Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-01-12


further legislative action as you may deem
proper.
No more important subject will claim
your consideration than the proper disposi-
ton to be made ofthis grant. Mingled with
! the counsels of earnest and honest friends
of education, you will, no doubt, find the
pressure of local interests the claims of ex-
isting institutions for additional endowments;
and possibly some not entirely dieintcrested
in their character. Among these it is no
part ofmy duty, and have certainly no in
clination, to Discriminate. The Commis-
sioner Of Common Schools has somewhat
elaborately discussed the subject in his an
nual report. Without endorsing his views,
| may be permitted to say that the clear and
| iorciblc manner in which they arc presented
may well commend them to your examina-
ton. lie is evidently embarrassed by the
question oflocal alinfiuencics; aud in cndeavor-
ing TO concIiate them, falls into the error,
as ] think, Of 50 dividing up the income of
the fund as to incapacitate either branch for
performing what will be required OF it, or
the wholcfrom achieving the usefulness that
might, by concentrated effort be accom-
plished. This is no less to be avoided, in
my judgment, than the scheme so earnestly
pressed. by educational enthusiasts of build
ing up grand institution whose professor
ship shall tempt the greatest scientific minds
of the country-whosc contribution to the
, grandeur of the State shall compensate for
its utter want of utility--whose education
, shall illustrate and expand the abstruse
, theories of science, attainabe by the few,
but sealed book to the many-whosc lee
| lures and publications, however approciable
: by the highly educated mind, will be totally
+ unintelligiblc to the honest tillcr of the soil
- who desires to learn, in the simplest and
, most practicable manner, how two blades
5 ofgrass can be made to grow where only ono
$ was produced before.
The first thing to be determined is, what
g is the object or purpose of this grant? A
2 careful examination of the act Of Congress,
: it seems to me, very clearly solves this in
qulry. The language of the law is, thai
the fund shall be MriOlaby appropriated
? to the endowment, support and maintenance
: Of at least one college, where the ieddtnl
: oiJect shall be, without excluding other sccn
tiiic and classical studies, and including mil
! tary tactics, to teach such branches of learn
r ing as are related to agriculture and lhC
mechanic arts. "
1t is evident that the intention of the en-
5 actmcnt is to institute new and distnc
p species Of education; one not heretofore
favored, or specially encouraged, by Stat,
+ or national aid. 1t is also evident that tn,
:, purpose to be accomplished is, the applica
= ton OF that instruction to the advancement
c of the agricultural and mechanic interests O
: the country. The great principle is rccog
j. nlzed trt all wealth comes hom the earth
h and the labor and mechanism requisite t
Ii produce it; and that whatever facilitate
C and increases tho production, adds alike t
l. individual and national wealth and great
{ ness.
IMMIGRATION.
~ | have not made any appointment c
y agents, or adopted any measures under tn
! act Of March 3lst, 1864, to ncourage immi
y grafton. [ early became satisfied that a
" " agent in the city Of New York could not az
~ y, complsh enough to justify the expense
!; proven that almost the entire body of GeI
10 man emigrants not only came to that cit
=, with their destination fixed, but were fun
II nished with tickets through to the deter
~ mined points This had been mainly &C
81 complished by agents of other States
y operating in Germany. The expense of c,
!" tablishing such agcnciesabro Iapprehend
- ed would exceed your anticipationS for t
J, be valuable, they must be fixed and perma
4, !, ncnt A mere tour of observation, or o
u transient information and influence woul,
accomplish little good.
Congress has made movement in th
direction. The act, like all other expert
l. ments, was defective in many particulars
/, and will undoubtedly be revised and i'm
B. proved during the present session.
l. tie more time should be taken, and if sy.
TEN of State agencies should be approved
that it be more fully examined, and CAREFUL
., prepared, and put in operation. We labC
u under the disadvantage of not being able [
J. present the inducement of large bodies
u, public lands, at low rates, to this class
y, 70 emigrants but, on the other hand the
% nancial, commercial and industrial intcres
%, 90 Of the State are so settled and hourishing {
W to invite industry, with the strongest assn
" y, ances Of ample remuneration. If 9th,
w y, States maintain agencies abroad they wi
~ ~ most certainly largely excel Us in the faci
~ ~ tiles afforded to emigrants, as well as Il
o. ." influences that will, to a material cxtcn
~ -, control their destination in this country.
y ~ is for you to determine whether the interes
20 competition. We must do it fully, and upC
Us " an enlarged and perfected system, or o,
T. ~ energies will be wasted
w. w. l apprehend you did not fully compr
~ ~ hend, last winter, the exact position Of yo'
i' present system. The act of April litl
W y, 1863, created commissioner, without salar
Lo and with an Appropriation Of five hundr,
l., dollars to cover expenses. That appropri
70 t'7 ton is yet undrawn; but in an interyic
", with the commissioners, soon after yol
- adjournment, | asccrtained that hc HI
~ claims for expenses in books maps, publ
- cations and other matters including, | b
lieve, trip to Germany, to large sum.
requested the commissioner to furnish II
v, with statement Of those accounts; but h
ID has failed to do so. My recollection is thu
Y they then exceeded three thousand dollar
y The commissioner was then under the in
l. preston that your appropriation of lSd
n was designed solely to cover this class of cA
+. pcnditures, and to authorize a trip to Gej
s. many by himself, instead Of sending Il di
ID connected agent. have not, at this tim,
id received his annual report but | have r'
N quested HIM to accompany it with a stat,
Is mCnt Of all claims against the States it
expenses. With all the facts presented, yo
b. will be able to determine upon thcexpcdicI
l. cy of revising or modifying the whole system
i Apart from the considerations of publ
% policy, the character of State is alway
c injuriously affected by the manifestation
Ie u spirit Of llibcrality and injustice towar
l. its servants In population aud wealt
ID Ohio ranks as the third State in the Uniol
D yet in point Of compensation to her publ
st officers, she stands almost at the foot of Il
l. list. | beg leave 10 present you cOmpar
st son with the States above, and sever
10 below our class, taking the Office Of Cove
n nor, which holds a relative position to Q
N others.