The sun., 1916-11-05
OBJECTS TO FINANCE
IN CONTROL OF YALE
Prof. Farnam Demands More
Clcrgymen as Life Men,
bers Of Board.
RAISES A LEGAL POINT
Corporation Directors Not
Barred, but He Says Control
by Them Is to Be Deplored.

NEW HAVEN. Conn. Nov. I'm a
statement that Is bound to cause
widespread controversy amons Yale
Yale ~, professor Of economies. to-
day called attention to the fact that
Yale Is substituting Joint stock company
directors or attorneys in place Of rep
resentatives Of literature or science as
fellows Of the Yale Corporation. Prof.
Farnam also pointed out the question Of
the legality Of this departure from Yale's
charter provisions and asks how Yale
will be Judged by the youngest Of its
daughters. Yale In China, II It's action
indicates that It does not want to have
any more clergymen in the list Of fel.
lows.
Prof. Farnam stated that according to
the original charters Of Yale in 1901 and
1928 the collegiate school was estab-
liehed by ten clergymen who were desig-
mated as trustees. partners n UNDER
takers and that they were to elect as
their successors ministers OF the Gospel,
residents Of the Connecticut Colony OF
State. Later acts OF the Connecticut
Assembly In reference to Yale College,
including that OF 1145, made some
changes but said nothing regarding the
qualifications OF the trustees or fellows
further than reciting the earlier acts.
Laymea Outnumber Clergy.
In discussing the departure recently
from the original Yale charter Prof. Far
nam said: Whereas eleven years ago
ten clergymen constituted the life men,
bers Of the corporation, there are now
four clergyInen and Ave laymen. All
the laymen are connected In some way.
either as oficers. directors or attorneys.
with Joint stock companies. There is
no representative Of literature, science,
medicine or art. For more than a
century n q half there was no devia-
| ton from the practice specified In the
act OF 1923. and all Of the fellows were
Connecticut clergymen down TO the early
part OF the twentieth century.
The legal question turns upon the
construction of the act Of 1745. II was
q complete charter In itself. supersedins
all Of the earlier acts. A held by Gov.
Baldwin and some other authorities,
there are no restrictions upon the cleo
ton OF successors to the original trus.
tees. and therefore legally they can choose
people Of either sex n any age OF
profession. This Is obviously the view
taken by the corporation since 1902
though II has never been passed upon BY
a court OF law.
1T Is certainly no disqualification for
a position on the Yale Corporation TO be
connected with a Joint stock company.
Indeed. its business affairs could not,
under present conditions. be successfully
managed II II could not command the
advice Of experts In this field. But Il ID
reasonable to ask how far the university
should go In substituting men who are
In their daily life mainly concerned with
corporate interests for men who are In
their daily life concerned mainly with
matters OF scholarship and ethics.
Changes Balance Of Interests.
1T Is natural that the alumni should
elect as their representatives men who
are prominent In business life. and tina,
Is what has been done. The gradual
election OF men OF the same type as tn,
life members OF the corporation has re.
suited In completely changing the bal,
ance Of interests in that body and Will,
eleven years ago there were six repre-.
sentatives OF business to ten clergyme,
there are now eleven to four.
According to a recent newspaper item
(for which. however, the writer assumes
no responsibility Mr.. Rockefeller hold,
that II the Apostle Paul had lived in thu
present generation he would have beer
a captain of industry. Those who tax,
that view naturally will accept the i'm
plication that II We rant to put into tn,
corporation a man OF the ST. Paul typ,
II Is in the Directory of Directors tina
We must look for him. and since W,
cannot have too much Of a good thini
II might be we'll to continue in what hal
been the tendency Of late years and cleo
to the corporation only those who ar,
concerned In the management Of join
stock companies.
There are others. doubtless, wht
think that m institution whose declared
purpose is the education of the you'll
In the arts and sciences. which maintain,
religious worship and which Is not in
frequently concerned with importan
questions Of ethics. should retain q con
siderable proportion Of men who stant
more distinctly for scholarship. scienc,
and the humanities than for successful
finance"
Prof. Farnam is q brother of william
". Farnam. trustee Of tho Shefielt
Scientific School and for years treasure
Of Yale College.