New-York tribune., 1901-03-18
THE CASE Of PROFESSOR ROSS.
WHAT ACADEMIC FREEDOM MEANs-DUTIEs
OF PROFESSOR AND UNIVERSITY.
From Science.

IN view Q. the interest excited in aeaden3is and
With The dismissal Q: Professor Ross from stanford
University, We publish IN tlI! the report ot the
nitee oc economists Il VIII be observed that they
come to exactly opposite cGnciuSions The alumni
not infringe on the right Of free speech while The
economists SIDE Win IotessoI LLoss N M Ca I'm
that ne Is MARTYR. II may seem thgtaclous tor
men Of science who have in the past suffered for
colleagues IN sociology and economics ~len they
We cannot escape the conviction that the report
Of the three ecoEomists is 4 partisan rather than
< distinction must be made between freedom OF
ipTesfeafe SI ana The deerability OF using uni
yersity a. a point OF vantage for propagandism
Our universities should be should
be careful in the appointment OF professors and
~ rhe ndiyid9I must be subordinate - The free
dom OF the university. Academic freedom is the
right &c speak acadenicaily, ana the university
professor not only enjoys privileges but also under
There is no reason why as an Individual Mr Ross
should not have supported by illustrated pamphlets
the campaign of 1856 but he should not have done
10 the INJURY OF the university Professor Ross's
methods Of treating social problems may be Illus
,rated BY an eEtrast from an artiee published 6y
The American Journal OF Sociology:
a predatory minority, then. presents itself at
and risks contrives 10 draw 10 itself the surplus
goods Of the governed but. at later stage OF
nss Tss,ie ~ orga.,zation now shows at the centre
certain idle enjoyeFs surrounded by a great number
OF ururoductive laborers who share in their spoil
and who in return busy themselves. retaners
rnercenaries police, priests. teachers pgbiicsts
in intimidaJing cajolins or beguiAns the exploited
4 President Jordan has stated. Professor Ross
has many admirable qualities and his extravagances
were long borne with. II understand the matter
correctly. President Joroan fully conquered with
Mrs Stanford in recognizing Professor Ross dis
abilities but wished to avoid the public.ty which
has heen brought on the university There Is
doubt but that Professor Ross has shown his unfit
ness for an academic position by the way he has
acted since presenting his resignation 70 President
Jordan He said he resigned because Il
willing become a cause o. worry TO Mrs. Stan
ford or OF embaVras ssrnent to you As sOor the
resignation was accepted. which Was done In
kind way as possible. he does all he TO annoy
Mrs stanford. enbarrass President Jordan and
o ujure the university
The fact that Mrs. Stanford has recently given
s27 009 70 the university and has retained for
the present the rights that will later oevoiEe
attack the university but puts heavy responsibility
on those WhO carry such attack. We
aware OF the dangers due 10 the fact that many
of our Institutions supported BY rich men and
TO a certain extent controlled by them But
impartial review of the history of unfverity devei
opnenf in America shows that great tolerance has
been allowed 10 university professors The call of
President Andrews ard Professor Ross - uni
Vcrsity supported by state and controlled by
political party 70 be more dangerous for
academic freedom than their dismissal from other
universities. But the whole there is no valid
reason 10 criticise either privately endowed
State universities on the ground OF suppress
sioa OF legitimate freedom OF speech