Jane Lathrop Stanford Papers

45

Copy

Exhibit "R".

San Francisco, Cal.,

1457 Clay Street,

June 11, 1901.

Dear Sir:

A copy of a circular letter dated May 28, sent by you to members of the Faculty of Stanford University, has come into my hands. Until I saw that letter I had believed that the circular letter of Dr. Ross, which you include in your communication, contained the exact facts regarding the appointment of Professor Ross in 1897. The additional facts disclosed by your letter were absolutely unknown to me. I did not know of the existence of the memorandum of April 8 nor of the memorandum of April 2; although I had heard of an alleged appointment of April 3, being in substance nearly the same as the document of April 2. I do not see that the position of the University authorities in the case of the enforced resignation of Professor Ross is in any way strengthened by these memoranda. On the country they, with the attendant circumstances, show beyond reasonable doubt that President Jordan was willing to punish a member of the Faculty for what he had said in the discussion of public questions.

As a matter of record I have deemed it just to make the foregoing statement. Will you oblige me by placing this letter on file and showing it, at your convenience, to President Jordan and to the Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means?

Very truly yours,

George E. Howard.

Mr. G. A. Clark,

Secretary.