The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-20
A scHooLMAsTER IN TROUBLE.

A SCHOOLMASTER IN TROUBLE
1t Is not at all remarkable that Or. E.
Benjamin Andrews is in trouble in Chi
cago, where he is superintendent of the
citys public schools He is a man OF
strong convictions, and he has the courage
to say what he thinks. Men of his kind,
although influential, are generally in trou-
bic. They want 10 force their opinions
upon other people. and they very often
meet with stubborn resistance.
1t has not been so very long ago since
DR.. Andrews was president of Brown Uni
versity. He believed in the free coinage
of silver, and the trustees of that institu-
ton favored the gold standard. The con-
sequence was that DR.. Andrews and the
trustees clashed. They did not want free
silver doctrines taught in the university,
and DR.. Andrews thought such doctrines
being right ought to be taught there.
There was only one thing for DR.. Andrews
to do under the circumstances, and that
was to resign. He was offered the place
he now holds in Chicago and he went
there.
He had not been there long, however,
NiltH ne EOL lutO AtOuHle VI SOi4G bOtl
with the teachers of the schools, and
from accounts in the papers he has been
in trouble of one kind and another ever
since he has been there. His present
trouble grows out of his sympathy for
the British in their war with the Beers.
If he had not aggressively advocated the
British side ii is probable that no notice
would have been taken of his views in
the matter. That he could not do, how
ever. He is one of that class of men
who must tell other people what ne thinks,
and try to win them to his way of think
ing.
1t is probable that there is more SYM
pathy for the Beers in Chicago than in
any other city in this country. There is
a big foreign population there, and if
any part of it sympathizes with the Brit
ish it is a very small part. According to
our dispatches yesterday a resolution has
been introduced into the City Council ask
irg DIR. Andrews to resign. The resolu-
ton may not pass, but even if it does not
DR.. Andrews influence, as the head of
the public schools of the city, will be so
greatly impaired that it may be found
necessary for him to resign. 1t is al
most certain that he win not consent to
keep silent on a subject in which he is
so deeply interested as that of the South
African war. But whether he keeps silent
or not, those who sympathze with the
Beers know what his views are and will
not be satisfied until they get him out
of the responsible and influential public
position he holds. The South African war
is bound to play an important part in the
affairs Of this country. This case of DR..
Andrews is referred to more for the pur-
pose of showing that the American peo-
pie are rapidly taking sides in respect to
it, and that the feeling between the OPP
posing sides is becoming very intense, than
anything else. On last Sunday a heated
controversy took place in the parlors of
Plymouth Church. Brooklyn, between
two of the members, over a set
of resolutions favorng the Beers
which one of them wanted to
offer for the consideration of the congre-
cation. The minister was drawn into it.
He tried to play the part of a peace
maker, but without success. The contro-
versy ended by the member who wanted
TO offer the resolutions announcing that
he would withdraw from the church. The
President is being pressed to offer to medi-
ate between the Transvaal and Great
Britain with the view of bringing about
peace, and it is certain that the pressure
will become so great that it will be diff
cult to resist it.
DIR. Andrews is very pleasantly remem-
bered in this city. A couple of years ago
ne delivered a lecture in the course of the
Young Mems Christian Association, in
which he declared that Gen. Lee was by
far the greatest military figure in the war
of secession.