The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1915-04-29
RIFLE
UNIVERSITY
DAKOTA WESLEYAN CENSURED
NOR BRINGING CHARGES. OF.
PLAGIARISM AGAINST YER
MILLION ORATOR.

Vermillion, s. D.-On the 21st of
April there appeared in the Mitchell
Republican, and subsequently in
other newspapers of this section, IN
article which outlined a charge of
plagiarism or unfair competition. in
the state %oratorical contest, which
was held at Sioux Falls on March 26
The complaining party. Dakota Wes-
logan therein. alleged that the win
ner of the contest, j. A. Johnson of
Mt. Vernon, a student at the Univer-
sity of South Dakota, won first place
by unfairly using material for which
he did not give due credit. The
charge is n serious one and for that
reason the party whom the complaint
was made against should rave had
seasonable notice in order that. he
might have al opportunity to vindi-
cate himself. The university makes
niue + NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
much OF the situation prior to the
meeting of the representatives of
the Oratorical Association at Mitch
ell.
The president OF the association,
Martin Brumbaugh. in a letter writ
ten -four days prior to the meeting
informed Mr.. Blaine Simons, OF the
board of control OF debating. and ra-
tory at tho University that n COM
plant had been lodged against one
of the winners of places in the ora
|torical contest, without stating speci-
ficially who the party a Mr.. Sim
ons %thereupon undertook TO find out
by long distance telephone from Mr..
II ~, n, u at,nl b,,t Mr. Tlrn mia 11ohI vn.
fused to talk about the matter or
even to answer the telephone call.
Mr.. Simons then called up Prof.
e. H. Wilds. head of the department
OF public speaking in Dakota Wes-
leyan. He stated specifically that he
knew nothing concerning the charges,
and yet 1t later developed that he
was one of the three Dakota Wesley
an professors who had previously
signed the charge. 1t was only thru
the courtesy of O. M. Phelps, of Sioux
Falls College, secretary of the Ora
|torical association, that any informa-
ito whatsoever was obtained, n
this information was received II
the day before the Mitchell huron
meeting. giving no time for prepara-
ton.
The complaining party. Dakota
Wesleyan, however. had been very
busy and enlisted the cooperation OF
members of the faculty and student
body in the undertaking to ferret out
charges OF a detrimental character
against Mr.. Johnson. He, or they,
wrote letters to the heads of public
speaking departments i'll avrious col
leges and universities throughout
the West, to obtain the opinions OF
these professors Jpn the merits OF
their complaint of plagiarism and I'M
fair competition. The idea presum-
ably was to take Mr.. johnson by
surprise and unprepared to meet the
charges made against him. and thus
by such sinister and ~underhand
methods deprive him of the honors
he had won. 1T can not be said That
such a method is just or fair in any
sense of thai term
Another action which deserves the
greatest condemnation is the Tact
that the complaining party. notwith-
standing the fact that it was vitality
Interested in the outcome OF the
charge, nevertheless was anxious TO
have n final vote taken in which 1t
had two representatives. and it was
only after four hours of discussion
that tho University of South Dakota
representative secured the cnsent to
settlement OF the matter b yousside
disintersted parties.
(When shown the above article.
which neither denied or affirmed the
charges made against Mr.. Johnson.
the real issue in the case, Mr..
Brumbaugh declared that no time
had he refused to talk over the tele-'
phone with Mr.. Simons or to answer
.n nv1S ny:ll, o1cn