New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-04
A NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Urged by American Jews in Mem
DRY of Haym Solomon.

To the Editor OF he Tribune.
Sir: blot has been resting on the Amer
lean nation for almost $40 years since 1776)
the ingratitude of ignoring the services Of
one Of the greatest patriots of the Revolu-
tionary period, who financed and backed the
government in freedoms cause. the great
Polish Jew, Haym Solomon. of New York and
Philadelphia, banker and patriot of the first
order
Not a school book in the United States has
even mentioned Haym Solomon, not poem
was written in his honor by any author or
historian, except John Fiske, George Ban
croft, Isaac Markin and President Madsons
correspondence to Randolph and in the Con-
gressonal Records of Washington. While
song and praise is devoted in most historical
books to far lesser figures of the Revolu-
tionary period, Haym Salomons name has
been forgotten. He died at the age Of forty
five in Philadelphia, leaving a widow and
two small children. and all his papers and
the governments obligation to him were lost
in those troublesome days Of the Revolu-
tionary period.
We American Jews from all over the coun-
try demand Of Congress the right to recoS-
cate in the cause Of freedom, not BY a stone
monument. which uselessy fills our parks or
public squares. Our plan has the indorse-
ment OF ex-Presdent Taft ex-senator Root,
Governor Francis Burton Harrison Of the
Philippine Islands. Senator O'Gorman, Of
New York, and Senator James W. Wads-
worth OF New York
The plan is, as Haym Salomon's loan TO
tho luifad ,,soc NefO 400 N 1t'I6
and interest and compound interest amount
TO over Sl500OO,OOO. from part of that in
terest national university in Washington
should be erected and named the Haym Salo-
mon National University; this 20 be the
clearing house for the intellect and culture
Of the American universities and colleges,
and for research work in all branches Of
human thought that are at present carried
on "philanthropically by our rich men 5
foundations. This institution should be car
red on by the United States government;
is professors would not be muzzled nor be
compelled to deny the truth or to be under
the rule of "petticoat" like many Of our
universities that are supported by some o.
cur milionaires
national university in Washington has
been dream Of every President and every
statesman and every man OF letters from the
time of George Washington ~ 10 the time
of ex-President Taft, who few months ago,
in a speech at Cincinnati, advocated most
strongly national university at Washing
ton for postgraduate courses for the Amer
lean students.
| call the attention of every Governor in
the United States and every member Of the
Senate and Congress TO this move, and es-
pecialy urge the Governor of Pennsylvania
and the Mayor of Philadelphia TO do their
duty 10 a man OF their city Haym Solomon.
who was the founder Of the Bank of North
America, the founder Of the Chamber Of
Commerce Of Philadelphia and several other
good institutions, who was the leading spirit
Of the American Revolution and by whose
bounty Madison, jefferson and Randolph lived
for years when the government machinery
was stationed at that historical city. Phila-
delph!a.
trust that every intellectual person Of
the United States, every university, every
scholar, every diplomat, from the President
to the city mayors will indorse this move and
make next Fourth of July subject to their
oratlons nd arouse true patriotism by cor
Iecting the history of the United States and
give Haym Solomon the honorable page that
he so deserves from the American nation.
LOUIS FRIEDMAN.
New York. July /, 1915.