The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-08-04
md tina, would he asked to continue

and that would be asked TO continue
in service one year.
Preventing n resignation. had no ter
rors for me. During the years IN
which was chairman OF the faculty
of the University Of Virginia | made
IL "A rule 10 tender my resignation at
fair intervals, In order to test the con-
fidence of the board. This fact VIII
he recalled by the Hon. II. Tate Irvine,
the Hon Henry Downing, the Hon.
carter Glass. and others who served
with me at the University OF Virginia.
Thinking II a square and proper GUS
tom, I had determined to do this at the
Virginia Polytechnic institute. but
was never allowed the opportunity
The continued presentation of
trumpea-up charges. sometimes given
in advance to the press. and scatter
ed broadcast throughout tho State,
kept me ever on the defensive. | could
not. Of course. resign under such con-
ditions.
Made Sacrifice.
when the matter came In this form
| however. IL did not take me long to
| decide that would make the sacri-
! ~ the State. and also of the college and
of the tSafe, and also for my owr
| peace OF mind. With these two mer
| again on the board for four years
| backed by more than complement
1 executive nothing could be done In
/ the way Of Improving conditions at tbs
{ Virginia Polytechnic institute, Dis
/ loyalty amongst the faculty and en-
/ ployes would continue, insuoordinatior
amongst the students, and every per
sonal enemy would continue to fine
an dfnclal mouthpiece.
That the governor of a great Com
monwealth, state like Virginia
should have lowered himself TO MAKE
use Of, as tools for a political con
/ spiracy, men whose records he knew
at least well enough TO appreciate
/ their value. was shock, but II was
presented straight and true The
/ height Of their venality was simply th'
measure Of their value 10 him, AS &
I long lever Is better than a short
{ But any chief magistrate, any sworf
/ officer of the law, who would do this
thing would do anything. The elastic
limits of an oath Of Office are nil
once over the line honor is gone for
Z ever. He would halk at nothing,
knew his record, his political double
dealing In the DAYS of Malone,
. recent campaign, the representative
! the liquor interests In the East,
the idol OF the "drys' in the West
/ And I further knew him to be undel
influences not of the most scrupulou'
character To remain IN office with
! such an enemy in the Capitol was un
wise.
+ some Ea~mics.
! Naturally, ! have made some enc
mics l have been I'm public life il
/ virginia for nearly twenty Ave years
/ | have been executive officer of tw'
/ Of its chief institutions of learning
president of the Medical Society o
4 Virginia: a member Of the state boart
i OF health. member of the stat
: hoard of agriculture. president of tn
Eastern Virginia trucking board,
member OF the geological survey com
mission; Of the cattle quarantin
/ hoard the CROP pest mission, etc
etc. In the discharge OF duty in sue
varied positions. | have. OF course
given orense but such things are In
| evitable All that a man can do is t
try to keep the type Of his enemie
uniform.
would call attention TO the fac
that during this long time no word @
criticism was applied to my work i
any office, except at the Virginia Poly
technic institute. a place which ha
been made the football of State poll
tics ever since Its inception.
when. therefore, | received this mes
sage from the governor and had dul
Wondered IL | sent him word by hi
messenger that II these two imposs
bles were not reappointed woui
present my resignation at the frs
meeting of the board after the me-
appointments "a majority had bee
made.
AS regards my determination
| answer no questions and make u
statement of any kind regarding Il
matter at the time, 1t will readily
r seen that IL was proper. While 1t VIZ
, frankly stated that my resiRnatio
would be accepted by the board, whie
was yet to be appointed, / could qua
antee nothing until the act was don
Even when the papers, which ha
! inside Information, began to bombal
! with insinuations: and prophecies ar
: ask for interviews, I waited quiet
: for the completion of the act. ATT
that was free.
New Appointments,
About June !, 1872, tho Richmor
/ Times Dispatch published the follow
, ling regarding the new appointmen
on the Virginia Polytechnic institu
: / board
> For the term of four years, b'
t ginning July ], 1912. the followir
are named: l.. f.. johnson. presideI
' of the Norfolk and Western railwa
' of Roanoke (r"aPpointed), Senate