New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-06-21
TN. AsRsCULTURAL COLLEGE ACT

by Congress PrOVl0iue' ~ ~,
Lands a fund in each State for the es'ao'''"'
mont of ono or niore Colleges for The eauea-
ton Of youth in Agriculture and the Mecuan.c
A. -. ard tbs sciences auxiliary thereto. II IL
,,o+ often that measure of such promise Is
carried by majoritics so overwhelming as thls
after years Of struggle aud debate--has com
manded. We hail in this triumph aa augury
of wide and lasting good.
The benefits of such u measure cannot be
speedily realized. Probably two years viii
eIrpse before any State will have so perfected
the preliminary formalities and guarantees
most wisely required by this act as TO be able TO
avail herself directly and palpably OF It's bene-
its. Colleges must be organized, buildings
erected. faculties chosen, &c, NC, before
opportunity can be pr0dered under this act for
tie thousands OF youth who would gladly COM
bine Learning with Labor, and master the
sciences which will make them eminent
Farmers aud Mechanics rather than those
which would impel them into tie already over
crowded professions. But the time 'rat come
it will not be delayed beyond three years III
some States, especially if institutions already
commenced--such as the Farmers College oi
( Pennsylvania-sball be taken az the basis and
nucleus of the larger and better semioaries
which this act is intended and calculated 10
secure. Some States may possibly decline 10
accept the grant profered them under the
rather stringent conditions imposed by this aeti
some may all even in hearty and wrll-meaut
efforts to pOpularize Science and render the
Useful Arts liberal and even learned pursuits;
but il is not possible that III should fail. And
if tie net result Of this measure is the estab-
iishmelt OF fee Colleges in 50 many different
states which shall within five years succeed in
placing within the reach of our youth an edit
cation Of once scientific and practical, includ-
Dg a knowledge OF tie sciences which underle
and control the chief processes of Productive
Labor, oil The cost OF this measure will have
been richly repaid.
violent though not powerful oppo,ition to
Ills measure was developed on the eve oi its
passage, based 90 its alleged tendency to throw
the new lands Of the West into the hands Of
/
s,rnaih.e with this view. Al The lands which
caa De taken under this act amount to less
then Ten Millions of Acres, or about the area
of New Hampshire. The Government cannot
own less than One thousand Million Acres OF
valuable lands at this hour. All these lands
are practically opened to appropriation aud
enipvment By actual settler, while ut least one
iourth Of them are surveyed and formally open
70 settlement at total money cost of not more
than so Tor each quaTter-section OF one
hundred and SIXTY acref. To suppose that this
bin can create an oppressive land monopoly,
or even that the land appropriated by the scrip
issued under i can he held at high price, ~
much like > shuddering fear that some thirsty OK
nav drink up tho Mississippi AZ spring food
and leave al its vessels aground eyermore.
If only as graceful and courteous acknowl.
edement by the New Of the liberality OF the
/, Old States in passing the Free Homestead b1''
Wt think this measure should have received
The UNANIMOUS and hearty support OF the Great
West. The Homestead bin IS certain Ia add
e impetus and volume TO the gigantic wave Of
= euigraticu which sets steadily, irresistiby
westward. Ten years hence, the Valleys Of
the Rocky Mountains will be a. familiar to
r white settlers as those of the Aleghanes are
to-day. The certainty that the Precious Met
ais, with Coal and other less lustrOug but more
useful minerals, exist in nearly every part OF
the Sierra Nevada, OF the Rocky Mountains,
aud of the vast though mainly sterile and naked
region that lies between, ID certain 10 quicken
and strengthen the impulse 10 westward emf
grafton which is striking characteristic Of
our people and race. The Free Homestead
Act viii give TO this impulse great and gen.
eral acceleratiOn. Where one pioneer from
the Old States or from Europe sought a home
f On the great prairles and plains OF the West IN
past years, i've will do so in 1868 and fifty
before 1870. The West IL about to be peopled
and improved moro rapidly aid erandIy than
ever region Was, and one main element Of
this growth is the provision Tor Free Home
steads. Mining though il impogerishes more
than it directly enrichcs, vii create markets in
the West for staples which otherwise must be
sold far cheaper in the East or in Europe;
the Pacific R0ilroad--no longer, Wa trust, a
mere proiect-Wia rapidly add millions 10 tue
population &C thc Plains and the Mountains BY
allowing food ard machinery to be transported
70 the mines Mt rates lcss than rulnoue. 4
new and brighter era is opening Tor the Great
West; tie acts Of this Congress will have done
much 20 secure it; the East has acted gener-
ousy yct wisely in sustaining the Homestead
md p,oiG, Railroad hills: md We trust fhe