West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1908-06-25
FIVE CENTS A COPY.
THE UNIVERSITY AND POLITICS.
Newspaper Cr,ticises Action OF Mem.
bers OF College.
Huntington Dispatch.

| bers OF college.
Huntington Dispatch.
oniy short time ago the Democratic
newspapers of tho state, probably acting
with some showing of reason, raised n
loud outcry because of the alleged intro
duction of politics rs factor in the man.
agcment of the State University at Nor.
gantown. Whether or not the criticisms
! then ~ freely Offered were justified by
| existent conditions il IL not the purpose
OF this article To discuss. There il, how
ever, undcniably present situation
which should be found very distastful To
| those who favor the entire alienation of
the university from partisan politics.
This condition, confronting ~ il does the
whole people of the state, and involving
the states chief educational center, is
chargeable to no one political party, but,
under circumstances readily discernable,
| involves both the great political parties.
To begin with, persons directly and ofli-
cially connected with the university have
taken an open and oven vicious part i'm
the controversy between Mr.. Swsher and
MIR. Schcrr in their campaign for the gu
bcrnatorial nomination. A member of
the university faculty, who happens ut
the same time To he editor of Morgan
town daily paper has been the most con-
splcuous figure in the campaign of vilf-
cation 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 attache of the
university has not merely descended 10
the lowest level Of politics, but has
stopped to vile partisanship worthy of
the prctensions of the mcancst politician,
ana entirely beneath the dignity of one
whose voice IL heard in the councils of "A
great and respected institution Of learn.
ing. Allied with the man above referred
tn and himself in more WAYS than one
connected with the university, is another
Morgantown citizen, the resident mem.
Der of the board of regents, who has
been equally active IN the attempt to dis
credit and defeat Mr.. Swishcr.
| These things will not tend to strengthen
the faith of the people in the university.
IL is undeniably true that this spirit does
not speak the sentiment Of those who
rule the affairs of the university. But as
long as those who do rule its affairs per
INIT members OF the faculty To assume Mt
titudcs of such pronounced partsanship.
the impressions will go abroad and will
gain in belief that there IL something
wrong at the seat OF learning. and that
there IL too much laxity exercised in
dealing with the essentials which consti-
tute the standard Of its representatives
IL would be hard To circumscribe fairly
and definitely the political bounds which
the collcgian may with propricty assume
az his rights. But there is no question
that the Morgantown example has al
ready far over-steppcd the most liberal
construction of political ethics az defined
for the school man.
This much for the Republican side OF a
| question which has often arisen i'm n
more or less aggravated form. And the
criticism IL not all for the anti-Swisher
partisans, nor for the Republican party.
| The Democrats, who so bitterly de-
nounccd the efforts Of politicians To break
into the university or Of the university
to break into politics, az the case nIay
have been, now have near at home and
In their own camp food for mature re-
| Election
We have today the spectacle of one OF
the university professors, one Of the
strongest men Of the faculty, engaged in
an active candidacy for the Democratic
nomination for governor.
Not only IL this true, but 10 the fnnda-
mental fact of his candidacy IL added the
spectacle of a political machine being
formed among the graduates, past and
present, for the furtherance Of his cand-
dacy. 80 adroitly has this affair been
managed, 30 thoroughly polite has il
been engineered in every phase, that the
expert politician, while decrying the fact
that politics should have been 80 skill
fully woven into the university, must
stop and admire the machination which
~ expected 10 Inure 50 largely 20 the po-
litical benefit Of one Of the big schools
colossal figures.
That these conditions exist, az related
10 both political parties all citizens who
place the good name and prosperity Of
the university above politics will sincerely
dcplOrc. Such attacks ~ have been made
upon Mr.. Swisher through tbe agency of
those connected with the university will
IN mo- way strengthen its standing or add
10 its popularity. That Mr.. Hodges, who
for dozen years has lowered ~ one Of
the uniyersity's greatest assets Of pOliti-
cal and civic righteousness has at length
lent himself 10 a scramble for political
preferment, is alike dcplorable. For 4
time the Hodges candidacy was purely
receptive. II has now assumed the aspect
Of q man who, supposedly above the level
Of politics, is willing, despite the dignity
Of his position, b ignorantly or otherwise
| lend himself b. the furtherance Of the DO
litical schemes OF an ambitious and selfish
band Of politicians. These observations
| are given with due respect for the rights
OF the gentlemen in question: AZ the
same time there is but one way 10 di-
vorce the university from politics. That
way IS to divorce IT,.
/
| II one feels dull and spiritless. In the
/ spring or early summer. they call 10 spring
| lever. But there Is no fever-usually Ii