The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-08-07
lIR. and Pres. ANDREWS.
Mr.. Walker Draws Distinction Be.
tween the Two.
REPLY TO FACULTY OF BROWN
UNIVERSITY.

Accuses Late President of Seeking Crown
of Martyrdom-His Right to Express
His Mind Does Not Dissolve Oath Of
Trustees.
Boston, August 6.-Congress1nau
Joseph FL. Walker of Worcester has given
The Associated Press an open letter
which has bearing on the controversy
between the faculty of Brown University
and the corporation of the institution,
of which Mr.. Walker Is a member, over
the resignation of President Andrews.
In part it is as follows:
Reply to certain members of the
faculty Of Brown university, by one of
the corporations.
1.-The corporation deeply regrets that
any number of the faculty should have
felt it their duty to comp1icate very
delicate situation growing out of the
wide divergence of views between it and
the public teachings of its president as
to what is truth and as to their respec-
| tive duties and responsibilities involving
the attitude of the university on ques-
tions viewed by the corporation as at the
very foundation of morality.
"True to its founders, the cry of noble
soul, give me the liberty to think and
to utter freely, above all liberties, finds
now as ever before an echo in the soul
of every member of the corporation of
Brown University. If what was designed
to be its governing body has uttered any
word or done any deed to abridge
any reasonable action or expression
of opinion by the president of
Brown University or by any member of
its faculty, consistent with their first
obligation to the university, they are not
aware Of it.
''The determination of the corporation
to refrain from making this divergence
of opinion public, and its effort to avoid
any formal, official or public criticism
of President Andrews, and his insistence
on Its giving him a written communica-
| tlon, which could cover but a small part
| OF the case, against the best Judgment
and purpose of the corporation, his rush
ing into print before the corporation
could take any action as body upon the
result and again through some members
| of his faculty. exhibits in minor degree
the wide divergence in opinion of the
proprieties in their respective positions
and shows how eagerly. Mr.. Andrews
is seeking the crown of martyrdom in
the cause of the immediate and unlimited
coinage of silver.
"The views of President Andrews, pro-
mulgated from Rhode Island and Penn
sylvania to Colorado and California, are
believed by the corporation to portend,
II they take possession of the popular
mind, more dis astrous consequences to
this continent than did the doctrine of
the right of State to secede from the.
Union. The corporation simply appoint
ed committee to confer with President
Andrews, not E. Benjamin Andrews.
All subsequent action, and all publicity
subsequent to that, has been in assault
upon the corporation by the friends of
President Andrews.
Certainly Mr.. e. Benjamin Andrews
has an undoubted right to speak his
mind without offence to OF criticism by
our corporation, but this right, inalien-
able in Mr.. Andrews does hot dissolve
the oath taken by the fellows and trus-
tees, nor justify nor excuse the corpora
tion from taking cognizance of what the
mind and speech of the president of
Brown University is, as to its effect up
on the university, its friends or the pub
lie. The exercise of the rights and
obligations of every man in civil society
must have reasonable limitations depend
ent upon his position in society, in as
sociation with other men,