The state herald., 1897-08-06
BROWN UNIVERSITY.
PRESIDENT ANDREWS ITS BEST
FRIEND.
Action of the Corporation Strongly Crlii-
cIsed In mn Open Letter From the Fac

faculty of that institution" is the lat
est development of public interest In
relation to President Andrews resig-
nation.
The letter was mailed to-day to
trustees and fellows and to some
eighty lay and regular members OF the
faculty. In substance the address
| says that the resignation of President
Andrews followed as a first natural
consequence of the action of the cor
poration of June 18th. and that Brown
| University now stands in an unfortu-
nate position.
"If we are not mistaken" the letter
| states. more Is involved than the eX-
igencics of single institution or the
| fortunes of single educator. but the
situation of Brown University ana IT'S
relations to the president are, taken
alone. topics of high Importance, which
compel our consideration
Reference is made to the details OF
| the corporation meeting at which Pres
| ident Andrews was requested 10 Tor
bear In the future from the promulga-
tion of his free coinagSa.S silver
| views. and It is declared that it was
| not intended TO have the vote of the
| corporation made public.
TIrlNule anu lnulN luNil i'ih'h'
strances is one thing" it is declared by
the faculty; action of the sort de-
scribed by the body which appoints
| presidents Is, we submit, II very DIFF
fercnt thing. 1t is open to the gravest
objections. and rests upon theory.
which If extensively acted upon would
eat the heart out of our educational
institutions-thc theory that the ma
tn1 nf unirnrsitN N
more importance than independence of
thought and expression on the part OF
its presidents and professors. and that
boards of trustees have MS much the
right to suggest limitations upon such
independence.
1T is not to be believed. and we are
far from believing that this theory in
all it's amplitude was present to the
minds of your honorable body on the
occasion named and distinctly accepted
by them. But the logical conclusion
between that theory and the concrete
action taken is. on consideration, 50
, plain and has found so complete a
lodgment In the public mind TO the
manifest injury of the university, that
we respectfully beg you to take again
into consideration the principles in-
volved at your ensuing meeting to
take that action which alone can per-
manently relieve Brown University
from all suspicion of illlbcrality or
bias.
'RccogniZing that the corporation
has not been alone in thinking and say
ing that Dr. Andrews freedom of
speech ought to he restrained. we beg
leave to combat the proposition. wher-
ever and by whomSoever maintained.
that official action leading to restrain
his expressions on public affairs Is
justified.
1--WE desire 10 show first. that II can
not be justified on the lower ground of
pecuniary necessity and advantage.
and. secondly. that II lacks all justif-
| cation when considered from that
| higher point of view from which the
educational institutions OF great
country ought always 10 he guarded"
The address treats with the possible
| benefactors OF the college who would
| have given, according To the trustees.
| hut for the public Views of President
, Andrews. and says lavish gifts 10 pub
| lie institutions are not usual in this
country and never have been.
Many other institutions where the
| presiding officers have taken no part
In political discussions have received
little money, but the faculty prefers
| to dismiss empty speculation regarding
what might have happened. Hard
times have placed Brown and other
colleges In II less prosperous financial
condition, hut the address says:
"lf income he a III criterion. then Dr.
Andrews is entitled to be regarded. as
In pccunlnry sense. the greatest bene-
factor Brown University ever had.
! More than half it's Income Is beyond
doubt due 10 him and his lnbors. II
restraint OF President Andrews cannot
he Justified ON these lower grounds OF
pecuniary results, stlli less dcfcnsiblc
does II appear when viewed from high
| er grounds. The general arguments
for freedom Of speech II Is not noces-
snry to repeat. least Of NIL In Rhode Is.
| land. where the right Ia such has for
| 2Go years been cherished with peculiar
| jealousy.
''On the one hand we have the prob.
lemntlcnl or Imaginary addition Of
great number OF dollars. ON the other
hand we have throughout the whole
intellectual life of the university the
dcadonlng Influence of known or sus.
pecied repression. our students viii
|
jccts the silence OF their president has
been purchased or imposed.
III the resignation of Dr. Andrews
Is accepted AMI the stigma fall ON his
successor, II. would stamp The instItu.
| tion In the eyes Of the country ns one
In which freedom N not permitted.
when II runs counter to the Views of
the community. or held 10y those from
whom the college expects financial sup.
port"
The letter finds almost llmltless fnv-
or with the New England friends of
Brown, who tonight commend Its dig.
nifty, strnlghiforwnrdncss aud power.
President Andrews. while far from
being n prosclytc has SO stamped his
Views aud his individuality upon the
college and the educated community
OF which II II the center. that In this
crisis he finds n perfect army OF
friends nj his back, while his enemies
nrr few and scattering. An eNnmInn.
tion shows that the protcs, comes
largely from the younger men Of the
faculty and II Is notable that the prime
movers nrc mostly graduates of other
colleges
There is n growing feeling TINT Prcsi.
dent Andrews does not consider TINT
the breach between himself nnd the
trustees cnnnOt hc healed over nj.
though II would bc altogether impolltIc
FOR him to assume the initiative look.
ing toward settlement OF the diilicul,
ties.
one result OF the controversy N to
gouspliuntp the siiypf sput impni In