Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-01-16

than 1000, 900 Of acres of land, had bee
granted to the States( fifteen of them) for Uni
versities, and nearly 10000, 900 for publ
schools. 1t secures the recognized policy q
the government to regard such grants a
constitutional. / trust you will pass tn
requisite law in Iowa, and be the secon
State, as State, that enrolls itself as tn
| founder of Institutions in America. TIL
New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland Col
leges started by private individuals (and re
ceive aid by the State.)
In Europe there are over 400 COLLEGES
schools and model farms. In France. Rus
STA and Prussia, they are especially caret
for by the government, and recognized as ,
great necessity Of the age. They are deem.
ed indispensable, though the first efforts wert
unsuccessful. Indeed they are the work Of
the last fifteen years. There is an old French
proverb, "God helps those who helps them.
selves" would paraphrass the adage, by
saying if Iowa wants aid from Congress, lei
her aid herself. The most powerful of all
memorials you can present, is an actual or.
ganization of college in your State; but ]
think powerful memorial ought prompt,
to be sent to both houses of Congress-.
One word more. You will doubtless find
opposition among the farmers themselves
the most difficult to overcome. In Ohio.
the farmers actually voted down the rest of
the Legislature, and would not receive the
boon. One argument in our Legislature,
was that work and study were incompatible,
and students would not work. Our first
term refutcs that idea. No young men ever
worked more thoroughly, or faithfully, or
cheerfully and this under the worst posi- j.
BILE circumstances. The farmers said, @sit
will be an Institution for tho rich mems sons,
from villages and towns only" That idea
is actually rcfuted by our experience, for
exactly the class came who needed the ad-
vantages most. . .....-
The critics and closest observers admit,
that go far as limited trial will allow, our
experience is a perfect refutation of the
sneers, suspicious, prejudiccs, al captain
dun arguments and demagogical objections,
which were offered in our Legislature.
l hardly intended to have written q page
when commenced, but as l proceeded felt
it my duty to say what have on the subject,
feeling that it might aid you and your
friends in what l regard ss vital to the edu-
cational growth and material prosperity of
your young and vigorous State. feel that
would like to see her entitled to similar
congratulations and praises to those which
the State Of Michigan receives daily in our
correspondence from all parts Of the Union
and Canada: We have now, think, more
than 100 applications or earnest letters of
inquiry from beyond the boundaries of our
State, "a dozen Or more think from Iowa
By the way, an oversight not intended, was
committed in the passage of our law. 1t
was intended to open the door to citizens of
other States on condition that they paid tu-
ition. We regard exelusiyeness mistake.
l have one request more to make, that you
would cndeayor to have your State and
County Agricultural Societies, memorializc
Congress. @
;, remain, with great respect,
Yours &c.
JOS. r. WILLIAMS.
Prest. Agl. Col. of Mich.