New-York tribune., 1900-12-02
PRESIDENT HARPER'S VISIT.
HERE TO CONSULT FRIENDS OF THE
UNIVERSITY - HOW GOOD TIMES
AFFECT THE CORRECTs
SOME STORIES
SOME STORIES.

President William R. Harper, Controller Rusk
and Professor H c. Judson, of the Chicago Uni
versity are in the city business connected
with that institution. Oddly enough, the pros
perity OF the last few years has in one sense
been sort of detriment to the institution over
which President Harper presides, as the income
from many of the endowment securities owned
by it are now drawing only per cent interest,
as against per cent four years ago.
while this condition of affairs Is embarrass-
ing US just at present, we are conscious that we
have plenty Of company. for other colleges are
having similar experience" said President
Harper to a Tribune reporter last night at the
Murray Hill Hotel
Are you here to see John D. Rockefeller about
the finances Of the universit1'?'' 'zr HarI er Vas
asked
I am here to see nn.nbsi fr sal. ca the
university about different things" he replied
Some OF these men are here and some Of
them are in Boston. see them ali by hav-
ing meeting place here for few days AS a
matter of fact, the finances OF the university
are in excellent condition. The lessening OF the
interest earning power Of the securities which
we depend upon to some extent for our income
is Of course felt and the fact makes necessary
certain changes in administrative policy; but
taken as a whole. we are going right along
prosperously and with an ever widening scope
We are just beginning construction work on ten
new buildings. to cost S1.OOOOOO which we hope
to have ready one year from now"
Were the stories about Professor Thatcher's
excessive use of slang and Professor Trigg's
eulcgy of Mr.. Rockefeller correct?" DR.. Harper
was asked.
They were not correct They We're absolutely
wrong and they have hurt US and mortified US,
answered DR.. Harper. Take the story, Tor in
stance, about my living on diet costing only
15 cents a day. There was no foundation for
any such report. The whole thing was an IN
vention. There was no petition presented to the
faculty protesting that Professor Thatcher was
addicted TO the use Of slang in the classroom.
And then, again, Professor Trigg was repre-
sented as saying that John D. Rockefeller was
greater than Shakespeare. All the foundation
the inventor OF the story had for his tale was
statement by the professor to the effect that
while in Shakespeare's time the greatest minds
devoted themselves to literature some OF the
greatest intellects of this age be found iden-
titled with industrial projects. This is entirely
true. of course The professor never even men
toned Mr.. Rockefelers name. He used the
names of other men connected with great In
dustrial enterprises to illustrate his point The
report had II that Mr.. Rockefeller had called us
to account for this, and the story went all over
Rockefeller never interferes with the freedom
CT the university in the slightest degree. and
there is no college which enjoys greater freedom
than ours AS / remarked before, these stories
silly and unlikely they are, have hurt US
because many people no doubt thought there
was some foundation for them"
How does the fight against vice just begin
ming in this city impress Chicago people?" Dr.
Harper asked.
I'VE are greatly interested in IT," said he II
seems as II in Chicago we had pretty nearly
reached the depths. The city is as wide open as
il we'll can be. Mayor Harrison's term expires
in March, and are in hopes that under ms
successor shall have better government me
Republicans and independent Democrats are
confident Of defeating Harrison if he runs again:
The Republicans are talking considerably OF
running Graeme Stewart, well known business
man. for Mayor His friends are confident teat
II he has the opportunity he will change Things
for the better.
Perhaps the thing which is giving the boys IN
the college the greatest satisfaction IS the VIC.
tory OF football team over the University OF
Michigan day two ago. Chicago ana Ann
Arbor are the Yale and Harvard Of the west
and the college sports are attracting great 81
tention Our team had been doing rather IN,
differently during the season. but they Wouhd
up brilliantly"