El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-06-05
UNIVERSITY DESERVES TO BE
LET ALONE BY THE POLITICIANS
H. H)

~OyERNOR JAMES E. FERGUSON of Texas hs:
vetoed TIE appropriation for the maintenance of the
university of Texas apparently because the board
regents refused to remove president R. E. Vnson and
tain other members Of the university faculty, and abolish
the fraternities.
No words but the highest praise Dr. Wilson'S attain
ments scholar and Of his administration head OF the
governor took strong dislike to him possible certain
members of the faculty might be dispensed with That is
Of nearly any educational institution like the univer
y Of Texas But neither the presidency nor the faculty
membership is matter Iegitmately within the scope of
the governors authority.
The question of fraternties has been thrashed out
nearly every college In the land Some educators favor
them and greatly opposed to them Benefits
urged and evils cited few colleges have eliminated fra
terties Others have permitted them but have al
lowed the organization Of clubs which equivalent to
fraternities Still others have permitted fraerntes to
exist but have curbed such tendencies for evil arise when
young of high spirits and undeveoped responsibilities
get together in close companonshp away from home and
its restraining influences.
But the point Of It al is that the president and the
faculty should have control of the university affairs in
GLIDING the problems Of the fraterne and the board of
regents should have control Of the president and the faculty.
administration to them In the event of failure
Why should the governor set himself up as the unveI
Sys dictator? Who is he to to say how the nst
tuition shall be governed and by whom? With no dis
courtesy the governor intended it is his bust
how the university Is than it is that of any other
citizen Of the state And no other citizen would at
tempt to spuate that the president of the university and
part Of the faculty must be Oused to suit his whim
1t is the governors prerogauve 10 approve OF dlsap-
prove the university appropriation, but in this it is
unworthy exercise of power. It of die
tatorship 1t smacks Of kaseTism which is about
pleasant designation could be applied
Let the board Of regents exercise its functions The
board Is responsible for the acts of the university pres
dent and his faculty-acts which thus far to have
aroused protest from the people of the state generally
and the board is not responsible to the governor The
state senate is responsible for any wrongful administration
BY the board Of regents.
The people of the state are not interested in Gov Fer
guson preferences They interested in the present fight
only because great deal to the university Ct
zens not the university Ill managed and do
not propose thus to It. If Dr. Wilson's administration
should at any time prove unsatisfactory the board Of re-
gents VIII hear very the sentiment Of the people who
pay the and whose and daughters have been
probably VIII be, students at the university. On the
other hand the citizens viii not view with complacence the
uprooting of the university because of any such personal
fight as this seems to be.
There is this to be said for Dr. The students
who are IN daily contact with him devoted to him They
ike him man. like his personality and character. They
look up to educator and strong in his support
as an executive Really the fact that the students have
stoutly ehamponed the Of the president against
governors attempted interference of the strong
est Recommendations IN d.. Wilson's behalf.