JANE LATHROP STANFORD 165 



few restrictions on their gifts. Personal vanity does not give without restric- 

 tions in its own interest. He claimed that no man in California was the poorer 

 for his wealth, which was true. It never occurred to him that it was " ill- 

 gotten " or needed any apology. 



I know better than any one else, except his wife, can, how genuine Mr. 

 Stanford's interest was. He treated me, and through me, the university, with 

 perfect truthfulness and justice. For my part and that of the faculty, we have 

 tried to make the fund in our possession, count every dollar for a dollar to the 

 best advancement of higher education. 



As to the public at large, in time they will judge us by our fruits, if we 

 are allowed to live to bear fruitage. 



To a loyal friend of Governor Stanford, Senator Hoar of Massa- 

 chusetts, I wrote this on June 20, 1894: 



You will pardon me for writing to you to express my very great pleasure 

 and that of Mrs. Stanford in the stand you have taken in defence of Senator 

 Stanford's memory and in the effort you have made toward the protection of 

 the university from the evil effects of prolonged litigation in which its endow- 

 ment would be at stake. 



You who knew Senator Stanford well know that the recent attack of Mr. 

 Geary on his motives was without foundation in fact. The feeling of revenge 

 at any real or supposed slight on the part of the legislature in connection with 

 the State University, had nothing to do with his actions. He was not a man 

 to cherish that kind of feelings. The sole basis that accusation had was this: 

 Mr. Stanford acted for a few days as a member of the State Board of Regents. 

 He was very much surprised to find that this board ignored the recommenda- 

 tions of the president of the university, and in general were disposed to treat 

 the university chairs as personal " spoils." This led Mr. Stanford to doubt 

 whether, if he should endow a university for California, it would be wise to 

 place it in the hands of a political board of regents. These conditions in the 

 State Board have now changed for the better. Mr. Stanford always spoke most 

 kindly of the State University. He frequently consulted with its professors and 

 it was a great pleasure for him to know that the new institution has in every 

 way helped the old one. The friendly rivalry has been most salutary to both. 

 Instead of 450 college students in one school as in 1890, there are now 1,700 

 students in the two, besides the professional classes. 



As a matter of fact, Mr. and Mrs. Stanford founded the university with 

 the sole purpose of putting their fortune to the best use of their country. 

 I know Mr. Stanford's motives in this regard as well as one man can know the 

 motives of another, and I know that no feeling of revenge and no selfish feeling 

 entered into these motives. 



The university has now safely passed every other serious difficulty. Mrs. 

 Stanford has no other purpose in life than that of carrying out every detail of 

 her husband's purposes. Her devotion has shown itself in maintaining the work 

 of the university unimpaired during this period of hard times, while the estates 

 are in probate, and therefore not available for university purposes. 



It would, I believe, be a great national calamity if this great fund were 

 lost to higher education. It would be almost as great a calamity if it were 

 exposed to the delay and loss of prolonged litigation. 



I assure you that the great majority of the self-respecting people of Cali- 

 fornia are very grateful to you for what you have done towards the protection 

 of the university endowment. 



