New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-05
help you, but being for your good to
withhold my saving help.
Ncw-York, Dec. 20, 1890.

NIX MA 49, No say,inn boln ' o. Y
NcwYork, Dec. &c. 1890. z
| AGRICULTURAL TRAINING IN v
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE oUDsTIoS-A
AGAINST THE PRESENT SYSTEM
THE UNIVERSITY.
TO the Editor Of The TribuneI
Sir: The recent article in The Tribune uh.A
above heading by r." of Burlington is misleadi
Is of its statements that In justice to the farmers
OF the state and Others also who read your valuable
paper trust that you will grant space for brief
reply. The question is one OF more than local I'm
portance claiming II does the attention not only Of
thinking farmers and mechanics but OF educators ana
statesmen in this country and the Continent OF
Edrope Briefly stated IL is this Shall classical Or
technical education be the education OF the masses In
the futurel other words, shall boys and girls
be given practical education which will at once pre-
pare them for the active duties Of life. or shall thas
education be discipline Of the mind only leaving tho
practical TO be obtained occasion may require! In
this country the Government recognized the value OK
practical education in the generous endowment Ok
agricultural and mechanical schools colleges where
the science OF farming and the mechanical arts arc
supposed to be taught TO all who become ehfono" -
students in such colleges. In this State The Farmers
are not unmindul OF the advantages OF praccal eou
cation for their children, but they do not thih oo
facilities for such education agricultural tnlnns
have been commensurate with the large expenditure
Of money in this direction, as r." would have your
readers to understand and as the resui"
will show. The Agricultural College w un'
state was Joined to the state University oy
an act OF the Legislature in 1868; but IL ""' h's
by any means the result Of appeal from the people,
as one would infer from R's' statement. There was
a strong and decided opposition among leading fsi1hers
and educators in this State to the union OF the t"o
institutions, and Middebury College was, at the same
time ready and anxious TO receive the grant rum S
Government and to assume the dnues ana reSpoh'
sibiities connected with the Agricultural College; but
the charter was finally granted to the University AZ
Huntingdon under the name Of the Vermont university
and state Agricultural College. The Land Grant fuhd
in this State amounted to S3o,oOO, inc interest," oH
which, 100 per year, has been paid to the ohNersV
since 1863 In 1856 the Legislature established ths
state Experiment Station at Burlington, in connec'
ton with the University and state Agricultural college,
and appropriated SO 800 q year for its support In
1887 the Hatch bill fund OF $4,000 year became
available and turned over to the University III
addition to this the Legislature OF 1858 Appropriated
$4,000 a year for scholarships at the University ono
half of which should be credited to the so-calied
Agricultural Department, making total OF nearly
$500 900 which the University has received for
agricultural training" since 1865. During all ula
time, not a single diploma has been granted 10 an
agricultural student, and there are only t"cNa
students now enrolled for the agricultural course
care for these twelve students and for experimental
work. the university will receive the present year
$4213O, besides the scholarship fund THIS Is Una
nourshing condition Of the agricultural department
to which r." refers with such evident satlslacuoh'
The experiment station farm is an acknowledged iaI-
uIe according the university authorities themselves
and little II any. Of the work done there can De o
anv practcal value TO the farming interests OF tn
state.
No practical farmers have been admitted 10 Una
board of trustees TO the board OF control for ina
state Experiment station. Yet In view oil theSe iacu
and / submit them as such H. seems 10 uhhs
il ridiculous that the farmers should have desired
or even thought OF a separation Of the Agricultural
College and Experiment Station from the university
But determined effort was made for separate
and distinct Agricultural ard Mechanical ooIese>
and the bill before the Legislature for that purpose
passed the House by vote OF nearly tuee 10 one,
hnt was defeated In the Senate by vote of IL TO Is!
There is TO reasonable doubt about the Legality
Of the bill which before the Legislature THIS
Is the opinion OF good lawyers as i've IN 'eF'
mont today. Furthermore In lo5l an act was pssseA
by the General Assembly which says: Acts creaths'
continuing altering renewing corporation or Dolly
potio hereafter passed BY the General Assembly may
h. altered amended or repealed wheo the pubic good
roouires such alteration amendment or repeal THIS
act WAS passed fourteen prior to the act grsntS
the charter to the Vermont University and state Asr
cultural College, and plainly disposeS OF oil quesus
In regard 20 legality The recent decision IN regard
Brown University by the supreme Court OF Rh
Island to which r. refers IN no way affects the
nation In this state except to strengthen the quest
on the side Of the people.
In summing up the case " R. says: The fact Is.
certain rings Of and newspapers have been severely
dealt with by the people and the university IL seems
10 me that this statement is very misleading 10 say
the least IL estimate that more than three
fourths OF the people in the state, without regard 10
class favored the separation among whom were the
Governor Lieutenant Governor, state treasurer ana
other state officials with nearly threeiOurths OF TIE
members OF the House and nearly half OF The senate
The members Of the state Grange and Farmers League
were a unit In favor Of the separation. Now Would
submit that the abOvenamed bodies. with the state ot:
fcias make very respectable rings OF men Tor snal
stare ike Vermont. the other side were the UNI
versity forces. including probably score or more Of
retained lawyers / fear that " r. made slight mis-
,ke and located the rings" the wrong side. Whst
is true OF the people in regard 10 this matter Is equally
true OF certain newspapers; FOR nearly all tia
papers in the state favored the separation and clearly
voiced public opinion upon the question OF separation
| have no reply TO make in regard 10 RS threat
about the future. That will take care Of ITSELF
Rochester, VI. Dec "a, 1850. ~ MEsSEh'