St. Paul daily globe., 1896-02-13
CASPER SAYS ITS A LIE.
He Never Retracted as Regards
Nerthwestern.


Casper w. Whitney, Harper's Week
ley athletic oracle, is in Minneapolis.
He comes in fulfillment of his an
nounced intention to look into Prof.
McMilIan's denial of Whitney's charges
of the use of money in Northwestern
college sports.
He said he had just come up from
Chicago, where he met number of col
lege people, and had also visited Madi-
son and talked athletics a little He
spoke Of his trip out to Evanston while
in Chicago, and the reporter asked him
direct if 1t was not true that he had ad-
mitted that so far as Evanston was
concerned he had been mistaken
"That is an unqualified lie' exclaimed the
gentleman from New York. 81 have made
no restrictions. was anxious to meet Prof.
Clark, as l am now anxious to meet your
Prof. Mcmillan. I like to meet these men
who are responsible for college athletic legis-
lation."
After this outburst Mr. Whitney went all
over the whole vexed question Of his charges
against Western colleges. The subject was
distasteful to him in all but the educational
phase of last Saturdays conference, where
a set Of iron-clad rules were adopted defining
athletic sport and enabling a common man
to tell what constitutes an amateur without
going through college or taking course in
international law. Mr.. Whitney sticks to all
he said, but he does not wish to stir I'D any
mere strife. He does not lower himself to
the plane Of even remarking that he was
entirely right throughout. He takes it for
granted and scars above bygones on the
wings of hope-hope for purity in sport and
an era of prosperity for Western colleges
I'VE have been through all this trouble in
the East" said he, 'and are but getting into
shape. We certainly ought to after fifteen
years experience The West is new and it
is not surprising that mistakes have been
made. l deprecate them and am excessively
sorry that was compelled to make the criti-
c1sms l did. There was nothing personal in
the charges, nor any intention of unfairness
My writing was done from the standpoint
OF honest sport. I am interested in college
athletics and the question has simmered it.
self down to this: Are we to have honest
sport or dishonest sport? When the repre-
sentatives Of the Northwestern colleges met
In conference last Saturday they passed some
magnificent rules regulating college sports
n there had been no foundation whatever
Tor my criticism, there would have been no
need for the adoption Of new set of rules.
'As to Parkyn's case, ,5there is not much to
say. begged him to. make clean breast of
tne whole matter when in Chicago, shortly
after the close of the season. We went over
the whole subject, He admitted that was
right and promised to mail me letter which
would explain everything. I cautioned him
not to write .dfsingenuous letter that would
necessitate an explanation He promised to
get the letter. to me In time to 20 to press
FRIDAY afternoon, but Z did not receive the
letter until Monday. If had received it in
tiihe Snould nave printed it. When I did
receive 1t, it was the old matter and written
In the style I begged him not to use. 1 am
sorry the matter was treated in sensational
manner, because it has injured the good re-
suits that might have followed from the con-
troyersy. had it been entirely free from per-
sonalities.'' &c = -
Mr.. Whitney said that he had telegraphed
Prof Mcmillan to meet him. but that he had
Iiot heard from thatagentleman. He visited
the university yesterday afternoon and will
go West over the Soo-Pacifc TODAY The
object of his trip is to gain an idea Of what
things are interesting the people of the West
that Harper's publications may publish mat
ter that will be of interest in the West.