The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-03-03
NOT AN EASY JOB.

To the superficial observer the posi-
ton of president of a university or
college is a very desirable one. The
salary, as a rule, is quite satisfactory,
the duties are light and the honor is
equal to that of the higher political
offices. 1t is probable that most presi-
dents of universities and colleges would
be content with their lot in life If 1t
were not for the pressure that is upon
them all the time to beg for funds for
their institutions, which must grow or
lose their hold on the public. Trus-
tees do not think presidents do their
duty unless they are able to announce
at the commencement each year that
large amounts have been donated for
the purpose of erecting new buildings
or establishing new departments. And
this begging for money becomes bur-
den that makes the job of a college
or university president a great deal
harder one than it appears to be.
For instance, the veterans of the
Grand Army of the Republic of the
Sedgwick Post, at Kearney. Neb., have
just adopted a resolution relative to
President Andrews of the University
of Nebraska and the gift to that insti-
tuition of $66,666 by John D. Rockefel-
Ter for the erection of a religious tenn
PIE for students of the university. In
their resolutions the veterans say:
"E. Benjamin Andrews is an unsafe
man to preside over the University
of the State of Nebraska, and should
not only be asked to resign. but should
be fired bodily and driven from the
state"-a rather warm resolution.
Mr.. Andrews, it will be remembered,
was president of Brown University in
Rhode Island, and was asked to re-
sign, because he favored the free and
unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio
of 16 to 1. He probably thought that
in Mr.. Bryan's state his views on the
silver question would meet with hearty
approval. 1t may be they do, but it
seems the Union veterans Of the state
object to him because he wants to ac-
cept money from Mr.. Rockefeller. OF
course, Mr.. Andrews doesn't want the
money for himself, but for the uni
versity of which he is president. 1t
may be that he begged Mr.. Rockefeller
persistently for a donation, as perhaps
he has begged other rich men. And
he is now told by an influential body
of the citizens of Nebraska that he
not only ought to resign, but that he
ought to be fired out of the state.
OF course, we do not undertake to
say whether or not it is right for
university to accept money from Mr..
Rockefeller. The University of Chi
cago accepts money from him. and
seems to be very glad to get it. 1t
may be, however, that the commercial
spirit is more highly developed in Chi
cago than it is in Nebraska, and,
hence, the people of that city do not
inquire how money that is offered to
charity is made. 1t seems to them
probably that for the erection of build
ings and establishing professorships
one mans money is just as good as
another's. AS a matter of fact, Mr..
Rockefeller's money may have been
made just as honestly as that of many
others of those who make gifts to edu-
cational institutions. 1t is true that
some very serious charges have been
brought against him and his business
methods have been severely criticised.
but there are those who defend him,
and, besides, his answer to the charges
has not been heard.
But what is Mr.. Andrews going to
do? Is he going to resign and leave
Nebraska? Is he going to abandon
the university of that state because
there is opposition to his acceptance of
the Rockefeller donation? The public
would like to have answer to these
questions.