Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-02-10
bitteres opponents, and those who favor Its aban

flashed across the mind of Caesar that Marcus Bru-
! tus was one of the consprators against his life,
/ Caesar said, and thou, Brutus,-the TALL Cesar
| This exhibition Of lngratltude was too much Tor
! the "noble Roman," SO he drew his cloak about
him so to fall in deccncy and order, and yielded
to the overwhelming power of the conspirators.
If this is to be the fate of the College of Agri-
culture and the Mechanic Arts, those for whom it
was established, and for whom it promises most,
must be held mainly responsible. Perhaps this
| legislature is ready to give this "child OF the
State tre heroic treatment that VIII end ITS days
at once. This certainly would be preferable to
the Treatment suggested by the Senator from OX-
ford, which would only serve to prolong miser-
able existence.
! Let us fook at figures again for a moment, and
see if the cost of this need to appall the
taxpayers of this State. tax of 10 cents on
valuation of $1,000, will give the college ali that
is asked for ii. The poor farmer then, who pays
tax on re al and personal property 10 the amount
of $4,000, will pay 20 cents toward this appropria-
| ton. Is there a respectfully Intelligent man IN
| the State who would not much rather pay his pro-
portion of this tax than to the college come to
a premature endf My estimate of men generally
i, too high to admit of the belief that they are
capable OF repudiating their pledges and obhga-
tons to the nation, and TO The one hundred and
twenty poor boys now in the institution which
! those pledges and promises have placed there. to
save the pary tax of 10 centson Il thousand dol
lars.
| Ii is claimed here that the friends Of the institu
|
muniicence of individuals in support of ii. do
not understood how this could be possible. The
! State coald pledge its own support and no more
and if any man has ever been sanguine enough to
expect that large contributions would be made by
private muniicence, all we have to say about 1t Is
! that those contributions are not yet forthcoming
! however desirable they may be. The college IS
/ State institution, and dependant on the State Tor
/ its support, and the attempt TO prejudice the mind
| of ANYBODY against it by representing that its
I cd 10 fur n
sources which, of course, they had no right u do
i; they did, is not, submit, valid argument, or
a fair objection to necessary appropriations.
! The Senator from Oxford alludes to expendl-
I turt upon the farm sad commentary on scien-
! ttc farming in Maine. Now what the facts !?
The Superintendent has been conducting large
number Of experiments for a series OF years. They
set forth III his report. All Of these cost time
and money. They are designed TO obviate the
necessity Of individual experiments to arrive at
certain facts that every farner is interested 10
know. The Governor says: The report of the
farm superintendent, giving in exact detail an ac-
count of the experiments conducted by HIM and
| by the students under his supervision, Is of great
interest and must be of direct value to the farming
community" 1t cannot be otherwise. The aver
age farmer cannot afford to spend time and money
to ascertain these results; but TX, at an expense
borne by the many, and SO 81 ght AS II be ute ry
| iuapprecable, they may be made and are made
| for tue benefit of ali but Of course do not bring
/ immediate pecunaIy returns for the necessary
|
OUTLAWS.
! Again, the productive capacity of this farm has
been trebled during the last five years. There has
| been more put into the farm than has been taken
out. We all know by observation, il not by expe-
rience that when a farm is undergoing the stuff
ing process 1t does not al the same time increase
the amount of money in the owners pocket; and
! vet improvements made may eventually prove
a good investment. Many OF the Improvements
made on this farm are of permanent char cter,
such as the removal of bouders, the filing OF
sloughs, open and understanding, construction Of
roads and bridges &C., all of which are necessary
and expensive, but do not bring immediate pecu-
MARY returns. And yet, the simple, ordinary farm
WORK on this farm pays as well as that upon any
farm. 1t is only when these operations are carried
on in connection with experiments and extensive
and permanent improvements, becoming, in
measure the Dirigo State, that it becomes, in the
mind of the Senator from Oxford, tie sad COM
mentary on scientific agriculture.
| But, Mr.. President We hear men say that they
would be willing to make the appropriation desired
this year, if this were to be an end Of the begging
| The difficulty lies here-the trustees desire and
ask and need more room for college accommoda-
tons. When this is supplied, small annual APP
Precipitation in addition to the interest OF the per-
manent fund will be sufficient. l understand that
$4,000 more would be sufficient to give them all
the buildings they need for many years to come.
1t is ity that the institution should be hampered
and cramped for want Of so small an outlay as this
would be. WHY, one single school district in the
city in which | reside has built school house at
a cost of $4,000. Many other school districts in
the State have done much or more; aud it
| seems to me that when citizens so vote TO tax
themselves for school purposes, that their repre-
sentatives need not fear to impose upon them so
very slight burden as this would prove.
| The industrial college is in Its infancy. These
are its days of experiment and struggle 1t has no
wealthy religious denomination behind it, and as
vet no alumni to assist it. But if it can receive
the fostering care of the State for time, there is
reason TO hope and believe that it may be endowed
as similar institutions have been in other States
If it is allowed to angush, to drag along in con-
dition neither dead nor alive, We have no right to
expect aid from private muniticence.
| | must vote upon the resolve as | do on all
Others, on its merits. 1t is insinuated that friends
| OF certain measures have sometimes driven sharp
trades to secure their success. have not been
witness to such transactions and certainly should
be very unskiilful in such traffic. If vote for a
resolve appropriating $4,000 to the Centennial
Commission, il is because it is in my Judgment
| that tne amount is required to make the exhibition
creditabe to the State of Maine; and the same
State pride that ustltes my action in this, justes
my action in voting appropriations to make the
State farm, in all its appuitenances and belong
ings something more than an ordinary farm. If
| vote for resolve appropriating 500 to pay out
standing bills against the town of Roxbury, as was
done last year, 1t will be because l believe the
statement of facts 10 be put in by the Senator from
Oxford is true, and contains no "cat under the
me al, no mystery, deception, and that it is a
meritorous claim; and not because the Senator
has promised or shall promise to vote for the APP
preparation for the State College.
| | have no idea as to the fate of this resolve,
other than that deduced from the cons liberation
that honest practical, sensible men are to pass up
on it and shall not utter woid of complaint
be it voted up or down. 1t is not personal matter
of mine, but in common with every other gentle
man at this board am endesvorng to do my duty
to the State, as | understand it. l shall vote
against the amendment offered by the Senator
| fl ON Oxford, and for the amount originally
ported, because | believe it will rebound to the
credit, the prosperity and the glory of the State
| to do.
| hope the amendment will not be adopted, and
that the resolve will pass to be engrossed
| Mr. WHEELwRIGHT opposed the amendment.
He said that since the introduction of the resolve
he had heard the remark made that this was not a
State institution, and ought to be abandoned. He
referred to the conditions of the Congressional
grant, and showed that after the varied and differ
plans offered, the college was established under
the Jurisdiction Of the State. The State in good
faith entered on its work, and in accepting the
grant pledged itself to sustain the college. The
trustees of the college have been obliged to come
to this legislature year after year, to make known
the needs and wants Of the college. Repeatedly
the appropriations they have asked for have been
immensely cut down. lie contended that this col
/ Il. I Al \ L.