The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-25
College Presidents and Politics.

The resignation of President ANDREWS
of Brown University because his free-silver
views are Objectionable to the trustees of
OF the parents of the students, Is q proper
and natural result of q contrariety Of opin-
lon as to a question Of fundamental eco
nomical and political Importance.
Undoubtedly, President ANDREWS, as an
American citizen, has a right to hold and
to express freely his political and financial
opinions. but his qualifications to be the
President Of q college are as rightly deter
unable by the character of those views.
II he represents doctrines in politics which
are contrary to the convictions of the
governors of the college, and for whose
incubation the college is unwilling
to be responsible, he ought not to be
the head of the institution. The college is
In duty bound to refuse to allow doctrines
obnoxious to it to be put forth with its au.
thority, and such authority the teachings
will necessarily have with the public 50
long as they are proclaimed by its Presi-
dent. A college Presidents public teach
ings should be in harmony with those which
the school is established to inculcate.
Accordingly, President ANDREWS has
simply performed a duty imperative upon
him in ~resigning as the head of Brown Uni
versity. BY so doing he has freed both it
and himself from embarrassment. He has
taken himself out of q false position, and
Is now under no obligations which prevent
his freedom to express his private opinions
and teach his own political doctrines and
the college is no longer in any way respon.
sible for their propagation.
When a President of a college assumes a
position in politics which precipitates the
college into a controversy dividing sharply
the public upon whom 1t relies for support,
the time has come for his withdrawal. The
college world should be kept free from dis.
turbance by political asperities, in order
that 1t may be occupied solely by calm and
bipartisan learning and scholarship. 1t lie
not n place proper for political controversy.
That battle should be waged outside q do,
main wherein scholarly repose should reign,
President ANDREws, however. Is not the
only college President who has disqualified
himself for his place by representing and
propagating political and social doctrines
obnoxious to a great part of the public upor
whose patronage the college depends fol
support. A correspondent of THE SUN moi
long ago pointed out very effectively the
deleterious influences which have pro
ceeded from some of our colleges Of
recent years, due to an un.Amerlcan spirit
which had been introduced into the in
situations. He complained reasonably thai
a tone of doubt and defamation and dis
enlargement as to the republic and its po
litical condition had become frequent. Ii
other words, the Mugwump spirit has In
fected the college communities, and it Il
inimical to the patriotism necessary for oul
national development and even prcserya
tion, and utterly alien to the American
genius. 1t would not be tolerated In tn,
colleges of any other country and it ought
not to be tolerated here.
In this city a canvass unprecedented II
Its character N methods has been pro
ceeding with a view to the political benefit
of u college President. It's avowed pur
pose has been the subsection OF a Rreat
party organization, to be accomplished b,
forcing on 1t the nomination of thil
college President, under the threat O
disruption IL he is not made the can
didate. The town has been plasteret
with appeals for assistance In the ef
fort, and his advocates ave PERSISTENT,
aspersed In his interest the leaders and tn,
party organization all discerning men know
70 be essential to the overthrow OF force
now arrayed against the civilization of thi
! great eommu ttg. Alta tiTs when thaaRit