The Columbus weekly dispatch., 1908-07-26
THE INVESTIGATION.

Il
at the A. and NJ College developed
/ into fight on Hardy early in the
stage of the proceedings. 1t soon
appeared that those who opposed
/ him had prepared their case with all
/ of the minutae and detail of a great
| legal battle. Every incident in his
past eight years of administration
which could possibly be used was
| held up to light, and the most unfav-
orable construction placed upon the
same possible. Everything which
savored of injury was paraded into
print with all of the importance of
great wrongs having been done. Lit
| tie incidents, trivial circumstances
were used to cumber the record and
| create the impression that Hardy's
administration was all wrong.
1t was a significant circumstance
that carefully prepared questions
covering every act inimieal to his
interest had been prepared before
hand. and was in use at the inves-
tigation. Hardy had no counsel, no
defender. The members of the board
asked questions, but threre was no
effort at defense. Their interroga-
tories were made for the purpose of
bringing out everything, and not
with a view of defending Hardy.
They were there to get the facts,
regardless of who they affected.
The investigation was a long and
tedious one From the very nature
of things, it involved large work.
There were many conflicting inter
ests, and every man whose name was
mentioned wished to go on the stand
or get back on the stand to place
himself right before the board. There
was a continuous cross-fire of ques-
tioning. Through all of this trying
ordeal Gov. Noel, as the presiding
officer, tried to keep the investiga-
tion within legitimate bounds, and
whenever any ruling of his was con-
strued by the opposition as against
them. busy were the pens and pen
ellis making record of it, that it might
be used TO inflame public sentiment
over the State. In this way every act
of the governor which did not meet
with the ends of the bitter prOsecu-
ton of Hardy was put before the
public and made to do duty as a hos
tile opinion moulder. They were
used for all they were worth, and
without attorney, without press rep
resentatives who would fairly report |
the proceedings, Hardy was without
any means of getting his side of the
case before the public.
Notwithstanding this, and the eff
forts made to influence the members /
of the board by demonstrations of /
hostility to the president on the part /
of the public, Hardy was exonerated.
The board took the facts into consid-
Grafton and judged accordingly. Ten
of the best men of that body are OF
the opinion that to remove him, to
surrender to the influences at the
school now would everlastingly bring
it into ruin and disaffection.
Do the people of the State believe
that these men were aetuated by any
thing but the best and highest mo-
tives in this work? Do they believe
that they have the great future of
the school less at heart than they do?
Do they think that any personal or
political considerations influenced
them in their judgment? Have not
the members of the board managed
the institution capably and well for
al of these years, and are the men
composing it now less patriotic, less
able or less capable of judging of
he issue2
Surely, when these men Beave their
vocations, at sacrifice and
abor, as earnestly and as seriously
is ever men Iabored, with a view of
getting at the facts of the unfortun-
tie situation, their verdict ought to
be accepted. If Hardy's connection
With the school ought to end, do the
people believe that he would be kept
here a minute? Suppose you think
about these things, and as the facts
n the Hardy case become public you
will see that the board has acted
s-fcaIx- aud we'll