The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1910-09-02
OSBORN Did NOT
SELL HIS SOUL
Appointment as Regent Of the UNI
versity Did Not Make Him Sub
servient to the DIscredited
Warner Administration.

Because Chase S. Osborn is n regent
Of the Michigan University by appoint
ment OF Governor Warner, the Pat
Kelley press are saying such things
as tl:N "He is as much part of the
state administration this minute as Is
Patrick H. Kelley. and has been for
many years."
That is the theory of the political
machinist. Every man who takes Of
fee under any administration, no mat
ter what the circumstances, is held to
be bound to support that administra-
ton in everything and under all cir
cumstances. He must resign his con-
science to the keeping of the head OF
the clan and must nod at the beck OF
the feudal potentate. Mr.. Osborn ac-
copied the position of regent of the
university by appointment to succeed
the late Arthur Hill of Saginaw.
Whether Mr.. Osborn asked for the
place, we do not know, but If he did
1t makes no difference. Neither he
nor any other self-respecting man
could regard the taking of such an
Office as binding him to the support of
the appointing power through both
good and evil report. There are, I'M
fortunately, many men like the editor
quoted above who hold that agree
ment in all things is reasonably to be
expected of appointees of the Warner
administration, but the great majority
of people will not subscribe to this
idea, and for the reason that such a
compact organization of appointees is
sure to provide bad government in a
thousand ways 1t is certain that the
frank and Independent Mr.. Osborn
would not have taken any Office from
Governor Warner with the understand
ing that his hands were thereby to be
tied and his tongue bound and his
freedom of action eliminated.
But in no degree are the cases of
Mr.. Osborn and Mr.. Kelley alike. The
former has held no different relation
to the Warner administration than is
held by trustees of other state institu-
lions, who have nothing to do with the
6ChVi di uit cSLiOu VI oIdtc dhoiio, ohu
scarcely different from that of every
notary public who holds commission
from Governor Warner. Mr.. Kelley,
however, as every voter in the state
well knows. has been constantly the
bosom friend of Governor Warner,
counselling him in all things, even in
the dastardly attack upon this same
Mr. Arthur Hill, which sent that esti-
mable man and eminent citizen to his
grave prematurely. 1t was villain
Gus piece of dirty politics. Mr.. Kelley
has specially had in charge the various
schemes of the Warnerites in the legis-
lature, including all those which pro-
vided or were to provide swarms of
new state employees as deputies to this
or that bureau or commission, all of
whom were expected to be part Of
the machine which was to give Kelley
his reward by elecating him to the
governorship. Mr.. Osborn's work did
not bring him into contact In any de-
gree whatever with Mr.. Warner, while
Mr. Kelleys position placed him at
Warmers elbow continually, and moth
ing has been done by the state admin
istration in which this heir-apparent
has not had part.
Mr.. Osborn accepted or obtained, as
the case may be, an appointive office
from Governor Warner, but he did not
barter for it his very soul.-Allegan
Gazette.