The Green Forest tribune., 1912-08-16
University Trouble.

One of the burning questions of the state just at the present is what is go ing to become of our state university. Unless some radical reforms in it's government are worked, out, we might as well have no state educational in stitution. The situation seem. to be quite tersely summed up In the follow ing from the Paragould Soliphone:
 "The communication of President Tillman of the state university, direct ed to the board of trustees of the institution in which he states his side of the trouble that arose during the past term, is the first public statemen t we have seen from President Tillman and the first public utterance we have seen that throws light on the situation. The offending publication issued by the students, of which President Tillman complains, was so vague and indefinite that only those having personal knowledge of the conditions at the university could read between the lines what was intended. Judge Till- mans statement to the board is open, frank, positive and free from inuendo. He says what he means in plain, un- vanished language that admits of no dual construction.
 As to whatever merit there was in the student strike, if any, the Soli- phone has no knowledge, but we do know that President Tillman is an able and courageous man who dares to per- form duty regardless of threats or intimidation. We know that his heart and soul are with the university and that all his life he has defended the in stitution and it's good name against all accusers. We remember hearing him on the floor of the state senate at the session of 1889 denounce in unmeasured terms the report of a legislative com mitte that reflected upon the moral status of the institution and defend citizens of Fayetteville against what he said were false imputations of their influence upon the institution. This denunciation was personal and bitter and Tillman was as bold as a lion in making it. He was wrought up and his words brought forth demand for a retraction by the senator who was the author of the offensive accusation, but Tillman refused to retract and only the timely intervention of mutual friends prevented personal clash and possible bloodshed. Tillman said that his home people and his alma mater had been slandered by the offending senator and in his denunciation of wrong done them he had nothing to retract, even though it cost him his life.
 Knowing his moral and physical courage we are not surprised that in his review of the conditions that brought about the late trouble in the university he should speak plainly in language that cannot be misunder- stood
 The point that President Tillman raises as to student insubordlnation is one worthy of the serious consideration of the board of trustee If the faculty is to be subordinated to the captious will of the student body, the sooner the school is abandoned the better it will be for the state. If, led by few daring spirits, the student body is to wage outlawry unchecked by discipline, we cannot hope for the graduate out put to be more than embryo outlaws when they come forth from the insti- tuition with their diplomas. Insubor- dination to the governing powers is a virus that will kill the institution and the board of trustees owe it to the tax payers of Arkansas, who largely main tain the institution, to clothe the faculty with supreme governing power. The future growth and prosperity of the institution depends upon this more than upon any other one thing"