The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-22

Sell 70 DTlnE IN SoV,OOO yehtlys 44
Mr.. Laidlay in his book tries to prove that thu
academy is q public institution. and conse
' ouently amenable not only TO criticism. but, 4
necessary, to control as we'll The academy
on the other hand. has usually pleaded that II
ia n private society. accountable only TO its owr
members But Mr.. Laidlay points out that II
has not scrupled to declare itself n public body
when its interests lay that way. For instance,
Il obtained the grant OF the elite OF the central
part of Burlington House. n site valued
al. S1.5Oo.O00. from the Government on the
plea that 1t was a public institution. Indeed,
seeing that the academy derives It's existence
from a kind OF charter. called the instru-
ment." granted by George Ill. and seeing that
It has always been housed more or less by the
State. the argument for privacy is not strong.
In fact. the argument was overruled In 1885
and in 1863. when Parliamentary committees
inquired into the affairs Of the academy. with
out. however, eliciting any very extensive
information.
The academy is known to spend a good deal
OF money upon pensions TO necessitous mem
bers and their widows: but 1t Is not known
whether 1t pays allowances to members who
are not neccssitous. For all the world knows
It may spend its great income worthily or un-
worthily. or. again, DO accumulating colossal
riches. Mr.. Laidlay evidently thinks the mat
ter needs looking into sharply.
III MI. 1Ntti42th htE-l -tOullG hlllbCll W
criticising the academy's business side. He
attacks its artistic worth. declaring that its art
teaching is bad and that it is and always has
been guilty Of jobbery and injustice. the
academicians thinking of nothing but their
own interest and advancement.
In these matters Mr.. Laidlay is too sweeping
in his accusations. The count in the indict-
ment which Is most Immediately interesting to
the public is that successive hanging COM
IL. - -,--l - NI~,r Lt-1r AhA
public likes to look at, and excludes good
work which they personally dislike or which
they think is unlikely to draw shillings to Bur-
lington House. Unquestionably the academi-
clans have earned a reputation for preferring
pretty inanities ~to;strong originalities. and GER
| tainly many artists of the first distinction have
never obtained-some of them have never
sought-admission to the sacred circle. In that
respect it is on q par withthe French Academy.
which has held itself aloof from many Of the
most distinguished of French writers-men
without whom no academy would be complete.
1t is an inevitable possibility OF such an insti-
tuition.
One gets almost tired OF quoting the old tags
that oxford is the home of lost causes and
forgotten beliefs" and Is the place TO which
bad philosophers go when they die" Yet every
now and then something happens which makes
one think Of the old sayings. The latest event
OF the kind is the scheme OF two young Ameri-
cans. W. Nrooman and c. A. Baird. which is
about to cross the boundary between theory
and experiment in the senior university OF
England.
Messrs. vrooman and Baird are going to es-
tablish in Oxford a college for labor leaders.
They have leased a property named st. Ebb's,
which was built by Sir Mathew Hale In 1649.
1t is a beautiful old place. with a fine garden. a
Craopbn,ca and n uortshon rho nun oo1Io-a
will have accommodation for forty men. and
will be opened next month on Washington's
Birthday. Its organizers have named it Ruskin
Hall. and are going to work on the principle
that no work is mental. In Ruskin Hall there
will be no servants. but students who will get
their board free in return for four hours work
a day will act as cooks. domestics. gardener.
typewriter and caretaker. The rest Of their
time they will have free for study.
In the new college workmen are to be in
structed mot as artisans. but a. servants OF !
the masses. how to use political power and how |
10 increase it, In particular. all sciences re-
lating to politics will be taught. including Eng
lsh biography. history OF science. English and
American history. sociology. industrial his
tory. political economy and philosophy. There
will also be lectures on present day tnstitu-
tons delivered by practical men who are
actually engaged in the business Of sanitation.
gas anu WAGER supply duu SO lOTJn. cnleHy OIL |
cials in public departments throughout Eng
land.
The college Is not a m~oney-making venture.
Two dollars a week will be the full charge for
board. lodging and laundry The tuition fees |
are $50 a year. but fifty tuition allowances will
be given away in the first and the second year.
The funds have been provided by several
Americans who are admirers OF John Ruskin
and arc believers in his ideals" Fifty students
- H. 1
out o; hundreds of applications that were re-
ceived in answer to circulars sent all over the
country. OF the fifty. four are Americans.
The college. of course. has no official con-
nection with the university. the authorities Of
which are described as being divided as to the
reception they shall give the new scheme. some
being in sympathy with it and others very an
tagonistic. But the founders hope in time to
convert the university. for they say that they
have come to Oxford to make some return for
what Oxford has done in the way OF sending
out missions and establishing settlements in
the slums. They wish to instruct the young
men who may one day control the English
speaking people here and in America-to teach
them how to improve things. not to iniure.
There will be no limit as to age. and the only
qualifications will be moral character. the abil-
ity to read intelligently and tho readiness to
pay So a week"
Ihey nave no isms to teach. no party and
no creed. The men wanted are the leaders
who aspire TO bevestrymen. county councillors.
of Parliament. trade unionists. fell
lows who harangue crowds in the streets and
who organize clubs"
The inhabitants of the Scotch town Of
Leith suffered a rude shock one day this
week. On Monday night they went to bed
by any thoughts OF war or
On Tuesday morning they woke to
find the walls Of their town placarded with
n royal proclamation calling out the army
reserve. militia and volunteers. All. then
and there was hurrying to and fro" Volun- |
feers in particular, after reading the proclama-
ton, fastened home to pack their kits. and !
many had presented themselves at headquar-
before it was found out that some one had
1t seems that some time ago. oven before the
incident. placards were printed calling