Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1910-11-17
Measure in Present Form Is Op-
posed by Dr.. Schurman.
GOVERNING BOARD is FAVORED
Plans, Purposes and Manner in Which
Power Could Be Used Ably Out
lined in Address by President
of Cornell University.

Washington. Nov. 16.-The Rookie
Teller foundation bill, presented to
congress in the last session and still
pending, was criticised severely for
Jacob Gould Schurman of Cornell in
an address before the annual meeting
of the National Association of State
Universities here.
Under the terms of this proposed
broad charter" said DR.. Schurman,
there is scarcely anything which con-
Germs the life and work of individuals
and nations in which the Rockefeller
foundation would not be authorized to
participate. AS the safety Of the state
is the supreme condition of national
civilization, the foundation might in
time of war use it's income or it's en-
tire principal for the defense Of the
republic. In time of peace it might
use it's funds to effect economic and
political reforms which the trustees
deemed essential to the vitality and
efficiency of the republic The founda-
free trade or protection Of trusts or Of
the competing concerns out Of which
they grow, of socialism or individual
ism, Of the program Of the Republican
or the Democratic parties.
at might endow the clergy Of all
religious denominations, or it might
subsidize any existing or any new re-
ligiOus denomination. Tomorrow it
might be the champion of the Chris
tian religion, and 100 years hence fur
nish an endowment for the introduce
ton of Buddhism in heUnited States.
It might build tenement houses for
the poor in New York, or carry the
results Of sciences to enrich the ex-
hausted soils of the east or the arid
tracts of the west. 1t might set up an
art gallery in every city of the United
States or endow universities which
would rival the great universities OF
the west
"These may not be likely objects
for the application Of the fund of the
Rockefeller foundation. I am not,
however, attempting to forecast its
work, but to understand it charter.
And as far as l can see the proposed
charter would authorize all of these
and a multitude of similar activities.
although these are large powers,
I, for one, should have no hesitation
in intrusting Mr.. Rockefeller with
them. The experience we have had of
his philanthropy shows that he would
use them wisely Vast and compre-
hensive, therefore, as the scope of this
foundation is, l would not in any way
limit or restrict it, SO long as it was
in charge of Mr.. Rockefeller or even
of his son and his expert coadjutors.
after they have passed away, how
ever, the situation would be entirely
changed. We know nothing about the
kind of men who may succeed him,
and the objects Of the foundation re-
naming as important and comprehen-
sive as they are, l am decidedly of
the opinion that the public should have
a right to voice in the selection Of the
board after Mr.. Rockefeller's influence
has passed away
DR.. Schurman favored a governing
board selected somewhat is in the
case of the Smithsonian institution,
which is conducted by board Of
regents composed of the vice presi-
dent, the chief justice of the United
States, three members of the senate
and three members Of the house, to-
gether with six other persons other
than members of congress. two of
whom shall be resident in Washington
and the other four inhabitants of somA
other states but no two of the same
state.