The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-07-13
AFREE UNIVERSITY.

1nOrOuRn luiOTuloeiOh % W 1hc
purposes for which the state univer-
sity is to be inaugurated would do
away with all opposition to it, and
were it not that organized influences
are steadily at work attempting to
falsify the public mind upon the
subject, it would long since have
been thoroughly understood. There
is really no controversy between
common free schools and the uni.
versity, but between university en-
dowment and the holders ofrailway
and other land certificates. If the
university be not endowed with
land, the common schools will not
get one acre more than the half
of the public domain. To
deny the university lands means
simply that the lands shall be
transferred to the organized infiu-
ences that control the certificates.
The university is simply the head of
the public free school system, it
being expressly set forth that
tuition in the university shall be
free, and that no charge, even for
matriculation, shall be made when
the state makes sufficient appropri-
alton to cover all expenses, and that
in no case shall the matriculstion
fee ever exceed thirty dollars. Ger
tainly all Texans should feel
pride in establishing and
endowing the university. A
great university would give
the state more distinction
abroad than many millions expend-
ed in any other sort Of enterprise.
In discussing this subject we cannot
do better than to extract from the
speech of Senator Terrell, made not
long ago in the state senate upon
the bill proposing to endow the
university. On the points in ques-
.llOn. hC oolu
If you will turn to section 48, of
the state constitution, you will find
that among other things which the
legislature may raise taxes for, is
included the following, viz: "The
support of public free schools, in
which shall be included colleges and
universities established by the
state" Interpreting our duty in
the light of the plain language of
the constitution, we passed law at
a former session, creating the
university of the state, provid-
ing an election for it's loca-
ton, and a law for its gov
ernment. Examine that law, and
you will search in vain for anything
that will authorize a charge for tut
tion. That university when proper
ly endowed, so that it may enter on
ITS grand work, will be public free
school for every son of Texas who
seeks instruction in the higher walks
of education ; a fountain flowing free
as the waters of the Colorado at
which all may drink. Why then in
ject into this discussion the claims
of railway land certificates? Why
seek to array the friends of common
free schools against common free
university, the oapstone and head
of the free school system?
Again, after showing the amount
OF money justly due the university
fund, he said:
Nor can we do more just or wise
thing than to make restitution in
lands to the university.
After forty years of independence
and prosperity, where, to-day, are
the distinguished linguists, mathe-
matlcians, geologists, civil engineers,
or learned men of any sort, who
have been edacated in the state
There is not one. With great re-
sources always at our control, a gen.
GRAFTON has been reared with only
such opportunities as the country
schools could afford. If a strange
mineral is found in your land, you
must send it out of Texas to be
asssyed or import man to
tell you what it is. If water
works, gas works, or manufactures
are to be established in your towns,
you must send abroad for educated
brain to construct and operate them.
If railroad is to be built, its course
and grades must be determined by
engineers educated abroad. Nor is
this all; the science and skilled labor
which we need must be imported
from a section which has been in
structed by demagogues to look on
the south with suspicion and dis
trust. What has been the result
Your best water power is not
utilized, for the people who own
it know nothing of the
manufacturing enterprises which
give it value, and capital, always
timid, comes slowly and with dis
trust; the mineral veins of your
mountains remain hidden from your
sight, tor you have not sent forth to
each county the educated geologists
to tell you where they are. Your
products, instead of being manufac-
tured here at home, bringing wealth
and affording employ ment TO labor,
go north to enrich other states
whose educated sons hold a mort
gage on all our industries. Hewers
of wood and drawers of water for
others we must remain, unless ad-
vanced education shall relieve US.