The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-25
THE STATE UNIVERSITY.


The success of Harvard university
$ because of its ability to employ the !
eading men in science and in letters
Is its professors. 1t has at this time
invested funds amounting to 81 10000,
from which an annual revenue of
S233, 900 is derived. Its investments in
real estate in the last fifteen years
amount to nearly S2,500,000, and there
is always cash balance in its treas
ury. Money makes the mare go, and
it is money that has impelled Har-
ward and Yale and John Hopkins and
the university of Michigan, that
has placed them in the front,
and secured them worldwide
reputation as institutions of learning.
The university of Virginia has grown
up and become great more upon its
real merits than any other know uni
versity. But Virginia had her Jeffer-
son to create and popularize this In
stitution even at its inception. He
had the power to influence the legis-
lature of Virginia to extend liberal
aid, and rising under the halo that
surrounded this distinguished man, it
won ut once what fortune secures,
A university was the proper thing for
establishment more than a half CEN
fury ago in Virginia, and Thomas
jefferson was the founder. 1t was
tbs proudest worI. of his life, not ex-
cepting even the declaration of indie
pendence of an infant federal Union,
In his last days Jefferson looked out
from Monticello with more pride upon
the university's shining dome than
he felt when he reflected upon
the great state paper which
won for him eternal fame
Though Thomas Jefferson, over
fifty years ago, presented such an
example in Virginia, it is strange to
relate that a few men in Texas have
lately asserted the time is mop
perfume to build up such an institu.
ton here. There was no opposition
to Thomas Jefferson's plans in Vir'
ginia, but then there were no public
land grabbers there, and the legisla.
ture was left free to do what
the wisdom of statesman
dictated. A university is wanted il
Texas now or never; we want it as the
foundation for great and liberia
common school education-the bast
upon which the grand structure is tC
rest and grow into mighty proper
tions. A university properly endow
ed will do more towards perpetuating
liberal system of popular education
than all else. 1t will be the pinnacle
as we'll as the base, the outlet as vel
as the source through which popular
intelligence flows. the nutriment fol
ten thousand common schools. How
we would like to see this Legislature
clothe itself with the honor of pro
providing for great university il
Texas. To secure one in this day ant
time must be through the hberality Of
a state, not only bound to return
sacred trusts, but to give that which
is needed, and which is to spare
The NoAiversity of Texas
has claims upon the people
which no other institution of its pro-
posed standing ever had upon any
people. The constitution of the state
makes tuition in the university abso-
lutely free as the water that flows. AL
may come and drink from this foun'
tain, and the multitude of bright
youths that famish for knowledge
should be provided with a stream that
may slake the burning thirst
of thousands. VIII not the leg
islature give what is needed
Read these representations, made
by men who understand what they ut
ter. The regents can do nothing with
out means; professors, such as are
needed, can not be secured unless they
know the funds are at hand to main
tain the credit of the institution to
which they become attached. Mallet
aud Davis and Humphreys and other
professors of their class can be at
tached to institutions of learning
only of the first class, and
should it go before the world
that such men decline here it will be
hard thereafter to restore confidence
in the future of the institution. Tex,
us is able to provide, and cursory
view of legislative craniums makes
us incline to the belief that the mem.
bers of the eighteenth legislature will
serve the cause of education before
they do that of the land grabber Oh
any other sort of grabber.
1 nAUrn A NVErU thfnlrS fhA amor