The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 45, July 1941 - April, 1942 Page: 62

Southwestern Historical Quarterly

a pamphlet which he published and distributed broad-
cast over the State. . . . His pamphlet was distributed
before the election in the hope, no doubt, that it would
sustain him in his effort to foist the bond amendment
upon the taxpayers of this State. I have postponed my
statement until after the election so that it could not
be charged that I was using it to prejudice the mind
of the public against the Administration.211
When the Governor's pamphlet appeared, Colonel James Hays
Quarles published in the Waco Morning News a refutation of
many of Governor Colquitt's charges and arguments, ending
his answer thus:
There are a lot of things in the Colquitt pamphlet
which are not true. I assume that in his statement
Colonel Milner will show up the falsehoods, and if he
needs any help from me I will be glad to give it to
him, because since O. B. Colquitt became Governor of
Texas that school has been ridden by political schemes
which originated in the office of the Governor.212
In his answer to the Governor's charges, Colonel Milner first
took up the statements concerning him made by Colquitt in the
pamphlet. The Governor was quoting as saying that although
the executive office had asked Milner for a correct statement
of the total expenditures for the support of the A. & M. College,
the president had not complied. Rebutting this statement,
Milner replied by quoting the Governor's letter of December
20, 1912, asking for this information, and his own answer,
written by Charles E. Friley, Registrar of the College. Acting
under President Milner's instructions, Mr. Friley told Colquitt
that "in view of the fact that the records of the treasurer's
office were burned last May,213 Mr. Carson, the treasurer, is
unable to furnish the data."214 Mr. Friley then stated that the
Controller's office would doubtless be able to give the infor-
mation desired, that President Milner had directed him to
211"Milner Gives His Side of Dispute," Dallas Morning News, July 27,
1913, p. 7.
212J. H. Quarles, "Politics Puts out Col. Milner," in Waco Morning News,
June 12, 1913.
213Sometime in 1913, during a talk with Governor Colquitt, Colonel Ash-
burn was told that "things were in a bad way down there" (at A. & M.),
that the boys were out of control, and that he had information that the
mess hall and main building, which had been destroyed by fire, were set
by cadets. Colquitt cited this as proof of the lack of harmony existing
between the faculty and students. Milner, he implied, was not holding
things under control.-Interview, June 12, 1940.
214"Milner Gives His Side," Dallas News, July 27, 1913, p. 7.

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