The Washington herald., 1909-06-21

Conservative In tone. and without con
troversiai bitterness. the Official and con-
elusive reply Of President Charles Willis
Needham, % George Washington Univer-
sIty 20 the vortex Of charge and counter
charge in which the institution has re-
Gently been involved was issued last
night.
No more temperate, and withal efIec-
tive. rejoinder on the part OF the uniyer-
sity authorities could have been made.
II is a clean-cut. logical and complete
statement OF the case. Called forth IN the
wake OF internal dissensiOn. factioual
cleavage. and a drastic attack by Presi-
dent Pritchett. Of the Carnegie Founda-
ton. DR.. Needham's statement is free
OF an acrimonious spirit.
In orderly array the facts regarding
the development Of the university are
given. and special emphasis Is made OF
those points where detractions has been
the strongest
Deals with Growth.
After dealing extensively with the
growth OF the university under the pres
ent administration. President Needham
discusses briefly the action o. the Car
negfe Foundation in striking il on from
the list OF accredited institutions. and con
ciudes with a significant resume OF the
financial situation
We need 70 obtain for the expenses
next year, Ises-l0. $500 10 keep the uni
versity going on its present plans ne
says. This budget has been approved
by the board OF trustees. and II the
money is not provided. Il win again have
10 be paid out OF existing assets. u g.
apparent that this process OF meeting
annual dehcits out OF the assets cannot
go on very long. The university must
have financial support
President Needham eIinches the point
he desires 10 make by saying: NO sue
cessful EFFORT for endowment IS possible
except for a true university doing hig..
grade work"
He appeals 70 Congress 20 give the
District OF Columbia the same consider
alton Il gives TO every State and Terri
tory. and Hawaii and Porto Rico. by
extending 10 II the BENEFITS Of the Nor
rih act
II Congress designated this university
TO receive the money. the appropriation
would pay a little more than one-half OF
the deficit next year.
We are doing the work required under
the Morrill, act. in the mechanic arts. 10
justly entitle US to the benefits Of this
fund. There is no other institution IN
the District carrying on work OF univer-
sity grade IN the mechanic arts.
If the citizens Of the District Of CO.
lumbia VIII do as Baltimore did for Johns
Hopkins when II was IN financial straits
and raise by subscription a fund Of
S2oo000. payable In five annual INSTALL
ments Of Sf1.G00 each. this, with the bene-
hts of The Morrill, act. would enable the
university to 20 forward with its present
plans and DO its work for the District.
Hope for Endowment.
With FIVE years free from financial
anxiety. We could hope TO thoroughly
establish the university upon its new
basis. by appeals to the country at
large for adequate endowment
A comparative statement Of the assets
OF the university. about which so much
controversy has arisen. IS given by Presi-
dent Needham. He shows that the gross
assets Of the university. et the close OF
She fiscal year 1900. were S905. 27s.45. and
the liabilities were S325, ,7I9s1. In 1906 the
total assets were s., ,355. .. the liabilities
S4ss.oo424, leaving the net assets $50
RS.sS. The increase in the Indebtedness
was occasiOned by the erection Of the
new medical school building and the hos
pital In 1902. and also Dy expenditure 20
meet current expenses.
new light upon THIS statement %
assets is given IN the succeeding para
graph. where there - a comparison OF
the productive investments IN the two
periods They dwindIed 20 the extent
Of nearly $4,000 in the period OF eight
years. They were S223, ,50ee9 IN 1890. and
S127. .74O9l in 1868
This change IN the productive assets" ,"
says DR.. Needham. was caused by the
drain upon the funds Occasioned by the
Increase In the cost Of maintaining the
The contributions toward the
current expenses were insufficient TO meet
the annual deficit. and those funds.
which were properly applicable. had 10
be used 10 pay the salaries and current
expenses. or close the doors 70 progress. "
The president SAYS the university has
always had a deficit It's productive
funds have never been sufficient 70 meet
its expenses. In round figures, Sl25 30 OF
the Indebtedness IN 1900 represented b0r-
rowed money 10 pay accumulated deficits.
Annual Deficit Larger.
Since the new policy went into effect
the annual deficits have been necessarily
larger than before, and have been in
CURED with the authority Of the board
OF trustees in the belief that the improve
ments Of the educational standards and
work, with the increased number OF stu
dents coming in upon higher entrance re-
ouIrements. wo1ld so demonstrate the
needs OF such a university in this Dis
trict that brOad-minded and benefcent
men would come 10 its aid and support
the movement. II had been demonstrated
by numerous efforts that no money could
be obtained for the old university"
The administration attitude regarding
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