New-York tribune., 1905-01-24
REPLIES TO JEWS.
Calls Complaint Inaccurate-Not
Prejadioed against Race, He Says.
Tsr TELEGRAPH 10 THE rRTprrE1

E.N
Albany, Jan. 23.-Melvn Dewey, State Ii
brsrian whose removal from Office by the State
Board OF Regents is requested by prominent
New-York Hebrews. to-day after a conference
with Andrew s. Draper. State Commissioner Of
Education. sent 10 the Library Committee a
.ormal reply TO the allegations in the letter ask
ing for his removal. Mr.. Dewey says the com
plant IS in many respects inaccurate. He says
be is not prejudleed against Jews, and asserts
that Jews are among the most valued members
Of the stan, and frequently visit his home. His
reply is follows:
NeE-York State Library. January %. 1905
To the Library committee.
,tSfenle2t about the 6eiiton ioT my removal be.
cause Jews are excluded from the Lake Placid
on misspprehenslon Of the facts The allegau2ns
%A & rom slT ts founding Ia 1875 has not admitted
Jews The sentence criticised was inserted in the
hose before. say; The club has no eonsumpuyes
or other EqeS1s & % Noln 5e{s Is hti Sls t@s@h49e %
chsnEe was MADE because IL was discovered that
& aRc Slc9 81 members VINO fuIly control adnnis-
me oo5 o55aci5e5 that t5ough p house had been en-
cseed for the season the family must not come.
fhey regretted The embarrassment, wrote the fam
III frankly. and thanked politely for The
siderauon that saved the embarrassment Of coming
phere they could be welcomed. The rule
race objection had not impressed this family as ex-
council 10 guard against similar misunderstanding
Thought safer aod in the 1901 circular the words
10 which exception has been taken: 1T is found
inpraotcabe 10 make exceptions TO Jews or others
fio1s IN The latter printing tbese Words Te-e
emitted again though the rule has been strictly
enforced
TELLS OF THREAT By JEW.
The only difficulties that have arisen over the ex-
ctusi0n rule was this case and the threat made in
The hearing o. Clap MEMBER last ran rom Milch
for years have shown every possible official cour-
hi 70 ihe ci9b. SAID my state dulles forbade
ny dong anything with club details and that that the
zr1GC
rhat he apply 10 them He threatened n
ne sRoe e 62s 5 4sT bs Wa2 wa g eHdGSed HSGy o 5s
have always refused 70 recognize Ea1e or ta5}a s1
JsEs have been and are among the most valued
e5s 90is n our S library 5 School have often been at my
house. and every one wiz vouch Ior I as warm a
welcome and fair treatment, both personal ana
ofBcsI as accorded 70 any Christian. The Lake
rafronage 10 Jews aad three times has sold real
uTousl1 m he last time was widely attacked IN
the press was il 1900. when we issued a list OF d
cause, opl +5 q ne sisti5e Nsdonna's and fve
other most famous Christian pictures recommended
hy prominent artists and critics -.
that club circulars refer 70 the state librarian
president. thus using TINS o5ee 10 help personal
Interests. Is absolutely UD1Ounded- have scrap
book of every circular and blank ever printed BY
state Library appear Ny mere name with my pri-
vste house address appears in its alphabetical
mem society ~ Lake PLACID with Lake Placid as
nv address ana On one Iot OF letter heads. in 1885
IN ist of vtce-presidents, and finally q single
the petition This was printed for temporary Lse
during i've months illness Of the manager oecSlse
the drst carefully avoided the use of my name and
ny library position has never been printed as g.
fhe club originated with group OF people who.
for pleasure. or Ike ourselves. on account OF hay
cold spent their summers away from nome ana
Sssn limited 70 its members and those regularly
!Rtroo1cea as n 0IneT oa st IS nof bofe
but e private club. It Is not recognized or repre-;
ihs usual sign az ne sISIion; Is 1, ca tatSss S5 %
rs1sf' S -eysiiir7 - Zee bss bean usid Inc petition
piSi5ly recognizes The fuII right Of social cub,
which Il has always been. 10 take this acton. l[
social clubs have exercised their undoubted priv
lsge q excudlng rom neiDersp ~ % eeST obrse ~ s
q s1eh Phenomena with them we have no con-
oeEn"
CLUB NOT A HOTEL
Tie parasraph Immediately preceding the one
clipped fro-a The CLUB circular quotea IN ne peti5
uon is headed IN black face type NOT noiel. TEL,
plain in all publications. The next sentence afteE
features when distinguish II from hotels" 1t
mas always been, and always viii be private
social country club. and never Publlc motel Inc
petition errs IN confusing facts Like many other
-srizsTsor TIE 15jao,5 1@l5 Was ia corporated in
5Ss under the law for social clubs, without capt
erry provides needed rlant and takes for annual
fent the receipts from house and room rents, but
al other receipts are uniformly spent wholly on a
sctiI4ucs quoted on the letterhead are incidental
. his social club instead Of the reverse, as rep
The petition opens with a wholly misleading
ptalenert II quotes from articles OF iucorpora-
ton Of the Lake Placid Hotel Company, organized
~ several hotel nIoprletors, June 2 1881 for keep
ilg hotels, etc. The house. the Mirror Lake
burned in 1884 SIX years later the club needed
he steam laundry and furniture saved from the
stock G tl.e old ,egoTporation than pay for ne
CUB property had the papers all drawn ready to
.le ~ ihe Lake Placio company when this stock
was bought AS We had no interest IN hotels and
wished - avoid everything giving that appearance,
PLACID Company. The facts, therefore, are exactly
ne reverse Of what The petition implies. The
sentences quoted IN the petition TO show that the
c.1o is hotel were written nine years before
IknnnP system of Adirondack hotels. feel
rave withheld their names had they known these
submit The fun list Of publications so the com
all-tf may see for themselves that all allegations.
fApepi me exclusion Of Jews. DO not accord with
aels thai II is social club, not hotel and that
~ ot-c!al position with the club TO keep these
.144let le expense q au extra assistant on duty
,esIec 10 ascd having business come 10 al the
ular}- rhCre receive club mail. Its business
ti Isusactco ~ Lake Placid or from It's
~. OK Office. send printed postcard in an
fbs- 9 ~ .e5ie-s coming 10 me by accident saving
"a ct1p business IS transacted by the treasurer,
~ "ion tAe inquiry has been forwarded.
ao-H INTEREST II CLUBS DEVELOPMENT.
,soIlTle true that I an much interested in the de-
vhiet OF IBIS club On Tie sOclOloSlc value OF
I've gEeat laitl. sine. ! have been concerned in
frrrefe "a s.en up aii social and other outside in
IN, ,.sso1lng 20 d an the leisure which every
n r. rApects 70 take fToT ms regular days work.
~ recreatlon
vsr1Sestdd-f -fa.sA tAe committee vita any facts or
rhe'r s~5.n lhey may ueec and shall be- guided by
tor o+ sllslt as 10 the extent 40 which as direc-
s Fiacio Club. Res1ectfGy submitted.