Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-12-18
WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY.
The Question Of Removal yet
Undecided.
A REAL ESTATE SPECULATION.
The Board of Trustees IN Ses-
sion all Night...To Meet i'm
Portland Monday Night.

The committee from the citizens
of this city, met with the E~rd oi
trustees of the Willamette univer-
sity, at the Wuinam's College last
uight, where All iutoruiil discussion
Of the question took place, until I'll,
arrival of the members frum Port
laud, shortly after midnight. DR..
Stratton read telegram from DR..
Harrington, stating that 1t would be
late tefore they could get here, OF
account Of u railroad accident IN
East Portland, but for the ni.n,bers
here to wait for them.
+. II. Smith, vice president of the
board, called the meeting " order.
and invited DR.. II. X. Hines TO lead
in prayer.
The committee who were appoint
I'd to look into the proposed sites fol
the location of the University, wer
asked to read their report. Mr.. lie"
Willis made motion that the com
mittee be instructed to make u de
tailed report. This motion prevail,
I'd. Mr.. Willis also asked for infUr
M itiun on the question with regard
to wh'xn the final decision lay, with
the bOard,ur did the committee, whu
were appointed by the Conference,
have a vote in the matter. DIR. STRAIT
ton said that, in his opinion, the
trustees alone should decide that
question. Tie chairman So ruled.
w. 8. Wallace first spoke on the
subject of moving the sclooi. He
said that he did not want to hear
any proposition, he did not teiieve
that an institution had any busin, s.
of going INTO any gigantic land
speculation, he 5id mot believe that
II was to the best interest of the
school to entertain such or any prop
nsition to move the school. He said
t hat ii was not the intention VIII. u
he and Prnf. VanScoy and a few
other gentlemen first suggested the
scheme Of moving the school to lands
near the the city which were less
valuable, hut no thought of land
speculation suggested itself to them
At that time.
DR.. Stratton followed Mr. Wallace
and answered by stating that he saw
nothing wrong in going where it
would do best. He called the atten-
tim to the schools that had pursued
such scheme aud hsd profited by
1t. He gave his ideas on the subject
of the removal which was in favor
of Portland He said that il seemed
IN him very feasibfe To move the
University to Portland aud there
equip it and make it u first class
school in every r'~peci, To leave the
academy here iu Salem, repair and
make it also first class, and il would
not only pay lis current expenses
but could lie made to Lriug in rev.
enue annually. He referred tn the
Pacific university of Calf mia, in
which the academy not only pays
for itself but largely aids in defIay-
ing the expenses Of the college de-
partment. In regard To the land
speculation, he said that the North
western university, Of Evanston,
Illinois, had become very wealthy
and influential by just such Il move
as this school was now anticipating.
A large number of speeches Were
made, aud an Improbable meeting
was conducted until midnight.
No definite proposition was made.
The question OF the legality was
again brought up, as Was that of
the whole matter Icing sprung on
the people here. Hours were de
voted to these mooted questions,
which did not at all pertain to the
meeting in session. 1t is To be re-
gretted that y more harmonious
spirit was not manifested in the
meeting between different members
Of the board and the committee.
While such a spirit exists, 1t Is
doubtless for the best interests of all
concerned, that the decision Of the
removal of the school could be bet
ter and more wisely given at a later
time. One fact is d .minant, that
the citizens Of this city in general
are not IN 81 mpathy with the move. |
1t Ii elso a fact that this move has
been talked Of TOR more than year,
yet 1t has rot been understood that /
the move meant great deal,
aud they are just now being awak-
-iied on The subject.
The discussion last night was not
confined to the subject before the
board. The speakers went of on
tangents until their arguments were
completely lost Ia space. Few ques-
tions on religion or education were
left untouched to the detrinent OF
the meetings. success.
-. L.. L.. L.. l. !