New-York tribune., 1911-12-06
WILSON WANTED PENSION
Governor Admits Asking Car
nege Foundation for One.
SAYS NE WAS JUSTIFIED
Has No Private Means, and En-.
try Into Politics Endan-
gered His Family.

/ To- night regarding the story printed IN d
New York paper to-day TO the effect that
he had applied to the Carnegie Foundation
| for a pension admitted that he had mace
such application before his election as Gov
ernor Of New Jersey. The Governor justl-
| fed his action, however. on the grounds or
| long service as a teacher. that he had no
private means and that "a man who goes
into politics bound by the principles OF
honor pits his family and all who may be
dependent upon him for support at the
mercy of any incalculable turn Of the wheel
Of fortune"
The statement follows.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Ad;
vancement Of Teaching is not plan iol Giu
ge pensions but for the granting OF reul ,
| ing allowances on the ground OF length an9
quality of service. Before ! was eieCteu
| Governor Of New Jersey. when ! ndo Jus'
| entered the uncertain field OF politics, dp-
piied 70 the Foundation for retiring allow
ance, TO which understood mysen 70 oe en
| titled under the rules adopted by It's tus-
/ tees. ,,r,,
A man who goes into politics bound by, the
/ principles of honor pits his FAMILY ana al
who may be dependent upon MIN t9l 'ln sup
port at the mercy Of any incalcu!aple tui u u
! of the wheel Of fortune, and felt enllrtiSS IS
/ Justified in seeking 10 provide against s@uch @
yists narticularIv when was applying for
What supposed myself 20 be entitled 10 oy
| right OF long service as teacher unoer Tue
rIles of the Foundation and not by ldVor.
7 understood that upon the receipt OF ny
annlication the executive committee OF tne
! trustees Of the Foundation restricted LnS ~, n
| depreciation of their rule ana dechneu. - -
grant the allowance. why the 49, ,er.
Should have come up again now 90 no.
know. I have had nothing 10 90 WIN ~
since the early autumn Of 1910. ] nave mol
renewed the application
w. M. EIlicott Indignant.
" N. Ellicott, whose guest Governor
Wilson is in Baltimore, had this to say Of
the pension story.
As to Governor Wilson's right 10 the pen
sion he had been teaching tWehty ~ ~ y
wears which was the requirement OF Ine
rules and why shouldn't he have II nc
gave up all those years OF MS ne 10 q
calling which paid very httle loI Iiie soTa f,a
of humanity and education, and Wnen ne
left II he was entitled to at least ask Tor
the pension provided In the Carnegie en-
doWment fund for such years OF SerVIOe
He is now being held up to the puohc IN
false light. .,,
The story saws il has not come out until
now because the trustees made II RUE rue
never to divuse the names or unsuccesslul
applicants That means tnat some 1ra,ter toriom w
his colleagues and gave the lntorrnatloIl'
For vybst nurpose? There is nothing to be
ACCOMPLISHED by such an attack, and the IN
formation was given 10 uIS pdpei -Ln 1ttn' o.
wavs opposed Woodrow Wilson. The at
tack is based on information given by some
trustee and vino must have had an oolecl.
Such information is worth hoIhlhnJ M a,,,iv
for q pension and had a right 10 do 1t.
That's all there is 10 H.
DR.. Ira Remsen, president Of Johns
Honlyins University and a trustee OF the
Carnegie Fund, when asked If Governor
Wilson was entitled 10 pension SAID;
'T don't like 10 be drawn into such
things. because they grow ano grow
and the nrst thing you know are mis-
understood In anything ! might say /
want il distinctly understood that I have
great admiration for President or Governor
Wilson, and in my mind whatever ne ala
was done like a gentleman and with the
highest ideals. He IS man incapable o.
any other conduct"
But would you, as a trustee, have grant
ed or rejected his request for a pension?'
Done by Executive Committee.
.1 cannot say what would have done"
said DR.. Remsen. "AN these details are
done in tie interim by the executive com
n1ittee ana do not come before the
committee as a whole. I am not a member
OF the executive committee. This is the
first time I have ever heard Of Governor
wilson's application. l do not know. ex-
ceptng by what you show me- tnat ne ever
applied for a pension"
was he entitled to z pension"
Dr.. Remsen took two printed copies OF
the old and new rules Of the Carnegie
Foundation and referred to the rules
.s1 find here" he seid. that there was
formerly In force a rule that any man
wbo had served twenty-five years as
nrofessor. and was at the time OF appNca-
ton an accepted professor IN an estao-
usbAd institution was entitled 20 the pen
CHM Whether that was in force az the
time of Governor Wilson's application l
cannot saw. There are now two rules gov
erning pensions. First, one who has
esrved not less than fifteen years and is
s,Ytv.fve years cf age is. entitled TO It;
second one who has served twenty-five
wars as a professor or thirty years as
nrofessor and instructor. who is in service
~ the time Of the application and who IS
diesbled as established by q medical ex-
animation
DR. Henry 5. Pritchett, president OF the
Carnegie Foundation, in an article dealing
,oi,h the moral influence Of a university
pension system published in the November
number OF THE Popular Science Monthly -
said in regard 70 the spirit in which some
Of the applications for pensions were made:
The presence Of the altruistic spirit among
college teachers is strong, but perhaps no
Stronger than among other men. AS In
everv calling. large number OF those IN
The profession OF the teacher are drawn 70
if nv bread and butter motives. The offer
ing Of d pension cannot fail IN some cases
Va minister to the selfish side OF human
natnre There will always De certain in
dtyiduals who, when they find themselves
l., nossession OF given advantage,
yybether that take the form OF beneht
O., tbe hand or one 70 be acquired in the
fnture will trade upon the possession or
the prospect OF that benefit There Will be
rnder such an arrangement certain num-
bnr cf teachers who VIII count the years
and the days untll the coming OF the
Tatniroi1no age which enables them 10 re-
sign the duties which they now perform in
. Inarfunctory and routine way. There are
etiiI other men facing responsi biities and
5ta5ov1ties in administrative places or In
,aacbine who would gladly use the way
80 The pension 10 escape from the per-
Ciavttias and responsibilities Of their posi-
tions.
SAYS NEW YORK IS FOR TAFT
Criscom Also Predicts Retention