368 
of coolie immigration as well as to inci- 
dental remarks on the problems of munic- 
ipal ownership. 
May we inquire whether, as it has been 
alleged in some of the Eastern journals, 
there are any other reasons than those 
mentioned for the resignation of Professor 
Ross, and may we hope that, if such other 
reasons exist, you may be disposed tu com- 
municate them to us? Many university 
men have been led to believe that in this 
case the legitimate freedom of thought with- 
out which no progress in science is possible 
has been discouraged. As this is a matter 
which concerns not a single university, but 
the interests of scholarship all over the 
country, we believe that we are not over- 
stepping the bounds of propriety in asking 
information which will enable university 
teachers to form a just opinion on the merits 
of the case. 
We desire to add that Dr. Ross is neither 
the instigator of this letter nor aware of its 
contents. Very truly yours, 
Epwin R. A. SELIGMAN, 
Columbia University. 
Henry W. Farnam, 
Yale University. 
Henry B. GARDNER, 
Brown University. 
LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY, 
SranFrorD University, Cal., 
January 7, 1901. 
Proressor Epwin R. A. SELIGMAN, 
Columbia University, New York City. 
My Dear Sir: In response to your kind 
letter of December 30th, permit me to say 
that in view of the importance of the matter 
I have referred the contents of your letter 
to a committee of three of our professors, 
Vice-President J. C. Branner, Dr. J. M. 
Stillman and Dr. C. H. Gilbert. They are 
in possession of the facts and are at liberty 
to answer any questions which your com- 
mittee may desire to ask. For reasons 
SCIENCE. 
[N. S. Vou. XIII. No. 323. 
which will readily appear it has not been 
deemed advisable for us to state the reasons 
why Dr. Ross was dismissed. His state- 
ment to the press does not assign any of the 
true reasons. Very truly yours, 
Davip JorRDAN, 
President. 
LrLanp Sranrorp Junior Untiversiry, 
3 January 14, 1901. 
Proressor Hpwin R. A. SELIGMAN, 
Proressor Henry W. Farnam, 
Proressorn Henry B. GARDNER. 
Dear Sirs: Your letter of December 30th 
addressed to President Jordan has been re- 
ferred by him to us for reply. 
In your letter you say: ‘‘ We understand 
from the public prints as well as from other 
sources that Professor Ross was asked to 
sever his connection with the University © 
owing to loss of confidence in him by Mrs. 
Stanford, and that this loss of confidence 
was due primarily to the opinions expressed 
by him in a lecture on the subject of coolie 
immigration as well as to incidental re- 
marks on the problem of municipal owner- 
ship.”’ 
In reply we beg to say that the dissatis- 
faction of the University management with 
Professor Ross antedated his utterances on 
the topics you refer to. His removal was 
not due primarily to what he published, 
said or thought in regard to coolie immi- 
gration or in regard to municipal owner- 
ship. 
We can assure you furthermore that in 
our opinion his removal cannot be inter- 
preted as an interference with freedom of 
speech or thought within the proper and 
reasonable meaning of that expression. 
These statements are made with a full 
knowledge of the facts of the case. 
Very truly yours, 
J.C. Branner, 
J. M. Srituman. 
C. H. GiLpeErt. 
