The Indianapolis journal., 1902-08-31
HARPER SPEAKS TO THE POINT.
Pays His Respects to Fool Professors
of His University.

Chicago Inter Ocean.
President Harper, of the University of
Chicago, is to be commended for what he
said of college abuses in his address be-
fore the National Educational Association
at Minneapolis on Monday.
For three years, beginning with the col
lege year of 1898, the University of Chicago
was embarrassed by the fulminations Of
professors who used their university offices
to give weight to their public utterances on
public questions.
There was in 1899 and 1900 much curiosity
as to what President Harper would have
said to his offending professors had he
been free to speak. This curiosity he has
gratified at last in his Minneapolis ad-
dress. For instance he said:
"A professor abuses his privilege who
takes advantage of a classroom exercise to
propagate the partisan views of one of an
other of the political parties"
Example: Prof. j. Laurence Laughlin,
who talked in season and out of season in
violent opposition to the expansion policy
of the Republican party, who opposed what
nine-tenths of the American people favored,
who misrepresented American soldiers and
openly sympathiZed with the enemies of
his country.
"a professor abuses his privilege who in
any way seeks to influence his pupils or the
public by sensational methods"
Example: Prof. Oscar l.. Triggs, who,
posing a teacher in literature, exploited
mis- own eccentricity of opinion in sensa-
tional way, who classed the majority of our
church hymns as doggerel and who used his
whims regarding American poets as literary
criticism.
"A professor abuses his privilege of ex-
preston of opinion when, although a stu
dent, and perhaps an authority in one de-
partment, or group OF departments, he
undertakes TO speak authoritatively on sub
jects which have no relation to the depart
meEt in which he was appointed TO give in
struction.
Examples: Professors Frederick Starr
and Paul Shorey. who presumed to expound
constitutional questions and who, under
cover of economical and philosophical dis
cussion, misrepresented national policies
and distorted national facts.
"A professor abuses his privilege when
although shut off in a measure from the
world and engaged within a narrow field of
investigation, he undertakes to instruct his
colleagues or the public concerning matters
in the world at large in connection with
which he has had little or no experience
Example: Professor Won Hoist, who for
many years obtruded his views on present
American politics and aspirations in man.
ner most offensive to the whole American
people, and who, unfamiliar with American
temperament and American character. tried
10 instruct and direct not only college stu
dents. but statesmen at Washington and
soldiers in the field.
Finally, President Harper, with a drag
net for all those professors who had viO-
lated the educational proprieties and
snned against common sense within the
last four years, made this statement:
"A professor abuses his privilege of free
dom of expression of opinion when he
fails to exercise that quality popularity
called common sense. a professor ought
not to make such an exhibition of his
weakness, or to make an exhibition of his
weakness so many times, that the atten-
ton of the public is called TO TIE fact In
this respect he has no larger liberty than
other men.
This is a rebuke for the whole group OF
malcontents who for so many months used
their places in the University of Chicago to
the injury Of the country and the cause of
education and who in defiance Of common
sense and decency, continued in course
that jeopardiZed the success of the insti-
tuition that employed them. President Har-
per- by his specific and general criticism
OF such men, has done good service 10
the university and TO the country. He has
earned more compliments than space al
lows US TO give him.