New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-02
MIR. WHITES GREAT WORK.
FOR CORNELL UNIVERSITY AND FOR THE
STATE OF NETWORK
CHE RECORD OF PUBIC BENEFAcroR-HIs IN
TEREsTIN AGRICULTURAL PRoGRBss-vALu'
ryRosA STAFF CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIsuNE.l

rrRosA STAFF CORRESPONDENT or THE TRsuNEl
ithaca. Sept. l.-If Andrew d. White should nave
sonfesred upon him the Republican nomination. ies
Governor, he would receive substantially the unani
nous vote OF the citizens Of this oharmingy located
little city. No one need seek far for ie"eoh
ITHACA WAS sleepy village It's population Increasing
but slowly business stsgnant manufacturers oepar"
ing, when Ezra Cornell and Andrew d. Whiee came
here in 1905 and laid the foundation stone OF eohe
University. And now while Ithaca nesuSs Ill '"e
little valley OF the head OF Cayuga Lake, ana mas every
appearance of a thriving place. Its residents see IN
the imposing buildings OF the university winch crown
one of the giant hills which encompass the place an
additional token Of their present prosperity
But the prosperity OF Cornell University Is also
matter of pride and satisfaction TO the voters OF every
other city in the State Here is great schoo one Vi
the three or four great colleges Of the united sates
which has been established within the borders OF 'ne
state II is institution which calls ior'n S'a'o
prde and State thankfulness to the men who rounded
It. The university in the academic year Oh 1871 %
had 450 students; thus ranking IN point OF at1eha
ance with Yale and Harvard. But what eSpecatU
praises the founders Of the college In the eyes OIL te
peope OF The State is The fact that 512 students out OF
the 1453 in attendance enjoying free scholarships
Fhey come from the common schools Of the State ana
the college grants them their tuition free. Their
only expense is for food and clothing. The cohese
thus has become important ADJUNCT TO the conInoh
school system Of the state IL Ia state free coeso
was largely the aim Of Ezra Cornell Andrew D. White
Henry W. Sage Thomas McGraw, Hiram Sibley ana
otber men whose large gifts Of money and equally
generous gifts Of their time and thought have buV
mp the university to its present grand proportions
II was a most fortunate circumstance for the state
that Ezra Cornell and Andrew d. White were thrown
together as members Of the State Senate in 1864 MT
CorreII had made large fortune and burned to use
II in the service of HIS felowmcn. He finally deter
mined 10 found a college in Ithaca, where he hNe"
This college was 10 be one, be expressed it, whero
any man could be educated in any study Mr. Winte
took keen interest in Mr. Gornells plans ana aiueo
him most materially IN obtaining the charter for te
college and then United states laDd-grant for lts
endowment. Mr. Cornell gave outright SoOo'oOo lor
the university The United States land grant was TOT
99oO 900 acres then worth only S6oOOOo' inc Ianos
were SO wisely located, however. among the pine "Us
Of the West that they have enormously increased LII
value. Henry W. Sage, VINO owing to his business as
q ,rmber merchant was wen acquainted with the vaue
~ .uch lands as chairman Of the Board of Trustees
Of the University has wisely managed the sale OF
The lands that the endowment fund of the university
from this source now amounts TO S4oOOOoo ana shus
remain unsoh which estimated 20 be worth Slo Oo'
600 additional
Mr. White was elected the first president OF the
university and sketched the plans upon which It was
founded and has grown to its present stawart pro,
ror+ions He gave oil his strength, mental and
physical TO the work of the school for many years
COLLEGE buildings had first to be constructed ana 'en
n large corps of professors hired. 1t was gganuc
work thus II create college from the very tounua
lions Int Mr. White proved equal to it, for his heart
was IN the task II is no wonder that. one OF the
largest of the college buildings IS named In hs honO
aWrlte Hall" He was very Influential in attrncuhg
financial support for the college, and this was necdeo
"a Mr. CorneIls endowment at first was insufficient
Mr. white himself was not backward in giving He
rave IN the college his own library Of 10000 volumes
which he had been collecting for many years In Europe
and America. This library is especially valuable III
works relating to the French Revolution ana concern
ing modern history. IT is valued BIZ the uhlVefslN
authorities al 800 600 but beyond its money value
viii be its usefulness TO the Instructors and students
an history OF the college. Moreover Mr. White built
ane house upon the university grounds which he has
decided to the university for the Of its presidents
AZ present Mr. White has twenty years lease OF tnls
bonso md II Is in fact his home in this State
Mr. Whites generous support Of the university como
not hut be An inspiring example. Henry W. sage, OF
ithaca has made gifts TO The university whiel DO"
amount TO the large sum Of s125o,OOo' MI Sago
built upon The college grounds beautiful ohuiuB a.
q dormltOry for the women students wihch IS hno"n
as the sage College for Women" Mr.. sage mas also
pven $500 600 for the establishment Of "The Susan
Linn Sage school Of Philosophy" in memory OF MS
WIFE, Mr Sages latest gift to the university Is
magnificent library building now nearly ready lot
occupation 1t Is a splendid looking structure OF roo
Superior sandstone ard yellow Ohio sandstone
with tall clock tower ornate reading hail
and spacious library rooms and recitation rooms
Mr. Whites fBe library viii occupy wholly
one Of the rooms of the library buildne and about II
will cluster rooms in which wfll recite the college
classes IN ethics philosophy ard history. The great
reading room OF the library Will have seats and desks
for 23o readers. Mr. Sage has endowed the library
with 100000, which will give il yearly income OF
$4,000.
Mr. White also has given some valuable paintings to
the library Among them IS q portrait Of the late
Y M r (opnn ~
the opinion Of many, is the best likeness OF Dir LoWel
made.
One sees the college campus covered with new
budlngs in every direction and here ana there upon
the grass plot marked the lines Of others tha are
soon To be erected One building which will shortly be
besun Is a handsome structure for the Agricultural Col
lege NJ the university The sum Of 100000 will be
expepdod upon this building. AndIsw d. White was
the university trustee who pushed before the Board OF
Trustees the resolution to appropriate the money for this
purpose believing that great encouragement ought 10
he given to the cultivation Of agricultural science In
this state. Another building whkh viii shortly be
erected will be one costing 100000 FOR the Law College
Of the university Mr.. White has always shown keen
interest in the condition of the farmers Of this State and
has made many addresses 70 them Early IN the lie
Of the university he said in address:
GThe present system OF routine cultivation, the
n,acce of mpovenshing land, and then running away
to soils more fruitful with the intention OF running
away from them in turn. cannot laSf Men mus toen
GET Subsistence less and less lad and they can
only get IT by bringing 10 bear upon II better methods
ALREADY the exhaustion Of sls4n many States demands
Che aid Of science and there not wanting examples
IN American life to show that on the best OF soils any
man with o good basis of practical knowledge can
feouentlV apply scientific principles with excellent
effect. In this profession more than in any other
the employo easily becomes the employer 1t has the
advantage Of being In respects the most inde-
pendeDt Of all free from the cares ana uncertainties
accompanying so many others. ALREADY 1t is becoming
,es ara less easy for the farmers boy to be sure
that the little dark Office in the great city block
swarming with lawyers Is after all 30 much more
promising than tho farm and orchard and garden and
vineyard
sueaplne 10 the members Of the State Agricultural
soc,ety mon ore occasion Nr. White said:
aNlile rcu are devislng plans 10 male the student