The evening times., 1896-01-07
Biiisf Words Ahaut Or. Whitman
and Columbian University.
SHARP CRITICISM IN RETURN
The Journals of the Howard and Co
lumbar Colleges Have Been Pour
Ing Hot Shot Into Each Other-The
History of the difficulty aud = he
Issues Involved.


Whitman of the Columbian.
Dr. Rankin rather severely scores the
enthusiasm of Columbian's thousand stu
dents: he calls il ''disorierly cheering, ,''.'un
seemly yclls" and scores of other ,nt ompli
mcntary names. Going still farther, he
makes quite a vigorous attack on DE-
Whitman's address, and challenges his
reputation as IN orator already achieved
here in Washington.
Referring to tie address, he says: lin
style ii lacked variety, being almost ex.
clusively of short epiErammatic utter.
ances, all of them well conceived, some OF
them witty, some of them brilliant. There
We're no great impressive periods, but the
composition was mosaic OF beautiful
forms, which left a plcasan mt and whole
some impression, but conveyed no especial
meaning"
In conclusion DR.. Rankin says some aust lC
things about the Columbian Cniversity's
late refusal to receive negro students. This
is the whole case as set fos,h in he Standa rd,
but thereby hangs a tale, and very nterest-
ing tale.
THE HISTORY OF 1T.
About five years go the president of the
Howard experienced one OF these uphcav-
ais, which seem IA atherrrequent in his institu-
ton. This particular uprising was on the
part or the students regarding what they
considered arbitrary restrictions laid down
by DIR. Rankin, and eliminated IN about half
the school leaving the university.
The rebelliOus students applied In body
for admission to the Columbian. The late
Dr. Welling was then president. and on re-
ceiving this large application he called an
especial meeting Of his ia Guilty.
In the midst or an aninia ted discussion rs
10 whether or not the Columbian should
amend its charter and receive the diss;itis-
fled negro students, a letter arrived from
DR.. Rankin to DR.. welling.
This letter contained the history OF Dr.
Rankin's grievances against his students
and earnestly requested the president of the
Columbian not To receive them, because it
would permanently injure the Institution
which they had left DR.. Wcllng and his
colleagues were delighted to see such an
honorable exit FROM their dilemma, and in
compliance with DR.. RANKIN request wrote
to the Howard students that they could under
no circumstances receive applicants that
were underdiscipiine in their wnuniversity.
These facts are well known here in
Washington. and in view of them DR.. Ran
kiD's attack on the Columbian on the race
question is considered at least ungencr-
Gus.
The friends Of the last-named university
seem legion here i'll the District. Its stu
dents now number nearly 100, and in its
alumni are found names hon orabic at
home and abroad. Postmaster General
Wilson claims Columbian as his alma ma ter.
and many OF the most prosperous business
men and most distinguished doctors and
lawyers are her graduates.
DR.. Whitman, although resident OF this
city but four months. already counts his
friends and admirers by the score.
CRiTICISE DIR. RANKIN
In no uncertain terms are Or. Rankin's
criticisms being discussed One of the Co
lumbar professors said today:
The attack was absolutely unprOyokcd
and therefore ineXcnsIblc. DR.. Rankin has
always gone out of hIs way To Inlure the
Baptist religion, and incidentally our uni
'erslty. He once pr ached a sermon in The
church on the text, -Four
ccn Reasons Why | Could Not Be Il Ba r.
Ist.' and, according to his deductions. we
are all an absolutely unchrlstian and law
ess set of hypocritos in the Baptist church,
ind particularly so at the Columbian Uni
;ersity.
As To the terrible crimes attributed 10
'ur boys at DR.. WhItman's inauguration.
an easily conceive how unfavorably this
'ast conCourse of people. with their won
lcrful good VIII for the Columbian, must
lave impressed the prcsidcn; of Howard
Another prominent Columbian, Mr.. Guy
Underwood, editor of the Call. said: Every
hcet in Washingtvu-our dailies, our week
les nd our college journals-havc columns
ievo,cd To DIR. Whitman's maniuraliuu. 1t
emained for the Howard To sound the
irst discuriant note when II criticised
ur president, our university tactics and
ur students. Dr. Rankin was at least
liscuurteous to fellow worker, but
ltcly come to his city"
EDITORIAL BROADSIDE.
In the last number of the Call Mr.. Un-
erwuod says cdiiorially: In regard to the
ehavior or our students. DR.. Rankin fails
U see that il is hard to handle 6 900 peo-
lie as 600 are handled. He says that the
distinguished speakers were disguised with
he barharous yells, etc. and that one,
IT. Strong, was obliged to curtail his
on account Of the rudeness with
which they were received.
There was not an il-natured person pres
mt. and every student that took part had
tIst as high esteem for the prominent
pcakers present as Howard's president
imself.
But sometimes human nature lets itself
ut: long pent-Ip feelings find expression,
nd the folio wers of the Orange and the Blue
II this occasion were up in blue ether OF
xcitement. Men who have watched the
reat national political conventions OF the
ist decade have always been impressed by
lc animal spirits that seem TO control the
Que OF the greatest orators
! this country stood helpless in the presence
I a popular demonstration at one of them.
He was broad enough to see that 1t meant
o reflection upon him, and in an interview
aid there are periods when humanity
,ems mad with the spirit of the hour. The
than, i,n Wallet
he thinks wise, but i'll the calm aftermath
e know that these same despiscd yells
urst forth from human tbrOats at the pros
ect of another forward swing Of the PEN
ulum.''
DIR. WHITMAN SILENT.
DR.. Whitman would say nothing in re-
ard to the attack made by the Standard.
Ie smliDgly told the reporter that he
fas keeping scrapbook, and that the
tanda rd article had been duly pasted
herein.
The sclf-same number of the Standard |
GEMS destined to bring all manner of ad- |
erse criticism to the editor. Another ar |
icle is DEVOTED to scriptural reasons why |
o good person can be Catholic. Remark |
lg on this a professor of the Catholic |
said:
''Dr. Rankin is evidently the wrong man |
n the wrong place. His institution is en- /
rely supported by government funds and |
ayowcdly undenominational. Are CathC- |
c negroes prohibited from entering the |
Toward? Certainly not. Then, what right |
as the president TO use his office and the
organ to insult any of his stu
eDts?
We receive negro students here at the |
stholic University. We do not say to |
ZEN. What religion do you possess? We
* their qualifications as students. and |
they are satisfactory. nothing else is re-
uired. 1t Will be a long time before.
e organ Of this university devotes even
le line as to why its editors are not Bap-
SIS, or Methodists, or Congregationalists.
s said in the beginning. the man who Uses
,vcrnment funds to disseminate his own