The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-08-24
H. M. Smith. Jr., Makes Staet-
ment on Retirement of For
mer President
ALWAYS SUPPORTER
OF DR.. BARRINGER
Board Favored Change, Says
Member, But Was Not Fav-
orable to Eggleston From
the Beginning


II. NJ. Smith. Jr.. in a statement
made yesterday. comes to the defense
OF Governor Mann. who was attacked
several weeks ago by former President
Barringcr of the Virginia Polytechnic
institute. and declares that President
Barringer is mistaken In his belief
that he was badly treated by the gov
ernor.
Mr.. Smith tells the story of the
changes made in the V. Z. /. board
and the retirement of Mr.. Noel and
Mr.. Kline. and says that DR.. Ferney
hough acted In the matter as Il friend
OF President Rarringer.
That the retirement OF Mr. Noel and
Mr.. Kline, opponents of Mr.. Bar
ringer, was for the purpose Of trucking
DIR. Barringer. Mr.. Smith denies. and
gives his views In the following state
ment:
Mr.. Smiths Statement
Now tina. the smoke of battle has
cleared away. 1t liz due Governor Mann
and the board of visitors of the Vir-
ginsa Polytechnic institute that j give
my version of the Mann Barringer
controversy.
Two facts will probably not be de-
MED by anyone in Virginia who has
kept informed on the situation.
/. Probably more than anyone else
] was responsible for the selection OF
DIR. Barringer as president Of the Nir-
ginia Polytechnic institute.
2 During Or. Barringer's admins
tration and during its most critical pc
riod was his staunehest friend and
supporter,
when my term on the Virginia
Polytechnic institute board expired.
July J. 1910, | was not reappointed 10y
Governor Mann. ] had no right to
expect IT, and II was understood by my
friends Of the alumni and perhaps by
the governor that j would decline fuF-
Their service. Ny aggressive support
cfspr. Barringer while on the board.
made me some enemies. and perhaps
estranged few friends In addition.
the duties had taken too much time
from my profession. and, as Or. Bar
ringer was then well In the ascend
ency. was glad to retire. After my
retirement from the hoard, however,
DIR. Barringer constantly sought my
advice as to college matters. both In
person and by correspondence, which
] was always pleased IN give him. and
felt honored by the request
Not Given Fair Show.
/ have never hesitated to say. and
do now say, that DIR. BarTinger was
never given n fair show at the Viz
ginfa Polytechnic institute. In the
face of many obstacles. however, he
almost made good in my humble opin-
ion. His management of the finances
was particularly good. and he raised
the educational standard very copsid-
crahly, thereby among other adj
vantages. putting the college faculty
in shape for the Carnegie foundation.
The campus and buildings under his
administration were much improved
and beautified; the sanitary conditions
. h. frt
ment was put on a saner basis. both
from scientific and business view,
Now to the point; When DIR. Fer
neyhpuRh approached me In the spring
of 1912 and asked if | would accept
appointment on the board II II was
rendered me. he gave as his reason
that DIR. Barringer had had so much
opposition. and had had such stormy
administration, that many OF his best
friends felt that his usefulness was at
an end and there ought TO be a
change. / had reluctantly come to
the same conclusion myself. and was
assured and believed that a majority
of the board of visitors felt the same
way-in fact. II was in the atr--ail
over the State. DIR. Ferneyhough told
me that the governor was disposed to
reappoint Mr.. Noel and Mr.. Kline,
which we both very much opposed, for
one reason, as we knew 1t would in
sure not only DR.. Rarringer's defeat.
but possibly his humiliation, which we,
as his friends were anxious to avoid.
DIR. Ferneyhough plan was to assure
the governor that II he would appoint
friends of Or Barringer, instead of
his enemies. that he would answer Tor
his graceful retirement.
DR. Ferneyhough told me that he
had talked the situation over with Mr..
Daniel Harman. who was recognized
as DR. Barringer's closest friend and
adviser. and that Mr.. Hartman fully
approved OF the plan and agreed to
q, operate with hin, Ia every narticu-
lar.
MFR. Hartman Knew 1t.
DR.. Ferncyhough told me further
that Mr. Hartman knew that no sue
cessor had been agreed upon; sug-
gestcd that the board, in accepting
DIR. Barringer's resignation. should
ask him To hold on another year until
they could agree on his successor.
This suggestion was at once accepted.
and ought to convince any fair
minded man that there was no trick
TO get DIT. BHrrfUgrr out, ard certainly
none to put Mr.. Eggleston in.
/ was appointed by the board, my
term to commence July 1, 1919, with
ont any meeting, conversation or cor
respondencc with Governor Mann.
did not promise or agree with MIN or
anyone else to support Mr.. Eggle-
ston--in fact. his name was never
mentioned to me until after DR.. Bar
ringers resignation had been accepted
and the board had requested him to
hold on for another year. In re-
spouse to suggestions of Mr.. Eggle-
ston's name for president. l promptly
and frankly told and wrote scores OF
people that / was not for him. In an
effort TO get the best man In the
United States for the " r. J.. wrote
TO the president of every land grant
college in the country; to tho deans
81 the agricultural departments; TO
the directors OF experiment stations