Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-02-20
Mr.. Morrill's Land Bill.

The Rutland COurier in reply 10 our charge
Of uniarness in that The Courier published a
portion of the proceedings Of the Vermont State
Agricultural Socety so 10 appear as entire and
official, claims the right To Judge Of what shall
and what shall not appear in its columns. This
right we of course concedc. and 1t is one upon
which We would in no degree infringe. Had
the Courier seen fit 10 publish the report in
question in any other manner than as official we
should have had nothing to say. But as we
furnished it with slip over the name Of the
Secretary Of the Society, we insist that it was
unfair so to publish the report as to make it APP
pear that VIC sent but partial account Of the
proceedings. This may be courteous in the
opinion of the Courier. Tastes are said TO DIFF
fer.
The Courier wishes to know if we consider
It fair aud honorable in the Agricultural Society
to act upon such n subject as Mr.. Morrill's Land
Bill. We reply tina, we do consider it both
fair and proper.
The subject OF agricultural education is one
of The most pertinent objects of inquiry and CON
sideraiion thai can he entertained by any asso.
citation having for its object the promotion Of
agriculture 1t is one that should enlist its ear
Hest and warmest sympalhies. 1t lies at the
very foundation Of all improvement and ADVANCE
ment. This position the Courier will at once
concede to be correct
The question recurs, Is the bill introduced
by Mr.. Morrill, to donate public lands for Col
leges in behalf of agriculture and the mechanic
arts, calculated 10 effect desirable an object
We think there can be but one answer to this
inquiry. II is manifest that in the present CON
ditlon of educational inst buttons a college for
the purposes contemplated cannot he put in sue
cessiul operation without some endowment.
The public lands have been freely donated Tor
the building mp and endowment Of colleges,
acadamies and other semlnaries of Learning
throughout the great West. without any sor, of
opposition Why then should there be any OBJ
jeci"n 10 extending the system until it shall EN-
brace all the States and Territories in the CONF
try
We commend to the consideration of the
Courier the following from the Cincinnatus.
Journal published al Cincinnati, and devoted to
scientific agriculture, Horticulture, education
and improvement of rural taste. After recap
itulaiing the provisions OF Mr.. Morrill's bill the
editor says
" hat the passage of snch bill wonld in
vest with new interest. and breathe new life in
TO our present system Of common high school
instruction. there can be no reasonable doubt
That it would he no more than a simple act Of
justice 10 the classes contemplated, say nothing
about pulley, is no less certain Such a lib
eral diffusion Of means for The promotion of
higher education Of the Mechanic, Farmer and
Merchant by this nation would of itself create
a greatly increased demand for such education
among all classes. 1t would also be in con-
fornty with the utterauces of the grea; and
good of our own country from the earliest period
OF Its history to The present. 1t is bill 10 car
ry out what Washington devised. For we are
Informed that in 1890 he conceived plan Of
ENGRAVING the subject Of Agriculture into ma.
,ional system of education, aud placing the cul-
tivators of the soil aud their instruction under
national patronage, Presidents, Governors and
Legislators have all along urged the importance
of such a measure, bat as vet all has been in
vain.
The Agricultural community il is believed
are now prepared for it; the people cume ask
ing II at the hands OF their representatives ask
ing yes, the terms may he sand, in many places,
to be ln0re imperaiive-they demand it. If
their requests are spnrned, they will place such
agents in power. Let but the word 90 firth
TO those annual mustcrngs of the nalion-the
County aud State fairs-embi acing the stand
Ing armies at The PlJw, the Anvil and the
Loom, that such measures are demanded and
the work is done. The tendency is rapidly 10
this point; all that is required is a cnnsollda-
tion of powers and lnrces now in existence.
Science Art IN 1