Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-17
A NATIONAL UNIVERSITY.
Suggested BY Warrington In His Will
It ID Yet to be Established.

An Interesting article In . recent issue of
America, . weekly journal published in Chi
cago, gives . sketch Of the project which Pres
idsnt Warrington cherished Of founding Q
national university in this city. In his will
Warrington made bequest Of hfty shares of
stock Of the Potomac company. This company
became bankrupt and the Chesapeake and
Ohio canal company succeeded to ito rights
and privileges. Washington's idea in regard
to the proposed university was explained in
his will He wished 10 have American youth
educated In this country rather than in Europe,
where they we're apt TO imbibe notions un-
friendly to republican system Of government
Although Washington's project Of anational
university was never carried out" says the
writer, "there II another national institution
the suggestion OF which We owe to him-the
West Point military academy.
"The suggestion Of . military academy was
acted upon. Why was not the other? Was the
plan less great2 Others, perhaps not 20 de-
serving, have won lasting renown as founders
Of universities. Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Girard
left lsgacies to establish institutions Of learn
ing which are the best monuments of their
benevoence. But the peculiarly Of Washing:
tons legacy il that 1t was to found q national
university. Even where he appears a. bene-
factor, the character of statesman 10 still pre-
dominant In his will he did not simply state
the bequest but the reasons for it. There he
shows how essentially American he was.
desired to endow and which he did endow as
he supposed, with . liberal bequest, was an
institution broad and deep, within the bounds
of the national capital in the very heart Of the
nation, under the Jurisdiction of the national
Congress, where, besides the branches of po-
lite literature, the arts and the sciences, the
gifted youth Of America might acquire "knowl-
edge in the principles OF politics and good
government" His plan was not for Virginia
alone. Puritan, Quaker, Romanist, Episco-
palian, Huguenot all religion, all nationalities-
from all the states Of this great American
Jerusalem and be baptized In the temple OF
American law into the spirit Of a new political
dispensstion, Of which Washington himself
was to be prophet, priest and law giver.
'In 1888 the United States received legacy
OF something more than $5OO,OOO from the
executors Of Jas Smithson, son Of the Duke
of Northumberland. This sum was given to
establish at Washington an institution for the
diffusion of knowledge among men, In 1916
the Smithsonian Institution, thus founded, was
ready taken high rank among educational es-
Adjustments. In the first investments Of the
funds a considerable loss was sustained. By
act OF Congress this loss was replaced The
setting sun daily throws the shadow Of the
Washington monument over the Smithsonian
versity? Are the obligations Of these United
States to their first President less than to the
son of an English duke? Ought Smithson's
will be held sacred while Washington's is for
gotten? A national university would har-
monte and supplement the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition, which Is not q university and not gen.
eral in its scope. The United States govern
ment has managed successfully its military
academy and its Smithsonian Institution; why
can 1t not do the same with q national univer-
sity? With bloated treasury no plea Of pow
erty or economy can excuse the nation from its
obligations-for obligations they are"