Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1902-01-11
.DONOROF CHINE CHAIR.
General H. w. Carpenters Idea
For Helping China.
WISHES MORE sooIABLE RELATIONS

Ofacer who Gave 100000 70 Column
bfa University to Endow Professor
ship Actuated by q Desire to BrinE
4 About a Better Understanding Be
tween China and the United States.
1t is now known that General Horace
w. Carpenter IS the donor Of the $780,
600 recently given to Columbia uniYer-
Esity for the founding Of a chair Of Chi
.nese language, litera ture, religion and
| law. The gift is intended as a nucleus
for a fund which IS expected to reach
something like ST 100000.
1t is the idea of the donor that the
chair shall be the means of bringing
about a better understa between
the Chinese nation and the people Of
the United States. The professorship
win bear the name of Dean Lung, a
cultured Chinaman. who is friend Of
General Carpenter. When asked by a
reporter Of the New York Herald CON
corning the gift, the general made no
denial that he was the donor.
1T would be mere affectation in me,
said he, ito try to conceal or to make a
mystery of what has in some way be-
come known to everybody who cares
to know about it. If gave the money
to Columbia university, my private
o ~, ~ <, III WI Al,
give it and that could give it. The
public reason has been SO much dis
cussed that j think it is obvious II,
What the general meant BY the pub
lie reason which actuated him may be
Aearned from a document which is now
part Of the records of Columbia univer-
sity. It is a note which was Enclosed
with a check for 100000 sent to Presi-
dent Low. At that time it was under
stood that the name of the donor was
not to be made public. 1t was only re-
Gently that the Identity Of the donor
became generally known.
In this note the reasons for making
the gift are set forth as follows:
Il am told that doubts have been ex-
pressed whether such an appropriat ton
would be wise or practically useful. Pos
sibly not. It is not always easy to foresee
results or to measure their value, especial
ly when the means are largely tentative
1t is said that the Chinese have no reli-
gion. If this means only that our religion
is not their religion, 1t need not be denied
If religion may be well defined as tterno-
ton concerned about obligation and duty,
thensthe Chinese are a religious people.
And when it is considered that they are
made up OF several hundred millions, Of
like origin, race and charaoaAr, earth born
and firmly rooted in the SOIL bound to-
gether by the common usage and tradf7
tons OF incaleUIa.ble generations and weld
ed Into one nation .by lnang co-opera tive
causes and respectfully by the qnffying
force. of a written literary language; that, \
with their unrivaled endurance, tenn Ger
ance end industry their devotion to- If am
holding to their purpose with the con-
seryatisIls of EngIishrnen and the tenacity'
Of IsTael--they are possessed#b by ia. patient
patriotism that never changes or forgets 81
that with a common, though variant
speech, full ana expressive and older prob
ably than any other living tongue now
spoken elsewhere, they are also a scholar
ly people. with anabundant literature no
less venerable than those we call classical 4
and that have done so much to soften and /
reform our Institutions and manners tina t \
they have inherited civilization reaching \
back into the forgotten past as.far as any
Of those that grew up around the Mediter- 4
ranean, but less sensual and superstitious: 4
that they have a complete system of an
eient and customary law well fitted to !
their needs and condition, regulating all /
the varied relations of civilized life-of I
,amily, society and government-a system
hat had grown up through infinite trials
Ind failures until habit acquired the force I
Ind sanction of moral law, long before I
he makers of our common law had come
tut from their inmeTnorial saVagery, i
Without arts, agriculture or letters and +
clothed, if at ALL with the skins Of Beasts;
hat, be it for good or i'll and whether we
ike, it or not, by manifest destiny no !,
enger unrevealed, but now in course Of I
swift fulf1lment, we are brought together
n close neighborhood, facing each other I
Ind separated only by quick ferry across
/ Pacific sea hereafter to become in large
Measure a Chinese-An1erican sea, with in
Iustrial and trade relations already of no
mean proportions and which must soon
row to billions annually, and. finally,
hat we claim to have a higher gospel,
which, in it's own spirit Of peace. fairness
nd good will we would impart to other
ess favored peoples. Considering these
mong other things, would it not be a re-
roach to this university-'tM Mother of HUI
nanities' not to have taken a first step
n this direction to promote a better TIM
erstanding, "a larger comfy and more
ospitable relations?
No one has been chosen as yet to fill
ne chair which General Carpenter has
bundled. The name of WI Ting Fang
as been suggested. The general
lought that it was unlikely that WI
ing Fang would accept such posi-
on, as his genius and ability fitted
i'm for the broader field Of statesman
nip.
General Carpenter is an alumnus Of &,
olumbia university. He is now sew ]
1ty-seyen, years old. He lives at 108
asst Thirty seventh street He has
lade his home in New York for the
st twenty years, making frequent
urneys to San Francisco to look after
Is interests there.