The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-08-06
A MANLY REM0NSTRANCE.

Allusion has already been made in
these columns to the protest signed by
twenty-six members of the faculty OF
Brown University to the expulsion OF
President Andrews because of his silver
views. The remonstrance is remarka-
bly, clear exposition of principle that is
the cornerstone Of college progress as
we'll as Of national life. Burning men at
the stake in the middle ages because of
their convictions was slight offence
compared with the spirit of intolerance
shown by educated men in the blazing
light of nineteenth century civilization.
The remonstrance, which is addressed to
the corporation, is as follows:
| "Private and individual remonstrance
is one thing; action of the sort described
by the body which appoints presidents
| is, we submit, a very different thing. 1t
is open to the gravest objections, and
rests upon a theory which, if extensive
ly acted upon, would eat the heart out
of our educational institutions-the theo-
nv that the material growth of uni
versity is of more Importance than indie
pendence Of thought and expression on
the part of it's president and professors.
and that boards Of trustees have, as such,
the right to suggest limitations upon
such independence.
at is not to be believed, and we are
far from believing, that this theory in
all its amplitude was present to the
minds of your honorable body on the oc-
casion named. and distinctly excepted by
| them. But the logical connection be-
tween that theory and the concrete ac-
J ton taken is, on consideration, so plain
and has found so complete a Judgment
| in the public mind to the manifest injury
OF the university, that we respectfully
/ beg you to take again into considera ton
| the principles involved, and at your
ensuing meeting to take that action
which alone can permanently relieve
Brown University from all suspicion Of
| illiberality or bias.
ave address ourselves first to the
pecuniary question. We do not for .
portance. On the contrary. we REGARD
it as distinctly subordinate. We enter
upon it only in defensive spirit The
statement has been made in public and
| in private. until it is believed by many,
that the administration Of President An
drews has been in a pecuniary sense I'M
successful, and this alleged want OF sue
cess has been attributed to the course of
| the president in advocating financial
| doctrines unacceptable to possible bene-
factors of the college.
"The annual receipts of the University
are now more than twice what they were
when DR.. Andrews came to the presi-
dency. If income be a 6t criterion. he
is entitled to be regarded as, in pecun-
larry sense, the greatest benefact"r
Brown University has ever had. More
than half its income is, beyond a doubt,
due to him and his labors. for while III
the year ending April IS, 1889, the total
income of the university was S67.0G4,
| in the year ending April Is, 1897, it
was S159,S2S.
"The amount annually derived from
| invested funds has, indeed, during these
eight years. increased but little, but the
amount of money annually received from
students which, before his accession, it
| is well known, has long been practically
stationary. has steadily risen from $685.
53S to S1O1 ,464.
'"The history Of American college adj
rlinistration, from the Dartmouth Col
lege case down. furnishes only too many
examples of the decentralization which
results from political Interference and
from the suspicion OF bondage. Better
by far to follow the example e Har-
ward, the mental freedom of whose presi-
dent is not only tolerated, but nrized,
better by far to initiate the authorities
Of the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, who valued rancis Walker
too highly, even if they had not known
him too well, to think of checking his ut
terances in the cause of bimetallism; or
rather, let us say, better by far to follow
the nobler traditions of Brown Univer-
sity, within and without whose walls
Francis Wayland, in a protectionist
community for so many years taught
without restraint the doctrines of free
trade.
"In any cause less sacred than that of
freedom Of speech and thought we should
not have spoken at all. But we believe
that invaluable interests of the college,
and Of all colleges in the land, requires
us to make this protest, and to vindicate
for President Andrews and for all presi-
dents and professors a perfect liberty of
utterance upon all public questions. In
terested in the most obvious manner in
the material prosperity of the institution,
more anxious than any others can be for
it's development and expansion, we never
theless would not see its prosperity adj
vanced, and we do not believe that it's
real prosperity can be advanced by pri-
vate suppression and polite compliance;
for we are convinced that the life blood
Of university is not money, but free
| dom.
"The acceptance of the resignation of
President Andrews under the existing
circumstances would, we are confident,
be publicly regarded as denial Of the
principles we have sought to maintain.
1t would stamp this institution in the
eyes Of the country as one in which free
dom Of thought and expression is not
permitted when it runs counter to the