New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-17
TJJE ATT1CE on CORNELL.

The recent attack upon Cornell University by one
of its alumni trustees. Mr.. John ID. Warner, has
attracted wide attention and comment THIS would
be the natural result OF an attack OF TINS klhd no
matter whether # rested on truth or falsehood The
presumption is that "a graduate who adopts the
cour.c of publicly assllling his Alma Matcc must
have powerful reasons by which 10 justify his
conduct To every charge President White, IN frank
md convincing address to the students, has given u
reutatlun which compct In regard 10 the as
s1Ilc, trustees Mr. White show, that the University
owes its prosperity, if Lot its continued eX-
isteuce. to their liberalty. When 100000 was
needed several years ago to save large portion OF
m, nver,ity's landed property, Ezra Cornell gave
$4,000 and four of the trustees gave 92OOOo each.
settling the wholo matter in twonty minutes. Al
another time. Just after Black Friday. when it was
impossible to borrow even small sums on excellent
secnrifv. and il was absolutely no, sslry for rho
institution TO have $3.50. OOJ few of tho trustees
advanced that sum a. Il loan on security which no
man would have consented to take IN his business"
Snco its organization there has been given
tho institution in cash for buildings, appar-
atus. books support of professors anu
the like over s.. 100000. and nearly every dollar
has been given By trustees or the family OF trus-
lees II ~ clearly onesid'd criticism which charges
such men As these with carecsino,s or incompe-
tcncv.
Tho other charges were disposed of in Ike
manner II was shown that tho salaries of
the professors have been raised four times, twice
during tho past two years and that mono over lott
because of inadequate salary that the falling of
in the number of students had been due entirely TO
r,is,np tho standard of admission and that tho
number had again begun to increase that
instead OF deteriorating In character the
stnlents wero perccptlbly improving. This asser-
ton ia supported by the five senior professors who
have been with the University since its foundation,
aud whose card to that effect published IN The
TpIBIrNR on Nav .; that there was no discord in
tbc Faculty. either with one another or with the
President. and that there was no schooboy treat
,ucut of the students. The President also showed
that of the nineteen University buildings. fourteen
and onc-hall were the gifts Of individuals, aad
among the gifts were the four most expensive OF all
The cost of the other four and half viii be- borne
Inv the University. Surely there IS no sign of dee
rloration in this exhibit
Finally President White brings this serious
counter charge: Every member OF tho Board
of trustees has power to present his views
At the meeting Of the whole Board in the Ex-
ecutiye Committee. At last commencement
such an opportunity was afforded, but no use
WAS made OF II by the trustee making these charges
A he could no. spare time to attend to hs legti-
mate duties then so he cannot wait to discharge
them now He has never sat through a single meet
inc IIe appeals 10 the universe before he has said
a word in the Board to which ho elected a
member"