The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-04
Want REGENTS TO
DISCHARGE M'VEY
Commercial Club Resents the
Professors Statements Rel.
alive to St. Paul.


The commercial club. at a meeting
last night, after denouncing the ar
ticles in the last edition of the En-
cyclopedia Britannica referring to
Minnesota as scandalous falsehoods,
passed drastic resolution calling up
on the board of regents of the Univer-
sity of Minnesota to thoroughly inves-
tigate the authorship of the articles
and to discharge Prof. F. L. McVey,
instructor in economics, If it was found
that he was responsible for the articles.
The articles in the encyclopedia, re-
ferred to by the Commercial club, were
written by Prof. McVey, and, as told
by h e G o b e last Sunday, are a
gross outrage against st. Paul.
Prof. McVey, resident of Minneap-
oils, has not been able to explain sat
isfactorily why his articles state that
Minneapolis is the capital city of Min
nesota, why st. PauPs educational in
stitutions are ignored, why it is stated
that Minneapolis is the terminal Of
all the railroads that terminate in st.
Paul, why Duluth and Minnesota City
are given as the only ports of entry
in Minnesota, when st. Paul is the most
important port, why Minneapolis is
given credit for St. Paurs jobbing and
comercial prestige, and numerous 9TH
er falsehoods.
Demands Investigation.
Mr.. McVey's excuse that the errors
were probably made by the publishers
was not accepted by the Commercial
c11r hn 0111 ~ Ia Va 70
quest that the board of regents inves-
tigate the matter, but will see that it
is investigated, and unless Prof. Nc
Vey can disprove the charges against
him, the st. Paul Commercial club will
demand that he be requested to re-
sign. He will also be asked to resign
as director of the Twin City exhibit
at the worlds fair if the charges are
found to be true.
The resolution calling for an investi-
cation was first passed by the clubs
board of directors, and at a meeting of
the club last night was presented to
the members, who adopted it with but
one dissenting vote.
IF there was but one error it might
be accepted as a mistake" said Judge
Willis, but there are so many, and the
attempt to blot the name of ST Paul
is so apparent that an explanation is
due. 1t is nothing more than a gross
outrage"
'These articles are either the result
of malice ignorance or gross negli-
gence," said Oar Reese. THE author
lis not a fit person to fill the position Of
a professor in our great state univer-
sity. 1t has been said that these reso-
lutions are drastic, but / want to say
that drastic resolutions are required"
Secretary Slime read letter from
Prof. McVey, which was written fol-
lowing the publication in The G b e
of Sunday.
Tries to Explain.
After writing a letter in which he
denied that he had any malice against
ST. Paul, and stating that the errors
were due to the publishers, Mr.. Nc
Vey inclosed what purported to be d
copy of a letter written to him by the
publishers of the encyclopedia.
This letter stated that the terror
in the report on Minnesota might have
been made by the publishers, but the
error is not specified, and from the
tone of the letter but one error is re-
ferred TO. Instead of one error there
were more than a dozen.
There is no defense at all,' said a
member of the club, and it unanimous
ly agreed that Prof. McVey would have
to submit better proofs if he expected
to be eXonerated.
81 understand that this man is
in charge of the Twin City exhibit to
be made at the worlds fair" said Ches-
ter. r. Smith. Il hardly believe we
want such a man as that in charge Of
the st. Paul exhibit
You needn't worry; he won't be
there long" suggested a member.
Passes Resolution.
The resolution adopted by the Com
mercial club last night is as follows:
Whereas, A certain publication has APP
peared in England and America, con-
slstIng Of several printed volumes desIg-
| mated on the title page of each as one OF
| the New Volumes Encyclopaedia Brit
tannica, constituting with the volumes
previously issued the tenth edition OF
contain, among other things, articles en-
| titled. respectively, Minnesota - Min
| neapolis'' and EST. Paul" and
Whereas, The said volumes contain the
| statement that each of said descriptive
! articles was prepared by one F.. L. Nc
! Vey, who is now professor in the Min
| nesota state university, and each Of said
descriptive articles has appended thereto
| in parenthesis, the initials F. l.. McV
and.
Whereas. Each of said descriptive ar
ticles contains glaring and inexcusable
| Misrepresentation of fact relating to the
cities of st. Paul and Minneapolis great
| ly prejudicial to the interests of st. Paul
and, in particular. designate the city OF
! Minneapolis as the capital of the state OF
Minnesota and the terminus of all rail
| roads. which actually terminate at the
| city of st. Paul, and describe Minneapolis
| as an educational center. wholly emitting
| any reference to the institutions of high
| er learning located in the City of St
! Paul; now. therefore, be it by the Com
mercial Club of the City of st. Paul
| Mimi,
| Resolved That we denounce, as scan
| dalous falsehoods, the aforesaid reference
| to this city in Sme said volumes Of the
| Encyclopaedia Britannica, and we de-
mand of the publishers that such amend
ments be made in the volumes to which
| we have referred, as will correct such err
roneous matter. Be it further
! Resolved. That this club requests the
| honorable. the board of regents of the
| Minnesota state university to investigate
| the entire subject covered by these res
olutions and the connection of Prof. F
| L. McVey Herewith; and, in case the
| said professor shall have been, as a re.
suit of such investigation, found guilty
| of willful misrepresentation in the prem
| ises. to remove him from the teaching
| staff of the university, since no mai
/ guilty Of fragrant duplicity. conspicuou!
| bad faith, and of poisoning the sources Of
| information which are designed fol
/ worldwide distribution, should hold
place in the public service as an instruc
/ tor of youth and a guardian of youthful
| morals in any educational institution