the University will make no
"claim" or "application" at all. 1t il
attributing one thing to Col. Miles, in
dlcative of fitness for the place, to as-
sumo that he is not party to these
eiforts on his behalf by his ilI-advised
friends.
Let us face the facts The Virginian
and the Wise News go too far when
they declare that Col. Miles is the choice
Of the "Great Southwest 1t is nc
criticism or attack on Col. Miles to say
, that such Is not the case. 1t is true
that he has many warm friends, as he
should have, but rather full discus.
sioa OF this question in this county has
revealed only two or three men who
think 1t would be wisest and best TO O.
lect him,
Let us, In all conscience, not make
n personal or local matter out Of this
important question. If all Of the mem.
bers Of the Board OF Visitors act upor
the same high principles as those lait
down 10y Mr.. Irvine, no mistake will bs
made that can be one half 80 serious ms
would be made by men who woulC
choose the first President nf the Uni
: versity Of Virginia 10y relson Of person
: al liking OF local pride II is alioycthcI
3 possible for man to Lave nunv GIIaI
o.