Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1872-12-20
Mr.. MorrilPs Speech on Agricultural
Colleges.

proceeded 20 consider the bill Is. No. 693)
to provide for the further endowment and
support Of colleges for the benefit of agricul-
ture and the mechanic arts, aud tho liberal
and practical education Of the industrial
classes in the several pursuits aud professions
in life, as established under an act Of Con.
gress approved July 2, 1862.
Mr.. Morrill,, of Vermont Mr. President,
the present bill is intended to he SO guarded
that it shall injure no State, while il
aims to confer positive benefits upon all.
The land States, so called, have been and are
properly jealous about having large tracts of
land "gobbled up" so to say, by spectators,
and withheld indefinitely from settlement.
This bill is framed, as now modified, so as to
avoid any such result, though, to obviate this
really valid objection, the friends Of the
measure will be compelled to sacrifice some.
thing Of promptitude as well as of efficiency.
The power under the original law, to
which this bill comes in as a supplement to
sell scrip and locate the same in large bod.
les, was perhaps created, and in aifew instan.
ces may have been injuriously exercised !;
but the whole amount issued up to 1871, I'M
der the college land act, was only 7,636,5SS
acres and l,46l, l57 acres of this was To-
Gated by ten Of the States within their own
boundaries, and if they hold on for dear
prices, no other parties can be blamed !
while the grants for military services, open
to the same objections. have been eight or
niue times larger, or 60 the extent of 3d.
ll5,202 acres. In point of fact, the evils
so much dreaded have been, if not exaggera-
ted in good part mistakenly imputed to the
college land grant, when really chargeable,
ifany have existed, to the unprecedented but
iustiiable issues Of military land warrants
Under the present amendment, it will be seer
there can be no possibility of such an evil
The general land system Of the United
States is in no manner to be disturbed.
The measure as now offered avoids also any
interference with the homestead law, 1.-THE
chief benefits of which it may be regretted
are not likely hereafter to accrue to our owl
citizens,) and shuns all danger as to any por
ton of the lands being bought and kept il
large masses by spectators. To this end
therefore, the lands are to be held in custody
by the United States until actually sold, Il
the extent Of half million acres for a IA
tioual college in each State and Territory
} and when sold the amount, deducting cxpen
| SEES, is to be invested in United States iv,
per cent. bonds, to be held by the Treasure
of the United States for the benefit Of eacl
of the colleges, and the interest paid Thereon
semi-annualy.
f This will not be inconvenient to the Gov
eminent, and will at the same time give tn
highest security to the colleges. Beyond this
the United States will obtain and retain
lien upon the funds practically enforceable
t to compel substantial and satisfactory com
t pliance with the conditions and Limitation
; of the original land grant, as well as Of thos
of the present amendment The funds cal
never be squandered nor misapplied. 1t ma.
be some years-much longer than | coul,
e wish-before the full amount Of this gran
g will be realized, but in the end il will Civ
; an annual income to each institution of no
less than $50, 900, which, il not large, vii
be enough to place them Oh solid 'ounda
ton of assured success, e,lng to them ;
, prestige o. stability and tn, laepor roots Q
. institutions aided by the. en,~lv Of the ma
a tional Government
. Advantages Promised.
. The next consideration Is whether the d,
nation proposed will be of so much advar
tage to the several States as to be common
u surate with the cost. The success which ha
already attended even the very limited ell
Y dowments under the original act to whic
Q this Is supplementary, gives most encoul
aging answer not that success has been en-
= tirely constant and everywhere beyond a
C cavi the outfit was too restricted for 5
r much to be expected but there is abundar
= proof that success in most of the states ha
:. been uniform and satisfactory, and anon
; nearly thirty institutions which have ju
J. now got into working order, there are
d least six or seven which already stand fort
/. pre.eminent in character and usctunes
N More will follow when they have the mean
and some are struggling to get under wa
with such means as they can now cOmman'
'i In Michigan, Iowa, Kentucky, Illinois Ma
j. sachusetts, New York and Connecticut the
Ut have got under way and are already doir
=. educational work of priceless value 1t
hardly too much to say that any one of Il
u institutions established in these Statcs--ar
Id Kansas and Missouri are not far behind
" will ultimately be worth singly more to OF
/. country than the entire cost Of the origin
grant to all Of the states. The seed fell u
OF good ground and has brought forth mai
Ut fold. Legislative iiberality and private m
Sc nifcence joined hands, and have already gi
ne en- to national colleges for the industri
70 classes the strongest and livelest hopes of
triumphant career. They have started up,
a new field of labor, where the demand vast
III exceeds the supply, and have already w
r public confidence,
ne Higher General Education Necessity.
nd A great change has taken place certain
a. in America, in the absolute emancipation
nm labor from all legal restraints-all save {
= dolelul eight.hour straight-jack, al
4" there is more freedom in the choice { tho
Ell studies which master and control IT, big
en- ways of life. Instead Of being the i tin
lis ton of few, education is becomn! 4
a. right Of all, and the distinction of tn mar
We live not only in new world, but in
10 new era. Learning steadily advances, ri
re- old errors are tramped under foot without
g murmur and without fear Of papal II
n The State, as well as the individual,
its ambition, and takes an interest
I ., multiplying and holding educated IN,
IL They are its executive, legislative, and iuC
in cial supports. They figure in the otti'
en- pages of history, They turn to use and {
- ioyment every idle and leisure 'crap of tin
They adorn the press, the bar and the p,
III pit. They settle national differences by OF
er modes than war; or, if war they mu
for the power Of an army Q. educated mi
to. guided by educated men, Is sure to tral
ols cend by far that Of any equal number of u
educated
II The education of the plodding, stO
ire willed German people has been compulsol
1as while that Of the nimble, hght.heari
aid French nation has been neglected, and tn
~ recent bloody and decisive conflict sho
,"O that victory would moi be wooed nor won
Tor illiterate soldiers. Wherever pitted in