Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-05-15
EDWARD BLAKE: COLLEGE STUDENT.
CHARLES NJ. SHELDON.
copyright, 1889 in q. S. A., by Advance Pub
fishing Co., Chicago
(CONT1NUED.)


EDWARD began to understand some.
en1ng OF the seriousness of the question
tnat faced the president and the COL
Aege. For the first time also in his
own mind one of the phases of modern
wealth getting became clear to him.
DE was not old enough to realize how
much 1t meant. But his sturdy and
generally clear sense of justice placed
his sympathy at once with the presi-
dent Even to the young college sopho-
more the question, new as it was to his
mind. seemed to have but one answer.
1t was monstrous proposition to put
before men that they were not to in.
vestigate or discuss the methods en-
ployed to acquire wealth If it was 90.
ing to arouse the Ill will Of men who
had money to give to the college. When
that Ill will took the form Of direct
threat to withhold a possible bequest
II the teaching was not discontinued or
changed, 1t certainly looked to Ed
ward as If the power Of wealth was
assuming to dictate terms to the COL
lege which it could not for q moment
submit to without dishonor and the
loss of those principles on which it
was originally established. POSSIBLY
some reader Of this part of the story
of Edward Blake will be inclined to
think that the author has drawn en-
tirely on his Imagination for this scene
between the president and Mr.. Rankin.
may say that the president of col
lege recently showed me letter writ
ten by wealthy donor, in which a
threat was made to withhold a large
sum OF money from the college unless
a certain professor, who occupied the
chair Of political economy, were re-
moved from the institution on account
of the nature of his teaching, which.
according to the best judgment of a
majority Of students and teachers, was
not un-Christian teaching, but distinct
~ and positively Christian. The pro-
lessor was not removed in this in
stance. l believe that the history Of
educational institutions in the United
States would, if truly written, disclose
very many similar attempts to dictate
the nature of the teaching in college
on the part of men who do not desire
to have wrong methods of money max
ing studied or discussed.-Charles NJ.
Sheldon.l
Two weeks later the president finish
little vacation. The matter that had
been discussed so frankly between him
and Edward would come up for action
before the board of trustees when the
college opened again In the fall. Mr..
Rankin had been as good as his word
In talking with as many Of the faculty
and trustees as he could find in Ray
nor during the summer. And the sub
ject would have created more excite
ment than it actually did if the college
had been in session and the news of
the war had not been so prominently
uppermost.
July came on, and Edward was al
stirring events Of the battles Of San
Juan and Santiago and the destruc-
ton Of Cervera's feet, together with
the surrender of General Toral and
the departure Of the fourth division
of regulars from San Francisco to
Manila, became history. Then followed
the overtures Of Spain for peace and
the statement by the president of
terms by which peace could be secur-
ed. With the beginning Of August 1t
seemed as If the brief war were almost
ended. And yet out there across the
Pacific the war cloud grew larger and
the situation more serious. Presiden,
Royce's words were prophetic when
he returned in August, and in talking
with Edward as they resumed their
work in the library study be said
'There will be long struggle in those
islands, and it will take very wise
man to predict all the results. We
have problems formed by this brie1
war with Spain that will require c
good many years to solve. The bes
craftsmanship and the best citizenship
and the best missionary service will b<
demanded of the United States In thu
next quarter of century if we would
make the history we ought to make
as a Christian nation"
These events and experiences made s
memorable INNER for Edward Blake
There was NE week in July when ht
was sorely perplexed as to his exac
duty to his old roommate. After .
silence of several days regarding viii
lis condition Mrs. Preston wrote tha
he was very low. The next word tina
came was merely line saying that ht
had passed the crisis Of his illness an(
would recover. Edward would hav'
left Raynor at that time If his goini