New-York tribune., 1901-12-11
Mr.. CARNEG1E'S OFFER.
FORMALLY ANNOUNCED BY THE PREsI-
DENT TO THE CABINET.
NO Do1THT THAT CONGRESS WILL, ACCEPT
THE PROPOSED GIFT OF 100000 FOR


UNIVERSITY IN WASHINGTON.
Tsr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE-l
Washington Dec fo-At the Cabinet meeting
To-day President Roosevelt announced that ne
had received a letter from Andrew Carnegie
offering s10000oo to promote the estaprsh-
rnent in this city under government control OF
an institution Of higher learning 70 oe man
aged on the model of national uhiVeiSiis'
The President said that he proposed to consult
with members OF Congress before any forhlai
statement was given to the public or cominuhi-
Gated to the two houses. The understanding IL
that the President hopes to prepare the way iol
prompt action by Congress along the Ines III
dica.ed by Mr. Carnegie in his letter Ii 10
probable also. that the President and MI oai
nezie will consult further concerning the pre-
else features of the project the latter FisilihS
Washington shortly for that purpose
Mr. Csrnegies gift 10 the government, as IL
must for the present be considered, may permit
the fruition OF the plans which have oeeh us
cussed for many years for the es'aoiisliiiieh.
o. some form of governmentalfy super NiSeu
educational establishment in this city george
washington left a fund for this purpose a"''
there is now in existence an organization known
as the George Washington Memorial Assocla-
ton whose purpose is the development OF uie
original plan. enlarged according to mooerh
ideas One result IF the formation of TINS as
sociation was a move by the Washington Acao-
en1y of Sciences. two years ago, to unite all
the forces which have been striving for the Gre
atfcn Of a national university at washington
The academy through its leading officers. Sc
cured the cooperation of the leading educators
Of the country in plan for the establishment
here Of a postgraduate institution which
should utilize all the governmental agencies
and scientific bureaus for the higher education
of St.lSe he of
ed the attention Of Mr.. Carnegie, who mas for
some years entertained the thought of provld-
ing for some form OF national university IN
Washington. He consulted, IL is known, Win
several intimate friends educators of prom
inenoe. among whom was Andrew D. Whlte'
once president of Cornell and now Ambassador
to Germany. Others consulted by Mr. Carnegie
were President Eliot of Harvard and ex-
President Daniel c. Gilman. of Johns Hopkins.
Dr. Gilman is the present head Of the institu-
ton which was projected few months ago
as a result of an agreement between the Acad-
en1y of Sciences and the memorial association
He has been engaged for some time in formu-
latng plans for the furtherance of the enter
prise and he and Mr. Carnegie held several
interviews. at which the subject of the pro-
1ected university was carefully discussed.
About ten days ago Mr., Carnegie took lunch
con with President Roosevelt at the White
was hroached. and Mr. Carnegie disclosed his
desire to forward the enterprise by an endow-
n1ent donation 1t probably was that occa-
sion that the matter took definite shape. Mr..
Carnegie has now, stated submitted his plan
in a letter the President According to one
who is closely identified with the project OF es-
tablishing a higher educational institution here
the subject has not until been laid in a
businesslike manner before business man with
the means of Mr Carnegie to put it pract
cal basis for execution. His letter. it is under
stood. contains the precise proposition Of how
the fund is to be managed and expended for the
establishment of the university.
STATEMENT OF CARROLL D. WRIGHT
Carroll D Wright Commissioner of Labor,
who has been associated with the work of the
Academy of Sciences, said to-day that the sub
ject was yet vague, so far as the publications
concerned. He added:
The general discussion which has been carried
during the last twenty-five years in relation
10 the establishment @ Of national nniyersity d in
and endowment by Andrew Carnegie For
but, about two years age the matter was taken
up by the Washington Academy of Sciences: and
ington Memorial Association. formulated a def
rH pan IN M asqer rhe aI
This resulted last spring as was then published
Institution The plan in brief. follows:
The organization Of private foundation. inde-
facilitate the use of the scientific and other
cooperate with universities, colleges and indvid.
uals in securing to properly qualified persons op-
Daniel c Gilman. until lately president of Johns
institution When Mr. Carnegie came to consider
the question Of eEdowing national university at
with HIS usual thoroughness. and found that an
institution devoted TO research and the training
conceptions than the establishment of university
unirersitiee Of the country How far h Gas Ias
10 this conclusion by the work that had been
known but this action indicates that he had faith
in The general glsn that had been deveoped and
ington Memorial Institution will suspend opera
not only embraces ali the proposed activities Of
the Institution. but goes far beyond this. But
is known nothing can be definitely determined
SPECULATION AS TO THE PLAN
The natural inquiry of those who have long
desired such institution for Washington now
is whether this endowment will result in a
physical establishment, a separate institution
will be merely All assembiage of specialists
who shall guide students in the use of the vari-
facilities for education here to be found
There is Yet nothing definite on which this
question be answered The logical assump-
sson. however. is that there will be some form
Of establishment from which the work of the
university will be administered and perhaps in
course OF time series of buildings for the ae-
commo6ation of the students. It is assumed
that the letter Of Mr.. Carnegie will clearly in
oioate the manner of institution he desires with
full suggestions of the scope of the work. 1t
is understood that those closely identified with
the project are somewhat disturbed over the
premature announcement OF the gift as they
had hoped that Mr. Carnegies letter TO the
President would be the first announcement thus
preventing much unnecessary speculation and