Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-08-06
E ATTACK Upon PRESIDENT ANDREWS
AT BROWN University,


President Andrews of Brown Cniver.
V was recently requested to resign his
'esidency of that institution. by the
operation, because of his views in favor
bmettalsm and the free coinage Of
\ 'ver. Probably it would be impossible
the friends of that institution to
We made a worse blunder, as nearly
cry one in this country is in favor of
e speech and the right of free opinion,
|latever may be their views on the sub
4 t in question, This feeling has been
phasized by an open letter of protest
dressed to the corporation and signed
n of the &c professors of that institu-
II. From this letter, quite long and
le one, we print the following eX-
lcts.
the Corporation OF Brown University
|iENrLEMEN The action taken by your
Inorable body with reference to President
lrews at your meeting of June l. la,t,
used at the time much comment, both pub.
and private. It. tendency seemed to Us
4 II TO be a matter of grave moment; much
ne must it 80 appear to us at the present
Ile, when it has been clearly interpreted by
ur committee, when the resignation OF the
|.s!dcnt has followed rs a direct and natural
'lsequence, and when, in the public opinion
New England, upon whose good VIII WE
DEPENDENT The university stands i'm 20
Fortunate position.
. he general arguments tor freedom OF
ech it l. not nece>, lry to repeat, least OF
IN Rhodc Island, where the right to such
edom has tor 260 years been cherished with
',uliar jealousy. That right l. in general
needed, and the burden OF proof rests upon
pse who would maintain an exception to its
plication in the case OF the presidents and
.Dte-SOrs OF colleges. 1t il even conceded
/ {, in the general case, college professors
. ~ with propriety give public utterance to
4 ir political opinions. Your honorable
. ly have affirmed u the most striking man
r the propwety Of their doing so, by grant
81 member of the faculty leave OF absence
ring seven weeks OF the last autumn term
ordcr that he might make Republican
luical speeches i'm the west
hat winch the corporation have been urged
discourage Is, then, the public statement
political opinions adverse TO those held by
p~t OF the influential citizens OF Rhode
and. The lightlulucs- ana eXpedency OF
N restraint demand, we conceive, most
ious discussion.
irst, is it good thing tor the community,
tt the public statement OF unpopular opin-
Is Judged erroneous should be restrained;
II answer to the question rests to-day where
lton rested il in the ATcopaygi'ica "And
|bugh all the winds OF doctrine were let
pse to play upon the earth, so Truth be in
4 field, we 60 iniurously by licensing and
phibiting to mlsdoubt her strength. Let
and F4lsehood grapple; who ever knew
lth put to the worse in a free and
en encounter?" To this confident belief OF
gnanimous minds. that truth is constantly
e., add the experience OF mankind. That
+ pcrience has shown that no man or body
men Is wise enough to pick out the doc.
pes that had better be suppressed, and that
attempt to suppress doctrines only give,
III increase OF strength.
umberless instances have gwen practical
nonstration TO the principle which Milton
lclaimed, ana have convince mankind
their real interests require that error, or
ming error, be met with the weapons of
cussion ana not of repression. But if we
cpt the general principle that unpopular
'e~les ought not to be suppressed, how can
consistently attempt, here ana there, tor
alleged good OF the community, to make
eeptions; Even though the doctrines OF
Zee silver" be the blackest and most foolish
leTe~igs, we do the commonwealth no