The Broken Promise of the University

A communication from Rev. A. J. Hanson appears in another column regarding his role in opposing the claims of Port Townsend to the university. Mr. Hanson attempts to justify himself for opposing the location of the university at Port Townsend on partly technical grounds. He squabbles in regard to the subscription raised in Port Townsend, citing numerous minor objections. Such objections could be made with equal truth against any popular subscription. The public still believes that the land and funds were raised as guaranteed, and that the conditions were substantially complied with. Even if there were a reasonable doubt as to whether the people of Port Townsend had complied with the conditions, the guarantees made by Messrs. Danny and Davis in regard to the stipulated amount should have sufficed. It is urged that these guarantees were not put in writing, but nobody knows better than the members of the Methodist Conference that David T. Denny's word is as good as his bond. What he said he would do, he would have done. Mr. Hanson knew that if the Port Townsend subscription fell one penny short, that penny would have been made up. It is dishonorable for members of the Conference to break faith with the people of Port Townsend. Port Townsend was deprived of the university not because her people had not fully complied with the terms, but because a majority of the members of the Conference were eager to break the sacred word of the Conference.