Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-21
FOR MEMORIAL FUND
TO RAISE 1900, 900 FOR THE UNI
vERsITY OF VIRGINIA.
President Roosevelt in Vigorous Let
ter Warmly Endorses the Pro-
posed Undertaking.

A movement has been organized under
the direction of an advisory council, com.
posed Of prominent men, representing al
parts Of the United States, to raise an en-.
doWment fund for the historic University OF
Virginia.
This institution having been founded by
Thomas Jefferson, the fund, which 1t IL
hoped will eventually amount to 81, OOO, 600
will be named 1.-THE Thomas Jefferson Me.
mortal Fund.-
President Roosevelt is interested In the
project and has Endorsed 1t in the following
letter to Thomas Nelson Page, president OF
the alumni association Of the university:
The Presidents Letter.
II have received your letter about the
movement to raise Thomas Jefferson me-
mortal fund endowment for the Uni
versity Of Virginia. 1 most earnestly wish
you success and I feel that the moment
you have chosen Is most opportune, owing
to the reawakened interest In Jefferson's
great work caused by the centenary Of the
Louisiana purchase. Your work should
commend itself not only to those who are
especially interested in the cause Of higher
education in the south, but to all who are
interested in the cause Of higher education
throughout our country. You need a large
sum for such a memorial, and 1 cannot
help feeling that you will get 1t If the most
eminent men of the country, irrespective of
section or party, can have the matter laid
before them and are satisfied, as they
should be satisfied, as to the great merit of
the movement
1.-THE University of Virginia occupies a
unique position among our educational in
situations. On the first board of visitors to
the institution were Jefferson, Madison and
Monroe. The university was one of Jeffer-
sons cherished ideas-a project which oc-
Cnnlpd attention
the latter years of his life. 1t has never
had an endowment requisite to its barest
needs.
An Enduring Monument.
Now in the great exposition at ST. Louis
the country Is proclaming the centennial Of
the achievement in which Jefferson took the
leading part, the achievement which. in the
purchase Of the then territory of Louisiana,
definitely established this country as the
greatest nation of the western hemisphere.
Surely this celebration should not be
brought to a close without leaving on the
nation some other mark than the memory
of its grandeur. The movement to this end
can most properly take the form of monu-
ment forever to JefferSOnS geniuS-a monu-
ment far more enduring than bronze, and
which will fully realize one Of his greatest
ideals.
'It would be a good thing if the people of
this country north and south, east and
west should come forward and establish a
Jefferson fund for the university as a fit
elimination for the celebration of the pres
ent year. Jefferson wrote his own epitaph
to be inscribed on the granite shaft that
marks his grave at Monticello. In this
epitaph he did not recite the offices he had
held, but the three deeds he had done which
he esteemed of worth most to his fellow
men, and the epitaph runs as follows:
Here was buried Thomas Jefferson, au-
thor of the Declaration of American indie
pendence the statute of Virginia for re-
ligious freedom and father Of the Univer-
sity of Virginia.
1.-THE American people can surely be APP
pealed to with confidence to carry out JeI-
fersons work in the way in which ne
would himself have regarded as most graft
flying by endowing, as it should be endowed,
the noble institution Of learning which he
founded. 1 earnestly hope for the success
of your movement. Sincely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.'