1903-04 Volume 28 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

THE SCROLL. 363of any man in Nebraska to the corrupting inflnence of these principles—-nogreater calamity can befall the university than to accept his money.Human experience seems to show that the receiver of a gift becomes,sooner or later, the apologist of the donor and his methods. Where thereis a possibility of such a. result, jealous regard for the moral atmosphere ofthe institution makes the refusal of the gift an imperative duty.Many other eminent authors, living and dead, are beingquoted on this line, among them Herbert Spencer andCharles Dudley Warner.Chancellor Andrews is supported by hundreds of friends/who say that institutions of learning may accept the offeringsof any individual, since such donations, no matter from whatsource they come, will redound to the enlightenment of theignorant and the uplifting of the masses. They point outthat state universities have always been the recipients of donations,and declare that Mr. Rockefeller is not so black ashe is painted. The Omaha Bee, owned by Edward Rosewater,favors acceptance of the Rockefeller gift, and standsvaliantly by Chancellor Andrews.The cartoon on the subject that here appears wa& publishedoriginaUy in the Lincoln News, and republished in theNew York Tribune, which loaned the zinc etching plate foruse in THE SCROLL. A special dispatch from Lincoln to theNew York Herald says:Overshadowing for the present all other questions—social, political orreligious—in this state is the one concerning the advisability of accepting agift of $66,667, from John D. Rockefeller, who would devote that amount,providing the people subscribe $33,333, toward the construction of an additionalbuilding for the University of Nebraska—a "temple" on the campus,in which religion, science and the arts should find a home.Students, faculty and friends were formed into personal agencies for theenlargement of the "temple" fund. Fraternities and collegiate societieshave subscribed. Men and women students have been turning in collectionsof $ioeach. The faculty, with a very few exceptions, favor accepting Mr.Rockefeller's gift. The students have pledged $3,000 and the faculty$35500- Nearly the whole of the required amount has been raised, butmuch feeling has been aroused throughout the state against acceptance ofthe Rockefeller gift. Clubs, societies, churches and political parties havetaken up the subject, and practically every thinking man and woman in thestate is interested.Those who oppose accepting the Rockefeller money have taken a standthat has attracted the attention of educators. They declare that money accumulatedin a way they describe as sordid and selfish—often using moresensational terms—should be spurned, and that it would be tantamount to anexpression of approval of monopolistic methods if such a donation were accepted.The chancellor frankly admits that he suggested to the oil king that asubscription would be acceptable, and insists that there is no thought ofhampering liberal expression of educational views within the classroom be-