The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-10-29

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no professorship of agriculture was es-
tablished until nearly quarter of a
century after the passage of the act
of 1862. The institution can show
no graduate in agriculture in these
nearly thirty years, during which she
has annually received over $4,000 and
for the last three or four years the
additional sum of S15 600. This is the
record, this the aggregate result Of the
use of nearly 100000 of agricultural
funds by the University of Vermont.
1t is this record and result that SEN
ator Morrill, defended last week Facts
are very stubborn things. The act of
1862 was meant to be benefit to the
agricultural and industrial interests of
the state. AS matter of fact, what
have the agricultural and industrial in
terests of Vermont gained from that
$500 600 which the University of Yer
mont has used?
Some of the statements in Senator
Morrill's speech challenge discussion.
He says: " 1t is proposed to establish
something that will amount to nothing
more than an agricultural college for
our state. | should regard that as a
revolution and suppression of the whole
idea of the land grant act of 1862,
which was of much broader kind. 1t
included, to be sure, the idea that agri-
culture and the mechanic arts were to
have leading or first position, but it
also included much more; it was for
the industrial classes, to promote their
instruction generally, and it was not to
exclude even the classics" The seua-
tor, in his zeal as trustee and advo-
cate of the university, finds it hard to
be consistent with his position as the
father and advocate of the act of 1862.
His earlier position is stated in the
latter part of the above quotation. cit
included, to be sure, the idea that agri-
culture and the mechanic arts were TO
have leading or first position" Mr..
Senator, you could not have put the
argument of the farmers more forcibly,
had you tried. Do agriculture and the
mechanic arts have ga leading or first
position" at the University of Vermont?
1t is because these two broad depart
ments are simply names with which
the university conjures for the sake of
getting the liberal government appro-
priations-it is because of this " revolu-
tion," and suppression " of the
original idea, that a separate college is
demanded.
The senator fears the Farmers
League will enter politics in antagonism
to the republican party. He need have
no such fears while men like eX-
acknowledgements Cotton and Hon.
William Chaplin are at the head of, or
prime movers in, the formation of the
League. The organization, as we I'M
derstand it, cares nothing at all for
party names. 1t aims to secure to the
farmers their rights. 1t does not an
tagOnize other interests. 1t does not
selfishly ask for more than its rights,
but these it does ask
Again, the senator says: e. do not
think the education of boys should be
hampered with these practical labors at
the time they are obtaining their edu-
cation" We doubt if Senator Morrill,
seriously meant this. How does it
" hamper " boy to do practical work
in connection with his education?
Hasn't the real d difficulty with all edu-
cation been to induce students to do
the practical work? Isn't the ideal in
education happy mixing of study and
practical work? Is not that the way
soldiers are made at West Point and
naval officers at Annapolis? And is
not that the way to make scientific
farmers and skilled mechanics? YET
the students at Burlington have none
of these facilities, and it is not at all
strange that the results are so meager.
1t is an old saying and worthy of
frequent repetition that Shy their
fruits shall ye know them" After an
institution has had thirty years of time
for building up department, and has
spent nearly 100000 without tangible
result in the line of the purpose toward
which the money is supposed to have
been directed, it is time to find new
stewards for this trust and to seriously
attempt to effect practical benefits to
the farmers and mechanics of the state.
Much Ado AbOut Nothing.