Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-01-29

sociates, while at the same time imparting
the scientific and practical knowledge gained
while under such influence as prevails at Oro-
no, say when you have done this, you shall
have conferred upon the State boon, the re-
sulting benefit of which eternity alone can
unfold; for this influence shall widen and
broaden, till like the wave upon the ocean, II
| shall break upon the thither shore.
! WHY. gentlemen. the money expended in
manufacturing, if may use the expression,
a good citizen, is the best investment ever
made. for il is one that shall survive the col
lapse of stocks, the failure of banks, and the
destruction of floods and confagrations. and
you might as well expect 10 hide leayen
| in a barrel Of meal with no result, as TO put
such a man in any community without good
influence.
Only a few years since it cost as much to
convict a Young man over here in the county
of Waldo of murder and mete out TO him the
Just penalty of his crimes, as il would to edu-
cate for good citizens two young men at
Orono.
While an ignorant man may be dear at al
most any price, you can hardly pay too much
for one who can and will make his influence
for good felt upon all with whom he associ-
ates.
But we are met with the remark at the very
onset, that none or very few of these students
will become farmers. How often and how
pcrsistcntly is this objection urged on every
hand rs though this, if true, which | do not
by any means admit, were a valid reason why
the State should withhold its appropriations.
Well, now really, it seems to me that it will
be time enough to bring up this objection ten
wears hence Maine needs all the graduates
Orono can turn out i'll ten years as teachers
and lecturers, for teachers nowadays are
Il th.x.1 hut
because they know so much
We do not expect, nor do we desire that all
should go upon farm, but we do believe
that all will cultivate more or less land, and
that each will be, to great degree light in
the community in which he dwells; and
scientific man with his half acre Of garden.
will demonstrate more facts than the man
with the hundreds of acres that many have,
who walks in the steps of his grandfather,
and who like one of Shakspeares characters,
"Wears out his life
Much like his masters ass,
For his own provender.'
For he will be able not only to put forth the
dry deductions of science, but will be able
also to make practical demonstration of the
correctness of his theory.
Another objection to this college is, that
the farmers as class do not desire the APP
preparations and this is brought forward at
all times and on all occasions as a knock
down argument against all State aid.
Well Mr.. Chairman and gentlemen of
the agricultural committee, if this is so, and
| fear that to certain extent it is true, it is
one of the very strongest reasons that can be
urged in favor of this appropriation.
class myself with farmers, for | am far
mer the son of farmer, the father of two
farmers and the grandfather of some half
dozen whom / hope to live to see farmers. !
am an old man and have no funds to expend
in public charities, but have a duty to per
form. and have responsibilities that l dare
not shirk if | would, for my time is pretty
far spent and my whitening locks and
wrinkled brow admonish me that what l do
for the welfare of those who just a little
from this are to fill our places, I must do
soon. And it matters not, whether we are in
a majority or whether we stand alone if duty
calls, and if the farmers of Maine are as q
class opposed to an institution which has for
its object and aim the intellectual, social,
moral and industrial elevation and welfare of
their children, and childrens children, and
by which and through which some of the best
men and abest educators in our State are
laboring to accomplish this end, say if
these are opposed to the liberal endowment
by the State, of this college, then, sir, there
is one more reason why public opinion should
be enlightened and educated to the extent at
least of all this college can accomplish.
Why, sir, if none were in advance of pub
lie opinion, when or where should we see
progress? But for Dea. Grant, Arthur Tap
pan and Mr.. Cheever, and others like them
where would be the temperance movement?
But for Wilmot, Adams, Giddings, Hale and
others, where the great movement which cul-
minated in the emancipation of the 4 1000, 900
of slaves?
| Please bear with me while l speak for a
moment of one other reason why we as a
State, should deal literally by this institu-
ton. 1t is this-we shall be compelled to in
sheer self-defence.
Please remember, gentlemen, that unless a
young man has rich father to hold him up,
he has no other capital than his brains, and
from this fund he must draw for all the con-
tngencies of life. And please remember that
his brains have market value Just as much
as any other commodity.
And please remember also, that society in
recovering this market value arrive at u W on
derfully correct estimate, and this being the
fact he will carry them to the market that
will pay him the best for them, and either
from the mistaken course of Maine in the
past or from some other cause, many of our
best and smartest young men have been able
to realize more for their brains in some other
State.
Gentlemen, we must find no fault with them
for thus leaving, for under the circumstances
| hardly see how they could do otherwise
But it does occur to me, gentlemen, that your
duty as men upon whose shoulders for the
time being, devolve the cares and interests of
our State, and who are to give direction to
her policy, is to see what you can do and how
much you can do, not how little, to make
Maine worth as much to young man having
his own way to make in the world, as any
other State.
do not claim that this college if ever so
well endowed, is to be the specific for all our
disadvantages and disabilities but do claim,
and claim most earnestly that it has been.
now is, and in the future is to be, if dealt
with by the State in the spirit of liberality and
true economy, one Of the greatest and mos,
efficient agencies by which the young men OF
Maine are to be brought up to that level
where they will be the equal of any others in
all our county.
The Maine State College is the nucleus
around which in thought and sympathy the
farmers and mechanics, boys and girls from
one end of our State to the other cluster, for
here are the possibilities for them to obtain a