The Semi-weekly leader., 1908-08-19

son, splendid, clear headed young
fellow, by the way, a trustee Of the
| College, and that this step-son, still
a member of the board, is standing
by President Hardy and his admin
4 istration, with nearly all the rest
lof Gov. Vardaman's appointees.
LIT should not be overlooked, too,
that with the exception Of the Dr.
| Noel appointment, about everything
| that President Hardy did for which
| he has been abused, villified and
branded as culprit, occurred dur
ing the Vardafnan administration,
with Var daman and a majority of
| the members of the beard of trus-
tees appointed by him responsible
for the proper administration of
College affairs, and argues that they
were either carelessly overlooked,
wilfully ignored, or approved by
them, and therefore this wholesale
condemnation of President Hardy is
at the same time condemnation of
Vardaman and his administration
for retaining such a man at the
head of the institution.
These are the tactics, these the
inscriptions methods that have
been resorted to to mislead and
prejudice the people of Mississippi
Iagainst their great agricultural
college and discredit its admins
tration, including the trustees and
1.-TWO governors, as well as its presi-
dent.
The editor of The Leader, in all
his knowledge of public affairs in
Mississippi, extending over third
of century, can not recall an in
stance where any man has been so
relentlessly pursued, slandered,
Iinsulted and cruelty prosecuted,
with so little of justice and reason
as has been President Hardy of the
A. and M. College. Never within
our knowledge have so many of the
editors of the State been apparent
ly caught off their guard, given
such ready credence to false and
colored reports and specious argu-
ments and appeals to prejudice,
without hearing both sides and
lgiving proper weight to the acts
land opinions of men whose charac-
ters and past records entitle them
to just consideration, as has been
manifested in this case. Apparent
alIlg. with many. fairness. reason,
thigh character, established record
for reliability and probity, justice
itself, have all stood for nothing
against ex-parte statements of dis
gruntled tale bearers with an i'm
aginary grievance, or the false and
sensational fulminations of un-
Iscrupulous penny-a-liners. To the
lextent that this persecution and
these unfair methods have been
participated in by reputable news
lpapers of the State, to that extent
lit is The Leaders, profound con-
Iviction they have done discredit to
themselves and to their past record
for fair play and intelligent judg-
ment. They will get right again,
to be sure they will, when they
take time to think and consider
with less prejudice the other side.
And the people they have too hast
lily misled will get right too,
when they know both sides of the
case and how all of this fuss has
been stirred up and how little
real foundation there was for it to
rest on.
j The dismissed and disgruntled
faculty members and their follow
ing declare that they are going to
keep up the agitation against Pres
lident Hardy and the board Of trus-
tees until they force him out of the
| College. IF they persist in such a
tpolicy, what are the people going
| to do about it? Are they going to
stand by and uphold the president
Of the College and the board of
trustees, the duly constituted au-
| thorities of the State, charged
with Its proper administration, or
are they going to side with the dis
lgruntled, irresponsible agritators,
bent on rule or ruin? If surren-
lder is to be made to the latter, in
view of all the facts of the case,
| the College might not only have a
change Of Presidents, but it would
be better still to close its doors in
definitely; for with a new president
and with such an evil precedent
against established authority, it
could be but a little while at most
when new insurrection would
break out, led by disgruntled fac
u ~ Il ls 4 = II :.