The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-12-16

The natural relation of a state to a state university is that of a fond mother to a beautiful daughter; the mother exer- cising q watchful care over the daugh- ter bestowing upon her not only the necessities of life, but all those things consistent with her growth, her fullest development, her education and her polish.
 It is. rare, indeed, as far as the states s making up this union are concerned, where just the opposite obtains. It Is seldom that a mother state has assumed control of the goods of the daughter university, and not returned those goods. with proper interest The case is rare, in- deed in the United States, where a state o~es it's university a tremendous sum of money and does not repay the total amount It is rare, indeed, where the mother state holds from the daughter university that which is the childs, and has considered the maternal duty full filled. when the young lady has been dished out enough food to keep off starva- tion, and enough clothes to keep the body warm, provided the child takes sufficient exercise.
 In Alabama, the following obtains: The SO the figures of J. H. Fitts of Tuscaloosa, banker and treasurer of the university, more than s2,OOO,ooo; the state of Ala bama is exceedingly prosperous, and &C., cording to all reckoning, in the treasury there is a superb surplus of more than sl 100000: the university is in sore distress, the total of it's troubles being summed up when it is said that not building has been constructed within the last twenty years. ~
 Funds Loosely Handled.
 The state of Alabama is in duty bound ao maintain the University of Alabama. It was with this understanding that Ala hama was admitted to the union In lSl9. ,ro the state of Alabama, for the specific purpose of maintaining the university, \ Congress granted seventy-two sections of rich farming land, the 46,010 acres of these sections being located in Autauga, 13ibb Choctaw, Clarke, Franklin, Greehe' Lawrence. Monroe, Montgomery, Perry and Shelby counties. The first cohstltu- tional convention of the state accepted 1his trust and imposed upon the legisia- ture the perpetual duty of It's carelui anu equitable administrations
 The acts for the temporary leasing or dhcse lands were passed in lslS anu io-o. In 1921 the act was passed authorizing tue sale of these lands at minimum pIlee of ST per acre, payable one-fonrth casii, and the balance in eight equal ahiiuai 1nstallments, and gave the purchasers the nriviIege at the end of three years, or taking d perpetual lease by paying per cent annually on their unpaid balances Seven agents-these agents were not bonded-in various portions of the state, sold and leased the lands, and were eX- pected to keep their own records.
 In spite of the fact that these lands were the university's, or rather were held sn trust for the university, no treasurer was appointed for the institution until 1927. six years after the passing of the bill to sell the lands Op to ls2', the state bank had acted as treasurer. The uni- xersity trustees, a nominal board, first appointed in 1s21 took their oaths and were changed in such short times, that none of them had an opportunity to come in touch with the university, its property,