Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-03-12
The Stanford Universfty.

The Stanford Universfty.
The announcement of the temporary
suspension of work on the buildings of
the Iceland Stanford, Jr.," University
at Palo Alto was unwelcome as we'll as
unexpected news to the people of Califor-
mia and to the whole country. OF course
the suspension is only temporary, for the
protector of this great work has never
given any sign of faltering in his purpose
to carry it out. His vast business inter
ests and, latterly, the demands made
upon him through his political associa-
tions, have all conspired to hinder the
hoped-for prosecution of this scheme.
Senator Stanford is regarded at Wash
ington as among the best of the million.
aires whom this Coast has given to the
business or the politics of the nation.
And this is a fair and just tribute. Few
men know better than he the truth
of the old maxim that Z" it is
largely by wealth that virtue becomes a
public good" His benefactions have
always, in the main, been sensible and
practical, as if he had learned the famous
words of Bacon by heart: ''Dazzling
gifts are like sacrifices without salt-,he
painted sepulcher of aims. Therefore
measure not thine endowments by quan-
tity, and defer not charities till death,
for certainly if man weigh it rightly,
he that doth 80 is rather liberal of
another mans than his own" He has
had an honorable and sturdy purpose
to see his money specifically devoted to
It's destined uses, to build his own views
and designs into the great memorial of
his dear son.
This memorial was given shape after
the most patient comparison of views
with others, aud yet the one purpose to
make it popular and general was nevsr
for moment given up by its patron.
He wanted to make it practical train
ing school, with a fully equipped
department of actual experiment
and work. There will always be
those who will wish Senator Stanford
had further endowed the University of
California instead of making an entirely
new institution; and it is reasonable to
suppose that the immediate results would
have been more apparent and more graf
flying. But this endowment is so large
that nothing could be lacking, if execu-
tive ability could be found to direct the
whole vast enterprise. And right here,
it is understood, as been the first dis
appointment 1t is said that General
Francis A. Walker was offered very
large sum if he would become the head
of the school. To others it has been Of
fersd with many fattering tenders of
muni6cent salaries and all sorts of aids,
but no man of great reputation has been
found willing to give up his present posi-
ton and risk that reputation in assn n.
ing the new and rather ill.defned under
taking.
By the deed of trust the m ansgement
is to remain in Mr.. Stanford or his wife
so long as either shall live. Since the
formal acceptance of their positions the
Trustees have never met Nor has any
full plan of work ever been formulated.
lightweight thousand acres of land are
devised for the work, with vast amount
OF other property, in fact substantial y
the full fortune of the family, and yet the
buildings designed for school uses have
only the low bare walls to show to the
visitor. Only one Of the dormitories has
hi so oh hal h,1sl
as to the walls, which are to be four
stories high. Accommodations are to be
provided for about eight hundred pupils.
One quadrangle of the whole extent
of the proposed buildings for work
and study is completed and the
inner court is $50 K 243 feet,
or about third OF mile around it. The
memorial arch at the middle front is not
in place nor is it designed yet; and grand
as the whole plan seems to be, the long
suspension of pushing work and the
absence OF any well-de6ned methods of
study and government for scope of gen.
eral plan, all give the visitor feeling of
disapp ointment if not OF doubt as to the
completion Of the work according to the
full plan of it's founder. No one for a
moment thinks the Senator has faltered
in his desire to give his vast property to
this educational work, or that he expects
it will fail, but many who have watched
it all, and have seen the difficulties in
the way of giving full and effective
force to his hopes feel that
his long absence from home, his
engrossing private business and his pub
lie duties so sadly interfere with the Civ
Ing personal attention to it that the high
ideal IL yet in tho distance. Tho SEN