The sun., 1905-12-05
WHYBUTLER KILLEDFOOTBALL
COLI'MBIi WANTS PLACE IN
RULES COMMITTEE.
College President Issues Statement De-
claring There viii he No More or
GridirOn Game Here Until Local
Institution Has Control in Sport.

Full details OF a statement from Dr.. Butler.
Columbia's president. anent the iootoali
situation at the local institution were maze
public yesterday on Morningside Heights.
The general terms Of the note are in con-
nrmation OF the analysis OF Or. Buffers posi-
ton In The Sun of Sunday. but give more
complete xpresslon to the reasons why DR..
Butler regards football as impossible at
Columbia. The letter declares that the ac-
tion OF the university committee on student
organizations in abollshing football meets
with Dr. Buffers full approval, as was stated
before, and adds that the game has become
an academic nuisance. because or Its inter-
ference with academic work, and an academic
danger, because of the moral and physlcal
ills that follow in its train"
The one sentence that is left 10 give hope
to those who feel that Columbia ought to
play football declares that If any game
called football takes the place of the one
that we have left behind us it will be game
free from the evils pointed out. one wholly
acceptable to our authorized committee ana
to our alumni advisers and one which repre-
sentatives OF Columbia will have some share
in controlling II abuses develop in connection
with it," This is taken to indicate that no
game under the direction of the rules com
mttee which legisates for all colleges Will
ever meet with sanction at Columbia until
such time as Columbia has representation
in that committee, or else that Columbia ls
doing its best to further the interests OF soccer
or English rugby.
In spite Of the minatory tone Of the letter
and the fact that the complete position of
the university was explained by IT, and SINH
lar letter from Francis s. Bangs, chairman Of
the university committee on athletics, issued
last week, the students are going right ahead
with their plans for mass meeting, which
will be held this afternoon with the purpose
of considering the action of the university
Flor1 In
ing football. II Is made an especial p0lnt
by the board Of student representatives that
hs meeting Is not called With The the tden Of
merely a conference to obtain views on the
subject, with the idea OF being able to confer
soberly with Dr. Butler and other .personS
Of influence and Importance, with the end
Of having the edict reconsidcred; 10 most
of the undergraduates, however, the pubIica-
tion OF Dr. Butler s letter makes this meeting
The letter OF DR.. Butler Is long one and
TO the alumni and student members of o.
iumbia University" and begins rs follows:
~ he action of the committee on student
organizations. taken by unanimous vote,
in putting an end to the present game of
football at Columbia University. has my
cordial approval and | wish 10 state briefly
whole university.
,,sColumoia University has no control,
of football. II played by our representa-
tiyes it. must be played in the form ahd man
athletics has appropriately described as
'self-perpetuating. irresponsible, impervious
to public opinion and Gulpable in refusing
to heed the increasingly dangerous char
acter OF the game The game which this
H1 %s Us so
this game, and the experience Of years has
shown that the rules committee do not desire
The two paragraphs quoted directly above
as well as the FOREGOING one that called forth
the comment that C2piumbia ,p is seeking a
in order TO reform football thoroughly dove
tail, The almost unanimous student sent
letter of DR.. Butler disclosed the Ethiopian
In the academic woodplle. The whole trend
of these forciDle remarks Is to back up, the
attack made on the rules committee not long
since by Mr.. Bangs. and withthe idea Columula
men now think, of making position in that
committee for Columbia to occupy. IL was
considered that TO this might be attributed
the haste o! Columbia to renounce the present
Dr. Butler continues as follows: at foot
BALL, demands prolonged training. .complJe
absorption of time and thought, and is neon
sistent-n practice at lGastowlt4 lhe deyo-
ton to work which is the first duty of the
college or university student. II can be
partcipated in IN by only tn the y merest fraction Of
IT has grown to be an academic nulsanCc,
because of its Interference with academic
moral and physical ills that follow in It's train
The large sums received in gate money are
1emhpaation to ;or m8Rnagenen
in no small degree a commercial enterprise
The great public favor with which even the
fiercest contests are received is not a cause
for exultation, but rather for profound re-
gret"
The structure laid by Dr. Butler upon the
commerCialsm of football recalls some stu
dent criticisms made of his years football
management in arranging series of games
Princeton. Cornell and Amherst in successive
weeks with team OF inexperienced men.
This was characterized at the time as far
tempt and was directed more toward the
gate" than for any other reason 1t was
any fsA other cole &c % teausaaeSsped. '"''' ''"'
few Of the evils Of the game are seen on the
and controlling; they affect every phase Of |
college and university life, and for some
educational evils Of the first ma gnitude. anu
Columbia University owes it to It's tradi-
as to the responsibility which it bears to It's |
students, to put an end, so far as action by it |
to oo ths sfate msT G ear a II has done
but the convictions that led to the act have |
been years in forming H., It is urged tha, foot
is Interssted ip the deveopment Of Of true SSG5E ooi
t. the mt that has PR%eT Re to
ent game Of football is necessary to that |
end s wholly illusory. Even II il were not |
so college spirit ia too dearly bought If college
intelligence and college morals are sacrificed
for It. College spirit existed long before |
football was heard of and will exist long |
after football Ia forgotten. We must get the |
qualities OF manliness, loyalty and courage |
built up on moral foundation. and not allow |
them to rest upon purely physical one = |
for in the last analysis purely physical basis |
is purely animal basis There must be some |
thing to rest upon when the tumult and the |
shouting die.
our own athletic committees have for
some years past rigidly enforced the strict |
est rules as TO professionalism and academic !
eligibility. They point out that Columbia |
teams have at times been obliged to suffer
defeat because of their firm adherence to
those rules. These facts are known to the
members of the committee on student or
gani2ations and therefore their action Is in |
no sense to be interpreted as censure OF |
the football management at Columbia, but
as condemnatlon of the present game of
football itself.
What next2 / do not know and cannot
predict
1T is not agreeable for men TO feel Obliged
to take action, in obedience TO the dictates
of their Judgment and their conscience, that
larly when those disappointed arc to bo |
found among, their own students and daily |
associates Yet in the present instance !
our duty was plain. and 1 commend the ac- |
tion, OF the constituted university, authorities |
to the approval Of every true Columbia man |
and to that Of every lover of manly, decent |
AAtNS