The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-03

appeal TO the manual Oh parliamentary
procedure. Mr.. Chairman. who do hell Is
CUsH1N'2 McGILLIcuDDY 3 do boy fur de
Fort ward"
Ten Millions Wanted.
We have three colleges in New York. Co.
lumbia. the so-called University. and the
college supported by public taxation. The
number Of students graduated yearly from
the purely collegiate departments Of the
three institutions taken together is much
less than the graduating class at either
Harvard or Yale singly.
Yet all three Of these colleges are now
proposing to renew and extend their edu-
cational plant at an enormous expense
to each. Columbia has purchased for
$4,000 900 the greater part Of the property
of the Bloomingdale Asylum In the neigh
borhood OF the sites Of the GRANT Monu-
ment and the Cathedral OF st. John the
Divine. Last Wednesday the so-called Uni
versity contracted for the purchase Of .
site beyond the Harlem. at Two Hundredth
street. at the price Of 1851 900. The free COL
lege In Lexington avenue will 60 to the
next Legislature asking for an appropria-
ton Of great sum OF the peoples money
to buy for it q new site and put up for 1t
new and more commodious buildings.
All told. something like $4,000. 900 will be
required to carry out these plans for ex-
penditures in land and bricks and mortar
alone. The interest on q capital Of twice
that amount will be necessary to enable
the three colleges to live up to their archi-
tectural pretensions. They must each pro-
vide q course Of education 80 complete and
Of quality 80 high in Its distinction that
great numbers Of students will be attracted
to the halls whose erection was 50 costly.
Otherwise the money laid out on the land
and buildings will be wasted. 1t Is great folly
for man to expend his whole capital on .
house for himself. 50 that he has nothing
left with which to furnish 1t and live in it
in style corresponding to Its magniAcence.
Such man Is like beggar on horseback.
The srander the material habitations Of
these colleges. the more paltry and insig-
nificant the institutions will seem, II their
fame as schools of learning and the num-
Der Of their students do not extend and
increase proportionately. The bigger and
the grander their abodee. the more income
they will want to live In them.
Columbia College has already an endow-
ment great enough to Justify it's proposed
expenditure for o new plant. 1t is one Of
the oldest. richest. and most famous COL
leges in the Union. and 1t can reasonably
expect that It's capital will increase by gifts
and requests correspondingly with the In
creased expense involved In the change. It
also needs larger accommodations for it's
present necessities. and 1t cannot carry out
49, 10 pluo Cd xrdk Nut
them. It has not room enough whore 1t is.
and It's removal to the Bloomingdale site is
In strict accordance with sound business
principles. It has Income enough to live
in the now establishment congruously with
the magnihcence OF its surroundings. It Is
not removing to grander quarters for mere
show. but because they are requisite for tho
purposes II is competent to fulfil.
The so-called University can barely main
tain itself where 1t Ia as fourth-rate COL
lego. For twenty-five years 1t has been
running down steadily in reputation. and
to-day 1t stands worse than ever before. In
none Of Its departments can 1t bear COMPARE
son with the institutions which command
the public respect. 1t might be blotted out
wholly and finally without any loss to
education In general or to any one In par
ticular who seeks education. Only the pro-
fessors would suffer. and Chancellor MAC
CRAcKEN would be out OF place and SAL
airy. The public would be actually benefited
by getting rid of him and his per-
nicious example. and a great waste Of
money would be stopped. The parcel Of
students In the college would be provided
for In q college to which they would be
proud to belong. instead OF being con-
demned to hail from an institution OF which
they have so good reason to be ashamed
Even II 1t raises money enough to buy the
land beyond the Harlem. upon which It has
made small first payment. 1t will be an
importunate beggar for much more to put
into buildings. Even II 1t gets this
additional amount. 1t will have to 20 about
as a mendicant for a generation to come In
order to obtain money enough to live In
them. Even II 1t gets that. 1t will still be
SO far secondary TO Columbia. and will suf-
fer so grievously because OF Its past history,
that students will refuse to share In Its un-
toward reputation. At best. the number OF
students obtainable for a New York col
college classes half as large as those OF
Harvard and Yale.
The free college In Lexington avenue costs
the people OF the city about $3.50. 900 year
as 1t Is now housed and conducted. The
new site and new buildings. for which an
appropriation is TO be asked. would involve
in the end an expenditure OF capital upon
which the interest would be large addi-
tional sum: and. moreover. the cost OF the
yearly maintenance OF the concern would
be increased. In the larger buildings. OF
course. the students would have moro room.
but as only fifty or sixty are graduated
yearly. less rather than more space Is needed
by them. AS 1t Is. the city could buy each
one OF them ., handsome house for the
money 1t expends In carrying them through
this college; yet the Board Of Education