Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-02-07
Remarks of Mr.. Berry Of Wayne,
IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, Feb. 9th, on the
Resolve in favor Of the Agricultural College.

IN House OF REPRESENTATIVES,, Feb. 9TH, on the
Resolve in favor Of the Agricultural College.
The resolve appropriating 900 to the State
College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts being
under consideration, Mr.. Jordan of Brunswick
offered an amendment appropriating $4,000. Up.
on this amendment Mr.. Berry of Wayne, spoke as
follows -
Mr.. SPEAKER: / think the time has come wher
the State should adopt this institution as its nat
ural child and give it the care and support tthere
by deserves, or utterly abandon 1t as a WORTHLESS:
and useless affair
| have improved all the opportunities afforded
me since coming here. to acquant myself with
the merits and dement's of this college, and have
come to the conclusion that the former is the
wiser course to pursue, and shall therefore vote
against the amendment and for the full amount re-
commended by the committee.
From year to year the Legislature appoints a
committee upon agriculture and instructs them to
visit this institution, investigate its management,
and inquire into its wants and necessities. Their
report Is laid before the Legislature with recon.
mendatiOns covering their wants, an amendment il
at once offered cutting down the amount which thi:
committee honestly think necessary for the sue
cessful management OF the College to about one
half the sum recommended by those to whom the
whole matter had been referred and who are sup
posed to be competent to judge of the propriety
and judlciousness of the appropriation. The Col.
ege IS at once violently assailed and it is persist
emily and vehemently alleged that it is unworthy
of support and had better be abandoned oil simply
allowed to drag out an almost useless existence as
it must do if this amendment is adopted. Com
plant is made because q deficiency exists In re-
gard to this | wish to say that was told by the
President of the College that they were very much
IN need OF certain apparatus, and as 1t could not be
obtained in this country, and q long time must
eapse before it could be obtained after the order
should be given the responsibility of ordering il
was assumed, trusting to the generosity Of the Leg
islsture for an appropriation sufficient TO pay fol
this necessary expense in addition to its ordinary
running expenses. But the appropriation last win
ter was attacked in the same manner it now is
and the effort was then successful This debt ex-
listed and must be paid hence the deficiency.
The question is urged with apparent great
weight against the institution, What becomes OF
these beys after leaving Orono' DO they go at
once to farmingf Have they any intention of
ever pursuing farming for livilihoodi
Mr.. SPEAKER; | am informed that the boys
who go to Orono are in a majority of cases, poor
sous of widows, some OF them, sons of soldiers
widows, and upon graduating they find themselves
in debt and in order to be relieved of this burden
necessarily incurred during their term in college
they engage in teaching at wages from fifty to
seventy dollars per month, instead of engaging as
farm laborers at from ten to fifteen dollars pei
month. No one has the right to say that these
boys will never become farmers because they take
advantage of these conditions
have noticed that all the spe akers who have
Agricultural College, but it is more than that Its
appropriate name is the State College of Agrical-
ture and Mechanic Arts. Its course of instruc-
tion includes the use of tools upon both wood and
iron-and here will mention, one Of the direct
results of the mechanical department of this insi-
tuition, the silk factory at Saccarappa in the town
of Westbrook, which was established and is sue
cessfully operated by graduate of this college.
This factory now doing a large and increasing
business would never have existed had it not been
for this State College Of Agriculture and Mechan-
ic Arts
The farmers in my section of the State are di
vided in opinion in regard to the usefulness of this
college, and expect to be censured by some for
the position | am taking in its support, but act
from of duty to the entire State, and shall
rely upon the candid Judgment of an intelligent
and thinking constituency for the sincerity of my
motives.
If this amendment is adopted | trust it will be
supplemented by the further action of this House
in abolishing the Committee on Agriculture-for
if the House knows better than its committees
which have investigated the subject, what the
wants and needs of this institution are, of what
use is the committee!
The question is Mr.. Speaker, and gentlemen of
this House, whether this institution shall be so mig
gardly supported as to become a weak and impo-
tent affair, or receiving the liberal and hearty sup
port it deserves, it shall become giant among
the educational institutions of our beloved State.