The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1915-08-21
INEFFICIENCY OF
WORK AT N. A. {.

Ordinarily waste OF the taxpayers
money is caused by multiplying of Of
fees and extravaganza. There are in
stances, however, in which it is caused
by sheer inefficiency. That is the
trouble at the Maryland Agricultural
College,
In speaking of the inefficiency at the
college the word is not used qualita-
lively After all is said and done. the
college does reasonably we'll in its
present field. 1t is inefficient in that
its work lacks breadth and compre-
hensiveness and practical leadership
in the modern agricultural field.
Blame Put On Trustees
1t is the board of trustees who must
be blamed. In the main it is politi-
been political boards. Politics has
entered into the management of the
school and the injurious results have
been felt in manifold ways-in the
practical management; in the pub
lies attitude; in the disposition of the
Legislature.
The board of trustees of the college
is composed of the Governor, the
Comptroller, the Treasurer. the Attor-
ney General, the President of the Sen
ate, the Speaker of the House five per-
sons representing the stockholders in
the old corporation and six men NAM
ed by the Governor.
Take, as an illustration of their
practices, the recent action of the
trustees in electing Robert w. Wells,
of Prince Georges county, as secre-
tary and treasurer; or, at least, the
boards action in trying to elect Mr..
Wells, for Attorney-General Poe has
ruled that there was no election. be-
cause the bylaws of the college were
not complied with. Politics was be-
hind that. No one familiar with this
matter believed that. under the cir
cumstances, the bC>rd would have
elected Mr.. Wells except for political
reasons.
That is not said in derogation of Mr..
Wells ability or character. He is a
man of position, of considerable at
tainments and of many attractive per-
soma, qualities. But he is lawyer in
active and successful practice in
Washington. He could not afford to
give his entire time to the duties of
the Office and he said so openly before
the board voted for him.
Scme Pertinent Questions Asked
Does anyone believe it is better to
have an active lawyer giving half or
a third of his time to a position such
as secretary and treasurer than to
have a trained accountant giving all
of his time?
Yet, Mr. Wells was voted for bv
nearly all the Democratic members of
the board of trustees. Comntroller
HARRINGTON. who said = few davs aoo
that the State had not Maid enonGh
attertjon 70 IFS agricuItnrai irterasts
voted for him in the COMPANY Of otheI,
Smith men and of Lee ava PreSton
men Mr. Harrirgtor'c nan,a j. rot
mentioned banause he i worso +bol
the other politirians. nrobabiv Sern.
tor Lee woIld have voted for Wr
Wells If he had Leer = member of The
hoard Certainly his s1nnor+ers on tba
hoard did so
-,
mere Because vi Politics
The truth of the matter is that the
board has men on ii who are there not
because the ware at all interested in
agriculture. but because of the acct
dents of politics. There is Speaker
James McC. Trippe. He is on the
board because he is the Sneaker of the
House of Delegates If Mr., Trinne's
attitude toward the Agricultural Col
eye had anything to do with his selec-
tion for the speakership. either in 1912
or ii 1914. it escaped the notice of
,,.o,,,. 80 III -, III, .