Evening journal., 1897-03-01
TO GIVE TEN MILLIONS.
Chicago Will Get Another Big
Rockefeller Donation.
UNIVERSITY IN NEED OF MONEY.

President y ,rper's Threat to Resign Lead,
the Founder TO Promise Another For
tuno-siO. 100000 More Necessary Co
Carry on the University rs Designed.
CHICAGO, March 1.-The University Oh
Chicago, foanded by John d. Rockefeller
needs money, and has been running be
hind at tho rate of $3.50, 600 year in the
luatter OF expenses
Thisdiscouraged President W. r. Harper,
aid he threatened 60 resign. for he found
he could not fully establish the university
on the lines laid down. This threatened
resignation promises TO have lasting effects
on western educational methods and scope,
and, incidentally. to make the University
Of Chicago ono Of the richest institutions
in the world. Millions will DO poured into
It's golfers by the man who has already
given $4,000, 900 to the institution
Dr. Harper has frequently asserted that
he woald not be satisfied with less than
SO, 600, 600 endowment and with thai
ldea in mind he proceeded to lay the foun
dations Tor the university After a strug
gle OF more than five years President Har
per is ready to admit that he has failed II
running an institution on $500. 900 a yeai
that was originally planned for u budget
OF 81, 200, 900.
Appeals to Dsas Ears.
he nAado most earnest appeals for
larger endowment at every convocation oi
the university, but the friends of the uni
yorsity took the matter lightly. Nobody
took the doctor seriously when he asserted
that the institution WAS hamperad foi
funds ard that its progress was being re
tarlrd Tho president made frequent trips
to the east and rumor had it tnat he paid
Il visit to Mr. Rockefeller each time lie
a'so paid visits to Ccorga N. Pullman,
Marshall Fiell ana Potter Palmer. In Chi
c8rO. tut no Increased cndowmeno list oI
he university was noticed
Then an order came for retrenchment at
the university and this part Of the pro
/ grammo was carried ont Even this did
not suffice gimes tecane harder and stu.
/ dents were unable 10 pay thcir tuition fees,
and this alone made deficit oi $i3, 0Ol
last year luvcstments proved unprohta
BILE and tho general hard times made mat
tors worse The budget called for nearly
| 500. GOO and the income for the last ycai
was little more than $500, OOo
Hints of extravaganza were given out
and this was the last straw for President
Harper He wrotea letter TO Mr. Rookie
fellor asking him 70 send an expert ac
countant to 60 over the books of the uni
ycrsity Mr. Rockefellor did so, and il
was his report shAt caused President Har
per to Offer his resignation. lt was discov
cred that the bookkeeping had boon slack,
and many Irregularities were found They
were not products Of dishonesty or crook
cd methods but of the systom In vogue
Largo deficits in almost every branch were
staring the university in the face, with ne
hope OF a remedy.
More Millions Promised.
The revelations Disguised Dr. Harper,
and he gave notice that it would be futile
for him to try to conduct the university
on the lines originally laid down. The an
nouncement came as thunderbolt to his
friends, and they lost no time in commu.
nicating the fact to Mr. Rockefeller. Then
+. L. Gates, Mr.. Rockefeller's private sec
retary, appeared. and the visit brought
sunshine TO the institution. The message
was simple and to the point, "a character
istic Of the millionare. In substance it was
that if DR. Harper would reconsider his
determination the University of Chicago
would not in the future be hampered fol
funds.
The institution that now starts out on O
new era is already one of the largest en-
dowed universities in the world. John ID.
Rockefeller has given it about IS, 600, 600,
and other gifts make the total about $13,
600, 600. In spite of the large sums Of mon.
ey donated TO the university It has been
unable to respond to the continued de.
mands. The ambition Of President Harper
is boundless, and he has deemed nothing
impossible for contamination.
Some Of its endowments are nonproduc
tive, owing TO conditions imposed by the
donors. and thu university actually paws G
per cent interest ON the cost Of building
that serves for one of the undergraduate
dormitories. To make good the promist
Of Mr. Rockefeller TO carry out the ideas
of President Harper, the millionaire OF
Tarryrown virtually pledges himself t.
further contribute not less than Sl0,0
OO0