The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-05-16
MIR Ftnsf PRESIDENT.

ident will have TO shape '"e an'''''
Of the institution under the new
regime" and further states tnas MS
s1abors will be arduous, requiring
tact and generalship in addition to
the qualifications Of broad scholai-
ship and culture and aclose acquaint-
ancs with affairs in general In all
Of the above we heartily agree, but
before stating our position more
clearly. we reproduce the following
from our Norfolk contemporary;
t;snot often that the fredericksburg
Frss .ance il caught preaching narrow
doctr;ne but one OF these rare lapses INTO
usrrowness IL seems to US, lie iounu In
&c TO- argumant that the first President OF
,h ~ Tn;xsrsity Of Virginia ought to be a
yirginian. -,son,r savs opr
contemporary. "let the whole county s
furnish us a field from which 10 choose,
IL the proposition holds goou IN any
case why not in all? What reason .nat
annl;ss 10 the selection OF the first Presi-
Ssnt would not apply with equal aptness
to the SELECTION Of any Of his successors
To he sure. II two men mentioned are
.omnstsnt 20 fill the new position and are
Of eousl merit. the one whose ,irginian
shonId have the preference, II ne Is an
alumnus of the University.
put what n the Yirginisn were not an
alnmnns of the University, whereas his
competitor. though not irginian'couiu
point to the University as ais alma
mater? There is something 10 ponoe..
The Landmark agrees with Inc FREE
Ianca that I'VE want 10 see no discrimi-
nation ON account OF party or politics,
nrovided ALWAYS that certain beliefs re
nugnant to Virginia aud the South shall
eternally proves barrier. Inns proSiso'
which il eminently sound, islikely to play
a mart OF no mean Importance IN the
choice of the President, II all the names
which we have seen mentioned In connec-
ton with the place go before the boeru
OF Visitors.
We think Improbable thatour views
on this matter have been misinter-
preted by our contemporaries, and
we beg to explain that in advocating
q virginian for the office We had in
view no particular native OF this
State. but did so fully believing, and
to this view we still adhere, that there
could be found among the ranks OF
our own people a man emlnently
fitted and qualified TO preside over
the destinies Of a great institution
founded by a "Virginian" and gov
erned by yirginians for 10 these many
wears. We did not for an instant
presume that any one would construe
our remarks to mean that we would
favor an inferior man over his super
ior in knowledge. learning, culture
and all OF those characteristics which
go to make up the capable college
president simply because that man
was Virginian. Oh, no, we do not
want a native OF this State even for
the first President unless he can meas
ure up to the standard, but we have
no reason to believe that such man
cannot be found, and il he can, why,
for sentiment alone, il you please,
and there is more or less sentiment
in the matter, let US place him as the
first presiding officer over Virginia's
great University. The Landmark in
accusing Us OF nsrrowness, weakens
very much that accusation by its
own words, as will be seen by COM
pairing the two following statements:
But il would be After the first
unwise TO fix posi- President let the
lively upon an whole country lur-
other requirement nish Us a held rom
than that the man which TO choose.
chosen should be an We want to see no
slumnus OF I e discrimination on
University land, account OF party or
therefore, familiar politics Free
with il atmosphere Lance.
and ideals. - The
Landmark.
The Landmark would limit the
Boards choice for ever and aye to an
alumnus Of the University. The Free
Lance, its first choice to Virginian.
Afterwards let the whole country
furnish a field In view OF these
statements compared side by side,
can our contemporary consistently
accuse US of narrowness? We think
not.
After all The Free Lance, the
Landmark and the Progress, we be-
lieve, with one accord join in saying
that the first and subsequent Presi-
dents, no matter what bis nativity,
must be free OF certain ideas repul-
sive and obnoxious to the South, and
10 addition he must be man OF
whom the University and the State
can at all times and in all places be
,ro,,1