The advocate., 1895-10-16
MORE RESPECTING PROF. BEMIS RESIG-
NATION

and Prof. Bemis, lately brought to
light, confirms the opinions heretofore
expressed as to the cause of the Iatter's
resignation. The correspondence
shows that there was no such cause as
that which has been dsrkly limited at.
There was nothing involving the in
tegrity, honor or competency of Prof.
Bemis, as some of our plutocratic or
gans would have us believe. Person
ally his relations with the other pro-
fessors were pleasant, but he taught
doctrines not agreeable to his royal
nibs, Standard Oil Rockefeller. In
one of the letters of President Harper
to Prof. Bemis, he says:
I am persuaded that In the long run you can
do in another institution, because Of the cir
cumstances here, better and more satisfac-
tory work to yourself than you can do here
am personally very much attached to you
You are, however, q man Of the world enough
to know that unless one Is In the best environ
ment he cannot work TO the best advantage.
You are so well known and your ability so
widely recognized, that there will surely be
no difficulty In securing for you q good posi-
tion, one In which you win be monarch, and
one in which you win be, above all things else
independent
In other correspondence between
these gentlemen President Harper
throws additional light upon the whole
subject. The Chicago dispatch Of
October s says:
Other portions from other letters of the
president are given, setting forth the moder.
ateness OF Prof. Bemis' views, his success In
his work and pleasant relations with nearly
all his colleagues, However, for publicly
stating, just after the great railroad strike of
lo04, that "the ra lrosds In the past had broken
the law equally with their employees" though
"no justification was attempted for the men
In the strike" he resigned. In another letter
quoted, President Harper says; "Your speech
at the First Presbyterian church has caused
me great deal Of annoyance. It Is hardly
safe for me TO venture into any OF the Chicago
clubs l am pounced upon from all sides. /
propose that during the remainder Of your
connection with the university you use great
care In your utterances about questions that
are agitating the minds Of the people,"
When Prof Bemis urged that the university
should be In close touch with labor, munich.
pal and monopoly problems, the president re-
piled: ayes, 1t Is valuable work and you are
good man to do it, but this may not be the
institution whore such work can be DONE"
Referring to DR.. Bsmis, the president told
another gentleman: at Is all very well to
sympathize with the workingmen, but we get
our money from those on the other side, and
we cannot afford to offend them" Altogether,
aside from Prof. Bemis' personal interest, the
question Is declared to be the far larger issue
OF the subsection Of college teaching to any
lower aims than the truth.
The last paragraph contains the gist
Of the whole matter. Preside ent Harper
says sit is all very well to sympathize
with the workingmen, but we get our
money from those on the other side
and we cannot afford to offend them"
That Is to say, the conscience of pub.
lie instructors, if they have any, must
be mere merchandise. The youth of
the country must be taught nothing
displeaslng to our nabob milllonaires,
whatever may be the right rthe wrong
of it. Such school may do for the
education of millionsires' sons, but no
man in whose veins courses q drop of
the blood Of the true American can
think for moment of pstronizlng it.
Send your friends q COPY Of the Ap.