The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-02-29

He said II am more than sorry that
Mr.. Lynch has found A. necessary 10 take
the action that he has. but / must 80 y
that i do not blame him much. He has
done great deal for Brown. lie is
clean, manly fellow a good student, and
undoubtedly the most popular man on the
hill It really looks as II we would
not have q team this year. but am sure
1 DO not know how II can be helped
There IL one thing sure. and that is that
the question Is now before the students
and the alumni and ~ will be settled det-
nitely.
In regard 10 ti.is I would like TO say
something at length The idea has been
prominently mentioned that the bars
have been let down TO professionalism
by the seven unworthy members or the
board. and that the two remaining rac-
ulty members were martyrs 10 the cause
Such statements continually presented 20
the public have caused some or them
TO believe thar men were 10 be induced oo
come TO Brown TO play ball ana receive
a salary after they got there
THAT the Brown athletic board was
almost unanimous In it's opirion mat me
old rule was a bad one and shouln ne
changed IN a matter OF oficlal recorp' =
the president OF the college and many
OF the faculty agreed IN this conclusion.
The only difference then was the mat
ter OF sxpediency. and IL seems very
strange that the head OF the university
and a majority or tho faculty should
hold to sucn q view when such great
moral question was raised l am quoting
now the remarks OF one i'm authority.
III a man deceive on the BASEBALL diamond
he will deceive IN the class room. And
yet the authorities who have charge of
hundreds Of students are willing TO stand
for expectancy.
1T would appear that the majority
OF the board had few friends, yet petit
tions containing over 600 names, COM
posed OF students and alumni. were pre-
sented 10 the executive committee OF tho
corpora ton in support OF the action OF
the athletic board The decision OF the
corporation committee was only ar-
rived az by very narrow margin.
l honestly believe II the action Of the
athletic board had been accepted I'm good
faith and trial given 10 the new rules
for a wear many other colleges would
have followed The great publicity given.
however TO the matter and the mis-
representation OF the true spirit OF the act
have created a discussion which has un-
fortunately drifted into a very personal
one
The matter has gone beyond control
OF the authorities and damage has been
caused which will take years OF hard
work TO repair
The board may be To blame for this
state OF things but / do not think so
1t Is on account OF the great notoriety
given 10 the matter. quiet trial and
comparison OF results by Brown alone
would have been convincing that the
rule was good or bad The bad feeling
now aroused will not soon abate
II stand ready 10 offer what / consider
stronger proofs OF ssionalism I'm the
case OF several Harvard men. / may not
lie able to prove money transaction but
| am willing TO allow others TO decide as
10 the merits or the case also under
stand that several Harvard men PLAYED
OF the Newport team with Capt LyEch
last year. What IL Harvard going 10 r.
about IL? i would not have mentioned This
thing If a Harvard baseball man had not
stated in a New York paper that tee
Brown board were trying TO save Lynch
llcw about the Harvard people tryiag 10
save their men by not enforcing the rule?
They would. If they were honest ia their
desire 10 enforce the rule debar their 'hen
on suspicion. / stand ready TO furnish D
list OF names OF men who played Dail iast
summer, and III any man dares 10 play
this summer he will be advertised the
country over. Let every college enforce
the rule. I believe I'm amateurlsm and IL
the authorities would do away with gate
receipts and go bs ck to the good old days
OF sport for sports sake I would be the
nrst to agree.
The spirit OF conmercialsm has so
taken hold or the American public that
such condition OF affairs is impossible
When Harvard aud Yale can divide slO.-
600 TO $4,000 between them for athletics.
the sport is being played for something
more than sports sake