The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-30

Washington, May N.-(Special.)- 1.-The ambitions of Mrs. Emma Reber Bailey, a Georgia-Alabana woman clerk In the | General Land Office of the Interior De- partment. to excell in legal attainments. have caused a peck of trouble in the Co., iumbian University of this city: - .o Seven out of nine persons who were to receive the degree of doctor of clvll law this year from the School of Compara- sye ,ss and n0 part In the commencement exercises because Mrs Bailsy will also reGeiye the fa,sSfni S so advanced a degree, and they regard 1t as detrimental to the class and the insti- fulton that she should be thus recognized. The trouble has been brewing eyer since Mrs. Bailey was admitted to the class last autumn. but the climax game ,eI, when for graduation. The action of the seven students. 1t seems likely. will be support ed by resolutions by other q classes ,o of the nn The degree of D. C.. L. is one of the highest given by the University and three years work Is necessary to obtain 1t af- ter M the student has obtained the degree
 Mrs. Bailey, who is past middle age. was appointed to the General Land Omce some years ago from Georgia. She had also lived some years in Alabama. The law seems to have quite fascinated her. and she has worked at 1t most indefaug- asted from NT'ti the NationsI School of Law: She entered the Columbian Law School and last year obtain the degree of M l. Comparative Jurisprudence, but failed un- til she petitioned the Executive Board for special permission,
 This was granted. and immediately oth- CT members of the class demurred. but took no active. steps until a few weeks ago. By that time Mrs. Bailey had com auirements for the degree. and seems to have shown 1t to some of her friends; Other members of the class who read eised @ a and finally m esd8 six of them h called upon President Needham to object to the con ferring of a degree upon Mrs. Bailey men was unanimous against comforting the degree upon Mrs. Bailey. They rest ed their opposition on the ground that the life-giving spirit nor fortified ade- uuately with the Fundamental principles of law to enable her properly to enjoy auentiy impotent to grasp the work in are not mad at her but they feel con yentured % 0F Re Rer ii tte IHa1 wsnton m mas law preps finitely beyond her depth If she should bring down heaps of injustice and un- told injury to the class and unuermine the fair name of the institution itself.
 The erudite male protestants maintain that their statements have been more than borne out by the thesis which Mrs. Bailey has prepared as sign-token of her fitness to take the degree. Her sub ject was the question: Shall the Power of the. President be Extended or Re- stricted?''
 In thirty-five typewriter pages, they say, she has endeavored to grapple with and dispnse of a great question which has been one of the most baff1ing prob lens that has vexed the minds of the foremost American statesmen. They. all lege that she irrelevantly devotes a whole page to eulogy of her Department chief, Secretary Hitchcock. whose character, motest connection with this imposing question.
 President Needham listened to these grave objections and was evidently i'm pressed. He said he would be pleased to present. them to the faculty. II was an, nounced meanwhile that Mrs. Bailey had been directed to appear for graduation June 3.
 There is said to be sharp schism in the faculty and the student protestants are now resting their case on the exposure of incompetence which they are of opin- ion will occur when Mrs. Bailey's thesis is analyiZed.