Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-10-09
What the Farmers Charge Against the
Burlington University.

Q that nave appeared from time 10 Time our
e ing the last two years, we are able, we think
t to offer our readers a satisfactory sketch Of
l the grounds of opposition which leading
+ farmers have taken to the way in which the
> trustees and faculty of Burlington University
[ have administered the affairs of the state
agricultural college since IL was entrusted
, TO their care.
First, it is alleged that from the begin.
} ming the friends of the University fought
, the establishment of an independent indus
trial school upon the basis of the grant
made by the general government and when
they found it impossible to prevent the is
suing Of the charter, they secured amend.
ments calculated and intended to prevent a
practical realization of the scheme. The
principal change thus effected was a pro-
vision to the effect that the college should
be located only in some town which would
subscribe or appropriate 100000 toward
the purchase OF a farm and the erection of
buildings for the use of the institution.
This was theoretically opposed by promi-
nent farmers, but the lobby influence of the
University controlled enough votes to secure
its adoption. which was regarded bv those
interested as a death-blow TO the institu-
ton. As a matter of fact, no effort was
made IN secure n location under tb;s ,,ro,os
ferrous requirement.
Then, when the matter came nm before
the next legislature, the anticipated failure
of any town to accent the offer was uroed
as A reason for uniting the colleoes Tb;,
WAS ACCOMPLISHED. and the lion Law dow,
with the lamb. but as usual the lamb WAS
inside of the lion. and nothing has been
seen of IL since. The union was fonobt
strongly by several prominent farmers in
the legislature. notably in an able speecb nv
Henry Lane. of Cornwall. who pronbesied
that if the union was carried ont no one
would ever know that Vermont had an aeri.
cultural college. and that the whole income
of the fund would be used for the ordinary
purposes of the Unive rsity az a literary
and professional institution. ,Judge Ivnde
of Williamstown was another who took this
view of the question. but apain the mower.
full lobby maintained about the State Uonse
by the University succeeded in nersuad;pg
a sufficient number of the members IN the
support of their interests, and the union was
accomplished.
At first some slight demonstrations were
made of a purpose to give practical nstruc-
ton in industrial branches. but nothing was
.oaIl.. a.....I..ll
sorships were established; no efforts made
to procure farm; and soon. not mucb no.
tice being apparently taken, by the people.
of what was going on, the University sub
sided into its old routine, with no charge
except fuller faculty with better and more
promptly paid salaries and no more work.
When the bill, uniting the colleges was
framed. change. and very imnortant
change, was made in a provision which. as
it stood in the first charter, secured the flu.
ture control of the fund to the legislature,
with the proviso that. if msappropriated II
might at any time be withdrawn. This wac
altered, so as to put the matter under the
charge of the supreme court. but without
any direction or provision AZ IN how II
should be brought to the notice of the
court. This was another evidence of the
astuteness of the UNIVERSITIES lobby. and
viewed in the light of subseouent events IL
raises a strong PRESUMPTION that a misuse If
the fund. such as has actuallv taken nlace
was intended from the beginning.
A year or two passed. and it became in
creasingly manifest that nothing practical
was to arise out of the business for the
benefit of agriculture. The first man to
call public attention to the matter was Il.
E. Jameson, ESQ.,, of Irasburgh, who repre-
sents that town ia the House now in session.
Mr.. Jameson, in letter to the Neppor En-.
press, called attention to the inactivity-the
apparent morbund conditioner the agri
cultural college, as it lay in the embrace of
the University. President Angel made some
slight reply, and the matter passed along.
Shortly afterwards the State Board of
Agriculture was established, and as it held
its meetings about the state, the feeling of
the people in this matter began to find ex.
PRESTON Mr. Jameson was member OF
the Board, and other members soon became
interested in the subject As it was thought
over and examined, the feeling grew that
the trust was being maladministered and
some freedom of speech was INDUCED in re.
garding it.
At the next session of the legislature the
people were astonished to find that Governor
Peck had appointed an entire new board.
and it soon leaked out that this was done
under the influence of the University lobby.
which still maintained its activity at the
seat of government. Two of the new an
pointees were SO dissatisfied that thew were
rejected by the legislature. and new and I'M.
Objectionable names were afterwards sent
in and confirmed.
But the trouble did not end there. The
new Board were as critical of the college as
the old, though perhaps little more eau
tious and worse than all, the Secretary,
Professor Collier began to be suspected of
sympathy with the dissatisfaction of the
farmers. For this he was badgered and
prosecuted, and at last compelled to decline
reelection. The Board showed its apprecia-