The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1908-06-10
THE UNIVERSITY AND POLL
TICS.

probably acting with some chow.
ing of reason, raised loud outory
because of the alleged introduction
of politics as factor in the man
agem emit of the State University at
Morgantown Whether or not the
criticism then so freely offered
were justified by existent oonditi.
ons it is not the purpose of this
article to disouss. There is, how.
ever, undeniably a present situa.
ton which should be found very
distasteful to those who favor the
entire alienation of the university
from partisan politics This con.
dition, confronting as it does the
whole people of the state, and in.
volving the states ohief education.
al centre. is ohargeable to no one
political party, but, under oircum.
stances readily disoernible. invol
YES both the great political parties
To begin with, persons directly
end officially connected with the
University have taken an open and
even vicious part in the oontrover.
BY between Swisher and Soherr in
their campaign for the gubernator.
ial nomination A member of the
University faculty, who happens at
the same time to be editor of a
Morgantown daily paper, has been
the most conspicuous figure in the
campaign of vilifoation and abuse
that has been carried on in the
frantic efforts that have been put
forth to defeat Mr.. Swisher The
work undertaken by this attaohe of
the University has not merely de-
soended to the lowest level of pol
itios, but has stopped to a vile par.
tisanship worthy of the preten.
sions of the meanest politician, and
entirely beneath the dignity of one
whose voice ia heard in the ooun.
oils of great and respected insti
tuition of learning Allied with the
man above referred to and himself
in more ways than one connected
with the University, is another
Morgantown Citizen. the resident
member of the board of regents
who has been equally active in the
attempt to disoredit and defeat Mr.
Swisher.
These things will not tend to
strengthen the faith of the people
in the University. It is undenia-
bly, true that this spirit does not
speak tho sentiment of those who
rule the affairs of the University
But as long as those who do rule
It's affairs permit members of the
faculty to assume attitudes of suoh
pronounced partizanship. the i'm.
preston will go abroad and will
gain in belief that there is some.
thing wrong at the seat of learning.
and that there is too much laxity
exercised in dealing with the es.
sentials which constitute the
standard of it's representatives. 1t
would be hard to oiroumsoribe
fairly and definitely the political
bounds which the oollegian may
with propriety assume as his riRhts.
But there is no question that the
Morgantown example has already
far overstepped the most liberal
construction of political ethics as
defined for the school man.
And the criticism is not all for
the anti-Swisher partisans, nor for
the Republican party. The Dem.
oorats who 30 bitterly denounced
the efforts of politicians to break
into the University, or of the Uni.
versity to break into politics, az
the case may have been, now have
near at home, and in their own
camp, food for mature reflection.
We have today the spectacle of
one of the University professors.
one of the strongest mon of the
faculty, engaged in an active oan-
didaoy for the Democratic nomina.
tion for governor.
Not only is this true. but to the
Fundamental fact of his candidacy
is added the spectacle of political
machine being formed among the
graduates of the University, past
and present, for the furtheranoe of
his candidacy. So adroitly has
this affair been managed. 80 thor,
ougly politio has it been engineer.
ed in every phase. that the expert
politician, while deorying the fact
that politics should have been so
skilfully woven into the University,
must stop and admire tho maohina.