The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-02-17
CONSIDER THE QUESTION.

The attention OF the STATESMAN
has been called TO a feature OF the
amendment TO the university bill,
which has already passed the Senate,
and which now goes before the
House. This amendment provides,
that, in establishing the university,
the medical department thereof may
be separated from the main institu-
ton. This is certainly a move in
the wrong direction, being an at
Tempt farm out and scatter the uni
versity to suit the supposed advanta-
ges and wants of certain localities,
a policy, which once inaugurated,
will cause countless difficulties, and
fatally impair the success and eff
cheney OF the institution. The same
policy pursued in other states has
resulted in failure and weakness.
and there are no good reasons for il.
that are not more than counter bal
anced by the inherent objections to
such a plan of organization. Gal
weston, in whose interest this pro-
vision was adopted, has but few adj
vantages over our other large
towns, in a medical point of
view, and none that would justify
a measure so fraught with
danger and weakness TO the pro-
posed university. True she has a
small medical college, with probably
a dozen students, and it would, per-
haps, greatly relieve those who are
trying to nurse this institution into
advancement to have the state adop-
it;but beyond this we can see no spe-
cial claim she has to the location of
the medical department. Besides
these considerations, springing from
the expediency and policy of the
measure, there is a very serious,
and. as we think, CONCLUSIVE
constitutional objection to the pro-
posed branching of the Univ, rsity.
The Constitution provides that the
Legislature ''shall establish, organ
ize and provide for the maintenance,
support and direction of a univer-
sity of The first class, to he located
by vote of the people of this
State, and styled the University OF
Texas for the promotion of litera-
ture and the arts and sciences, in
Guiding IN agricultural and mechan-
zeal department" This constitu-
tional provision clearly contemplates
that the institution shall be indivis-
IDLE. A university is q series or col
lection of schools and colleges.
whether of medicine. law or litera-
ture, and the Constitution commands
that the University of Texas, in
Guiding all its schools or depart
ments, shall be located by a popular
vote. This is certainly a fair and
necessary construction of the clause
above quoted, and is strengthened
by the fact, that the Agricultural
and Mechanical College, at Bryan.
is by special provision of
the Constitution (article z, section
49,, made a branch of the university
for teaching agriculture and me-
chanics; thus leading to the infer
ence that the other departments
were to remain intact, and be loca-
ted by popular vote at some one
place. If this be correct the at
tempted legislative action in locat-
ing the medical department at Gal
weston is futile and unconstitu-
tional task. In view of the impor-
lance of this matter, we trust the
House will give it more attention
than did the Senate. We print in
this issue an admirable communion
ton received since this article was
placed in type, from q representa-
tive gentleman of northern Texas.
1t comedies with our views, and is
valuable because of its more COM
prehensiYe discussion of this uni
versity matter.