, 1873-03-03
TIE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE sUBslDY


TIE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE SUBSIDY,
Several days ago, the House passed m Agri-
cultural College bill Is substitute for tho Nor
rll bill which pnsaod tho sonato oarly in tho
aosaion. a large portion Of these laut days Of
tho sosHon has boen occupied by the Senate in
tho discussion Of tho Houao bill, and It has final
ly boon roforrod to conference committee, with
tho prospect Of adjusting the slight differences
mud rasaiug 1t through both Houaos. Tho bill
mortgages tho public lands for tho benefit Of
Agricultural Colleges after tho following fashion:
Tho proceeds Of all Halos Of public lands are to DO
got aaido for tho endowment Of Agricultural Col
leges, each stato to rccoiyo an equal proportion
Of the subsidy. one-half Of theao proceeds is to
bo invested In s por cent Government bonds, to
DO held us pormanont fund, tho interest on
which is to bo paid to tic several Btatoa until
each State shall bo In receipt Of $4,000 por an-
mum. The principal will thon amount to
100000 for each State, or s37, ,000, 600 in a1l.
Tho othor hnlf Of tho proceeds from tho sale of
public lands Ii to bo paid over to tho TruBteos OF
tho various institutions In cash, without any re-
dispose Of 1t. This will amount to $4,000 900
more 30 that the full subsidy will bo s74 600 900
now, and will incroaso with tho admis-
sion OF now 8tatos. This bill has boon
openly characterized by its opponents in
tho Senate Us hugo job, and tho circumstances
attending its introduction and pressure Indicate
as much. Tho Presidents, Truatoes, and Profess
sors Of tho various Agricultural Colleges through
out. tho country havo boon in constant attond-
anco upon Congress during the whole session,
working for their bill with tho persistence Of
mon who expect proat. Ita pasango by both
Houses, in tho faco Of the SERIOUS objections to
tho schemo, would imply that 1t had been se-
cnred by bargains; and tradcs, and the
usual devices Of a succeasful lobby. That tho
project is an outrage upon tho people will bo
readily understood by u consideration Of tho fol-
lowing points:
!. It will add 81, 1000 900 yenr to tho taxes of
tho American peop1e for the next twenty-sovon
years. It is estimated that tho sum Of $3,oo0,-
600 is about tho annual proceeds from tie sales
OF tho public lands. Thia sum ia now devoted
to tho payment Of tho interest on tho public
debt. It will DO impossible to take avay s3, ,00O,-
600 Of annual rovcnuo without adding 93.00o,-
QUO to the annual taxos in aome shape or other.
If thero were no other objection than this it
should DO sufficient to defeat the scheme.
2. Ono-half Of tho gross subsidy, or s87, ,000,-
600, wild be intruatod to tho hands Of tho Agri-
cultural College managers, to bo used by them
as thoy may sce ut, and without any restraint
other than such as they provide. It tn out
rageoua that so largo d sum Of tho public monsy
should be disposed OF in this loose and reckloss
way. 1t is inevitable that great portions Of 1t
will be misappliod, and probable that much Of It
will be stolen.
8. Tho project itsolf is unfair, because it
diyidoa tho subsidy equally among all tho States
without reforenco to their size, population, or
needs. The thorough" stateH Of Rhode Island,
Delaware, Florida, and Nevada will each receive
as much Of this money aa Pennsylvania, nli-
nois, Ohio, or Indiana. The New England States
will secure six times as much money az tho
State Of Now York, though the population Of the
Inter Ia creator than thnt OF tho six New Eng
land States combined. Whilo this is one Of the
reasons why the bill should not pass, it il also
ono Of the reaBoua why 1t has boon 80 strong in
tho Senate, whore the email States arc apt to
combine for their own special interests.
4. Another objection to tho scheme is, that tho
object ia Of questionable propriety. At tho very
best, tho usefulness of Agricultural Colleges has
never Jet boon demonstrated, and the appropri-
alton Of s74,0o0,oo0 to IN unpromising expert
mont ought not to bo possible IN any govern
mont. II tho workings Of these institutions, SO
far, aro to be accepted aa final test OF their
merit, the country would perhaps DO aa we'll of
without thcm. There has never yet been q
State Agricultural College which did not
open up new opportunity for political
wre-pulling, for diesonaion, and for waste
of time. Many of them aro, perhaps, con-
voniont rofugos for mon who have proved
unsuccessful in other cal1ings. In ono or two
cases they have been used as meapa for em-
bezzllng public money. Tho farmora have mover
Expressed any fifth in the work which these in-
stitutions have promised. Wo have yet to hear
OF any groat improvement, or any useful inven-
tion, anypracttcal aid to agricultural pursuits,
that omanatod from an Agricultural College. ALI
tho lahor-saving machineH, and tho improved
Implements, and tho superior agricultural prae-
ticoa, hayo boon invented or discovered outsido
Of tho colleges, and most of them were known
before Agricultural Colleges were thought Of.
Tho United States Government is not In eondi-
tion to givo away s74,ooo,ooo to any special ill.,
tcroR, but loast Of all to ono which fails to CON-
mand the confidence Of tho people.
During tic past fow days, tho Senators who
have opposed this bill, among whom arc Oonk-
ling, Sherman, Morton, Window, and Thur
man, have boon in receipt Of lettora from tho
abloat educators in tho country, protesting
ngainat tho measure. President Eliot, of Har-