The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-09-09
A APLAI TACTICAL QUESTION.

Not AL interest has been excited in
behalf of the establ;shment in Austin of
the Presbyt,.:an College. Dcnison prof
fers a school building that cost perhaps
$50, 900, but Denison is in the very north
ern confines of the boundless State, and
Austin, on lofty heights, is centrally loca-
ted. The day is not distant when there
will be as great wealth, as rich cities, as
numerous and prosperous farmers west as
east of Austin. The tide of population
flows steadily towards the setting sun.
The rivers of the west will be diverted
from their channels and made to enrich the
most fertile plains, in the most delightful
climate that blesses mankind, making life
worth the having and riches worth enjoying.
Just now money is inaccessible and it is
quite impossible for Austin to gather any
very great sum in cash. But the founders of
colleges are men of wisdom. They live in
the future and toll as sedulously for pos
terity as for themselves. Therefore they
would accept property that must be, when
the country's finances are restored to their
pie need have NO apprehensions of final
danger. The date of the resumption of
business Is by no means remote. Bond
holders aud banks and great corporations
control the finances of the nation. Grant
cares little what happens if his own ag
grandizement be assured. The treasury's
bowels of compassion will soon be
loosened, and whatever may be the asserted
policy of the government, there will be,
and speedily, an initiation of the currency.
Without it, banks and insurance corpora
tions, and individuals having money at in
terest, will be bankrupted. This calamity,
unless the people be relieved and business
activity and speculation and railway pro-
gress and construction be resumed, is inevi-
table. The International stands still, and
must until these results be attained, and
then the property which citizens of Austin
may convey to the Presbyterian College, at
valuations made to-day, will be readily con-
vertible, and the Institution will thus be
richer than if it had accepted nothing but
money. Our citizens, whatever their rela-
tions to churches, may well contemplate
the matter considered simply as a business
transaction. So far as we are concerned,
the church has no concern in it. If we
can gather here two hundred young
men, they will expend five hundred
dollars each in Austin. One hundred Pres
byterian families will make Austin their
home that they may educate their children.
1t is thus easy enough to see how Austin in
this way gains from these two sources GER
tainly $500, 900 per annum, and yet we are
required to invest only $35, 900. But this
is not half the story. If the Presbyterians
build college here, the Baptists and
Methodists and other Christian denomina-
tions will see how infinitely advantageous
to each will be the mere fact of the colo
cation of these institutions. They beget,
ef necessity, the successful establishment of
that university munifcently endowed by
the founders of the Republic of Texas.
Each college becomes the gamer by reason
of the university, of which it will really
constitute part, and then men lmperfectly
educated will not go forth from these Texan
institutions of learning. Our professors and
lecturers need no more be trained for US
in Gottengen or Heidelburg, or in Oxford
or Dublin or Cambridge. These plain facts,
doubling the utility of the college, have
been considered, we presume, by the learned
gentlemen to whom the destinles of this
Presbyterian institution have been en-
trusted. We are told that gentlemen of
the city having taste, and intelligence
enough to confess an interest in this matter,
will meet at the Opera House that q COM
mittee may be appointed to correspond
with the trustees and devise plans for Sc
curing the endowment fund required as a
condition precedent 10 favorable action on
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