Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-22
The Agricultural Experiment Sta
fiOus.

10 the Editor II the dispatch:
Since the passage Of what is known as
the Hatch bill. which makes an appro-
priation for the establishing of expert
mcnt stations IN connection with the
agricultural colleges of the different
States and Territories, il seems to be III
order for the different institutions Of
learning. as well as for certain parties
claiming 10 represent and to speak for
the farmers Of the State, 20 put forth e.
forts 10 devise WAYS ana means Tor cap
turing said appropriation and using 1t
Tor the advancement of local interests
or. it may he, even selfish purposes.
such parties seem entirely to ignore
the fact that the bill under consideration
not only makes the appropriation, but
also explicitly declares what institutions
shall be the recipient OF its fayors so lar
as the i0cQiou Of the experiment station
is concerned.
The very title OF the bill reads as fol-
lows: "A bill TO establish agricultural
experiment stations in connection with
H, coHe0cs established in the several
States under the provisions OF an act APP
proved July ,, 1862. Now, leaving
other States out Of consideration, let us
come to Virginia.
What college in Virginia was establish
a under the provisions Of the act APP
proved July ,, 1862 ? Now, if the title
Of the bill be accepted as a true synopsis
81 tine bill itself, and It plainly Is, the
answer 10 this question will decide be-
yond dispute that the Virginia Agricul-
iual and Mechanical College at Blacks
burg is entitled to all the rights and ben
elts conveyed bv the words "in connec-
ton with, used in the bill under con
alteration. 1t is true that part OF the
funds arising from the passage OF the
60 act approved July ,, 1852, was used
for the establishing of the Hampton
school but reasons which need not be
discussed here make It so plainly impoli-
DC 10 establish the Virginia agricultural
experiment station at that place that that
school need not be regarded as Black
hurg's competitor for the location OF the
station. Nor does the bill require the
Legislature 10 divide the appropriation,
for 1t states in substance that when a
state has two colleges established under
the act the Legislature may divide the
appropriation between the two or give 1t
AL 10 either, as may be deemed best
Again, section 8 Of the Hatch bill
makes it imperative upon tine LeSlsla-
ture Of a State IN which an experiment
station has been previously established
10 regard such station as the one en-
titled 10 the Appropriation.
Now. during the session OF 1SS5-'06
the General Assembly of Virginia did
pass an act, introduced by DR.. Black,
the member from Montgomery county,
establishing an experiment station at
Blacksburg in connection with the NIr-
glpia Agricultural and Mechanical Col
lege, and the Board Of Visitors did, at
their first meeting thereafter, organize
the station under the act by electlng
director OF il, and the station has been
~ operation since that time.
We know no other experiment station
established by law IN the State OF Fir-
giuia under the provisions OF the "act
passed July 2. 1862" No one viii deny
that the farmers OF the State ara more
deeply interested in this station than any
other class of people, and this is, OF
course, the reason why all wanting the
station located at places to suit them
selves for various reasons try to make 1t
appear that they represent the farmers
But which one of all these parties can
show that il truly voices the sentiment
OF the farmers? Can even that organiza-
ton calling ITSELF the Farmers Assembly
do 50? Have the members OF this body
canvassed the opinions OF the farmers as
10 the location OF the experiment station,
or rather are not their wishes father 10
their thoughts? No one would more