The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-01-18
CO.Ll,UMB'I.A,,, :: s. SC c.
Saturday Morning. January .is, 1873.
AkrIssulsurai College. Endowed by Con

8feAns
We have run over the debate in the
United States Senate, on the bill of Mr..
Morrill,, OF Maine. to provide for the
further endowment and support OF COL
leges for. the; benefit OF agticulturejandE
the mechanic arts. and the liberal and
practical education OF the industrial
CLASSES in the several pursuits and pro-
iesaicns in life, as established under an
ACT Of Congress, approved July 2, 1862.
It gives each State and Territory 800, 600
acres Of lund for the endowment Of agri-
cultural colleges, Several amendments
were proposol by Mr. Stewart, Of Neva-
da;s Mr.. sherman,s of, Ohio. aandi Nj.
Vibksrs; OF Maryland. Mr.. = Sherman
sought to ghave the endowment made
subject to the conditions and limitations
prescribed in the ACT of 1862. Under it
certain provisions are made for assistance
by tho States; the property must be ex-
empt from taxation, the State must con-
tribute certnin portion toward the
buildings, and Tie fund is to bs preserved
INTACT, the interest only OF which can be
used for the supporter the colleges. But
this, with other healthful restrictions,
were oil rejected, and the bill passed by
vote OF, thirty-nine to ofourteen. Messrs.
Thurman and Trunbull also made strong
speeches ,againat it. Tho former made
the point that the wants OF the States
for agricultural instruction arc not all
equal. he instanced the States of New
Hampshire aud Massachusetts. where
agriculture is but small part Of their
income. They are manufacturing States
and buy nearly everything that they eat
Agriculture in those States is; compara-
lively an unimportant thing, as compared
with the great agricultural States of the
Northwest and OF the South; and he
concluded that there was no Justice in
the measure. in that point OF view.
The New York Herald and the World
look upon the scheme as one conceived
in some fraudulent design, and charao-
terize it as land-grabbing job. How
it will turn out, we shall see. It has at
traoted our attention from the tone and
tenor OF some Of the speakers who adyo.
Gated it. Mr.. Morton thought. for in
stance, that there is moral obligation
resting on the nation-a political obliga-
ton and almost political necessity for
contributing to the support of common
schools in the Southern States. But
small proportion Of the 100000 peo-
pie recently emanoipated in these States
can read or write. They areAtoo poor to
eduoate themselves, and the States in
which they live are impoverished. They
cannot contribute to build up schools,
as the Northern States do, and it was the
duty of the National Governments to
give them substantial aid. Mr.. Corbett
also urged that the necessities OF the
South in this regard are immediate and
pressing. II it is desired to extend to
the South, especially to the colored race.
the privileges OF education, immediate
action is demanded. Mr.. Wilson coin
cided in these views, although not
satisfied with the bill. Mr.. Morrill,, the
author OF the bin, said that this i'm
mense public domain is passipg away
that there will'be many projects brought
in hereafter. as heretofore, appropriating
it. and in the lapse of very few years
there will be comparatively nothing left
to show what We have done. with :; it.
These institutions of learning, if we
establish them, are to live forever, and
to confer lasting benefits upon the peo-
pie. One OF the great objects OF the
bill was TO enable every State to estab-
lish college that shall be on M equality
with the foremost in any other State.
It colleges are multiplied, competition is
multiplied, and cheap but good educa.
tion is secured.
"Most of these institutions will give
their tuition free. They are caiiei for
by the spirit OF the age, which comes
now in thunder tones to make an educa-
ton available, practically useful to the
man who las it, not giving one kind of
education to ell Glasses, bat to have in
stitutlons that will educate all our peo-