The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-06-24
POLITICS AND EDUCATION WILL NOT NIX.

TroYERNoh LAkRAzoho today issnea an executive order re-
~ lion, I. G CHAMPION i R sstSs b. {. Z fi q HUI HUI and james
S. Quesenberry pf Las Cruces. The eneenaiye order followed the fail
ue Of de, three gentlemen to appear in Santa Fe for . hearing to
which they had been ordered by the governor, in connection with
allegations Of encouragement Of state eclege funds in exceeding the
appropriations available for that institution. Instead the three re
gents issncd a statement in reply TO the governors charges, a sum
mary Of which was published in The Herald yesterday.
This saeseneht Is & straightforward recital of facts connected
with the management Of the Agricultural college during the past
three yeprs u Plsres the regents in a much more favorable position
before the people than that now occupied by the governor who has
sunnmarly removed thch from office.
Me@rs. Champion. Hill and Quesenberry ar citizens Of the high
est integrity. They have held places on the State College board at
personal sacrifices Of time and effort, and without reeompenss in any
form. Moreover they have made good during their period Of service
and during the time they backed d.. A. D. Grille in his successful eff
forts TO transform the Agricultural college from a hoibed of political
intrigue into a real educational institution, serving the people
There is not space and this is not the time to enter into the merits
Of the state college financial taneIe 1t is enough to state that the
requirements; that its finances have been in an embarrassing con
difou ever since the dissrseeful First State bank affair in which
political banking aud political educational management combined to
wreck . bank aud 81 but wreck a state school.
These regents who have just been removed by the governor had
s ss,,s d s1Tss ys sn i; 81 , s"dfn Isss;.S sus Ss ."oy e1,g', ,b sS~1 FROM pI "ffss. ' Sr
blaianty undertaking to destroy public confidence in their admin
istraton the executive should have gone about assisting them. in a
business like way 10 work this institution out Of the hole.
What the three regents state in their answer 10 Larrazolo APP
college m - fund.- ns Ia been rms rmS X known. The governor has known
.!he facts They have been before him constantly during the admin
the situation reached a crisis to attack reputable men, doing their
best to perform their duties and serve the staief
There is more than mere rumor for the belief that politics rather
than good business and the best interests of the Agricultural college
have inspired The governors policy in this matter. Il is known that
the governor sought to dictate the choice Of a president of the college
to succeed DR.. Grille upon the latters resignation, and that he was
not successful The executive undertook TO do Ehe same thing in
connection with the election Of a president Of the State University
In that also he ws unsuccessful because regents would not be dictated
TO IN a situation that required educational efficiency and not political
expedieney.
Governor Larrazolo should know, from the well known history
Of the State College, that politics and education do not mix and that
the people Of this state will not stand for having them mixed, or for
attempts TO mix them. The governor, h this incident, has exhibited
bad political judgment, bad temper and a lack OF understanding, at
the mssdest. Of the best interests Of a most important state institution.
In his movements tending to discredit three loyal and able citizens
he has chosen a course in which finally he and not the objects Of his
attack will reap the harvest Of diseredit.
The three regents, in their signed statement, cover wha, seems
10 be the general public impression in regard to this matter, in the
following concluding paragraph;
"The undersigned members of the Board OF Regents
have, therefore, received with establishment the allegations
of a large deficit in the accounts Of the College, and feel
that they have been very unjustly accused Of criminal
Z malfeasanee in office. They also deplore the wholly I'M
necessary publicity given 10 these charges, before any reas-
enable or adequate effort had been made to investigate the
truth or falsity Of these charges, much TO the detriment Of
a valuable state institution, the great interest Of which they
have had constantly at heart throughout its greatest crisis
and the greatest period Of efficient service 20 the State, as
well as through the greatest crisis the world has ever seen.
They feel that this earnest. conscientious service deserved
more consideration at your hands and that the interests Of
our grand and glorious State, fosered by this institution,
deserved more eonsiderate, unbiased and intelligent action