The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-01-31
Says Capt. Oyster Used the
Chamber of Commerce.
HE HELPED NAME COMMITTEE
Head of Trade Organization in In
seFView Adajts the President OF
the Boar dOf Education Suggested
Men Later Appointed on Commit
tee, which He Approved,

That the school committee of the Cham
ber Of Commerce, which at various times
during the trial Of Dr. William Z. Chan
cellor, former superintendent of schools,
commended the actions Of the board Of
education. which tried and fired Dr.
Chancellor was appointed at the instiga-
tion Of Capt. James oyster member OF
the Chamber Of Commerce and presi-
dent of the board Of education both dur
ing the trial and at present, was the
statement made last night by DR.. Robert
" Harper. president of the Chamber of
Commerce.
In a statement given to a reporter for
The Washington Herald. Mr., Harper
said that all the members Of the school
committee Of the trade organization, with
the possible exception Of two men, were
friends OF Capt oyster. lie also scaid
that Capt. Oyster first suggested that
this school committee be appointed.
The school committee of the Chamber
Of Commerce met frequently after It's
appointment. which vas shortly before
the beginning Of tie Chancellor trial, and
its report concerning the trial given out
to The press by Perceval NJ Brown. its
chairman. were almost uniformly favor
able 10 the actions of The board.
These statement, il has been said, had
great influence on the public. Many per-
sons took the reports given out by this
committee TO represent the real state of
affairs in the school system.
Dr. Harper's statement.
DR.. Harper when asked about the mat
ter last night. said:
,sThe first I knew about the appoint
ment Of school committee was at a
meeting Of the Chamber of Commerce,
when Capt. oyster arose and made a
motion. asking that such a committee be
appointed.
He said he did not want a place upon
the committee, and said he believed it
could show the board of education its
shortcomings. Our constitution does not
provide for a school committee, but as
the motion passed, it was necessary for
me to appoint one.
''The day after this meeting I called
Capt. oyster up on the telephone and
asked him TO take lunch with me- As
he had introduced the motion. was
member OF the school board, and was
thoroughly in touch with the situation,
l consulted with him upon the member
shin Of the committee he suggested
number of names for the committee, as
also did Allen D. Albert jr.. who was
present.
T appointed nine men from the names
We considered, and the committee was
formed. Later I was told that We should
have appointed several other men. who
represent citizens associations. Then I
appointed four more men, making a total
of thirteen.
AT that time I did not believe Dr.
Chancellor mad been given a fair show by
the Board of Education, and I he.u this
opinion for some time. Later after hear
ing evidence introduced before the conf
mittee 1 changed my mind somewhat"
DR. Harper was asked if at the first
meeting of the committee all the mem
bers had not come prepared for work,
and If they did not seem 10 be singularly
well informed as to what they We're go
| ing to do?
Il was not at the first meeting of the
committee" said Or. Harper, and l
could not state what happened / know
that I asked one man 10 be chairman
of the committee and he came to me
and said ne could not serve. That is
why Mr. Brown was made chairman.
Dr. Harper was then asked if Mr..
Brown had not come to the first meeting
OF the committee with a statement for
the newspapers, in which Capt oyster
and the board of education were lauded
and made much Of
trUyyn Had Statement.
Il do not know" said DR.. Harper but
at the second meeting. three days later.
Mr.. Brown had a statement for the news
papers. which was published. I asked,
when shown the statement, to have the
headlines changed, bat one member of
the committee arose and moved that the
question be left with Mr. Brown. When 1
read the papers next day found that
the headlines had been changed some
what, but perhaps it was done by the
newspapers themselves and not the com
mittee.
Count Cassini Well.
st. Petersburg. Jan So.-Count Cassini,
formerly Russian Ambassador at Wash