Page:A History of the University of Chicago by Thomas Wakefield Goodspeed.djvu/142

 H4 i .... If you take the presidency I am confident the future will be far more splendid than the past year. If I could elect you, you should go in at once. But the trustees of a board composed of such able men as this one will have minds of their own. If you are disposed to consider the matter, I hope you will come on to the [first] meeting and help to give direction to things from the very start You would be the only expert present. Come. The answer to this letter was as gratifying as it was surprising. It indicated an entire revulsion of feeling on Dr. Harper's part, and showed that he did not hold himself bound to Yale for any long tune. His hands were not tied, and his heart turned toward Chicago. Here is that part of the letter referring to the presi- dency: The personal questions in your letter I, of course, appreciate. I will make you here one or two frank statements; in return, I ask the same thing from you. My statements are these: 1. I am much more inclined to consider the Chicago question today than I have been at any time within the past four years. If I could talk with you, I could show you how and why this is the case. 2. If I thought, or had ever thought, that the matter would be practically a unanimous feeling on the part of those interested, it would have great influence in removing difficulties which have always existed in my mind touching the matter. Now will you answer me frankly three questions: (i) What other name or names have been proposed; who is in the field? (2) So far as you know, what is Gates's feeling in reference to the matter ? (3) So far as you know, what is Rockefeller's feeling ? You and I know each other pretty weH. This is a matter for absolute frankness. The only motives which would induce me to take hold of the work would be: (i) a feeling that no other man could be found who would suit the demands of the parties interested; (2) the satisfaction of working for the denomination; (3) the pleasure of being connected with you. As a matter of fact, within two weeks, I shall be made here the Dean of the Faculty of Phi- losophy and Fine Arts, if I will accept it. It has been proposed to me by the President and by the leading members of the Faculty The whole question is a perplexing one. Will you not write me fully and frankly how you feel and think ?....! will come to the first Board meeting. It is probable that Dr. Harper's uncertainty about the feelings of Mr. Rockefeller and Mr. Gates as to the presidency was due to the fact that in the desperateness of the struggle to establish the institution the question had hardly been thought of, much less