The state chronicle., 1893-02-11
A FEW QUESTIONS
FOR THE LEGISL SLATURE-THE
UNIVERSITY.
Church and State-The Conflict and
Competition Between the Uniyer.
sity and the Colleges.

Cor. State Chronicle
1t is generally understood that some
new state legislation in favor of the
State University will be asked at your
hands; and it is about as generally un.
derstood that this legislation is to take
the form of larger appropriations to
that institution. 1t is in view of this
proposed legislation that the following
questi ons are respectfully submitted to
your attention.
First, there are in the state certain
colleges that were founded and
equipped, at a cost of over half mil
lion dollars, by bodies of private citi-
zens, and which are managed and
maintained by the private funds of
these citizens voluntarily contributed for
that purpose. They are, therefore,the
property respectively of these bodies
Of citizens. That these bodies are re-
ligious bodies and that these colleges
are Christian colleges, need not be
con nsidered in this article. What must
be considered is the fact that certain
useful and law abiding citizens, organ
lied, equipped, and do now sustain
these colleges for the Christian educa
tion of their sons, and that in so doing
they have simply exercised their right
as citizens of North Carolina and by
authority of the State.
Now, it is claimed by at least three
of these colleges that their standard of
scholarship is substantially the same as
that of the Uni 7ersity; and
complaint is therefore made by friends
of these institutions that they are
taxed to support State college that
is run in sharp competition with their
own, and that tends, if it does not en-
deavor to destroy them. Is it right
to tax them for any such purpose.
These claims may be false. The Uni.
versity may be so far above the COL
leges that there is no unreasonable
competitions with them. The presi
dent of the University claims that this
is the fact, but very many, probably q
majority, Of our ablest educators deny
this claim. Has the State right te
compete with her citizens? Some
years ago her convicts in the pen
itentiary were set to making
shoes. The State entered the business
of shoe making, in competition
with few of her citizens. But sh'
stopped that business in short time
Was she right in doing so? Then
shall she authorize her citizens to es
| tablish colleges only to enter into tn
business herself and drive them from
the field? Are you prepared to legis-
late these colleges out of existence? l
not, should not a capable and impair
tial committee be appointed to investi
gate and report on the issues betwee
the colleges and the University? An
if it transpires that the University
in hurtful competition with the CO
leges, require it to step up higher or t
step down and out?
But whatever may be said abou
/. competition with the colleges, it
: pretty generally known that the Un
versity is bidding for and securir
students from our academies who lac
| from one to two years of completin
J the course in those academies. Or
young man who left the academy
I my town last fall to enter the Un
} versity is now pursuing the identic
studies in that institution that b
classmates are prosecuting in t
q academy. So that the University
Z really competing with the academic
9 and the proprietors and friends
y these academies are taxed to bre
down their own institutions.
But not content with keeping
course of instruction within the legi
mate range Of colleges and academi
: the management of the Univers
has been underbidding these insti
lions in the terms it offers. Tuiti
is absolutely given to nine studel
there, and virtually l am inform
to twenty-one others. And now t
management is lobbying you for mes
and liberty to extend this free tuiti
and thus eventually to wipe out
private competition. Are we living
democratic North Carolina or b.
u We been consigned to the realms
= the Gar?
Secondly, it is understood that N
isterial students and the sons of mil
ters are not required to pay any
ton fees in the University. Gent
men, is this a fact? If you do
know whether it is, will you pie
take some pains to inform yourself
"A If it be fact, submit question
g two. There is in Constantinople
s an American who has been conver
A to Mohammedanism and who is sale
be training Moslem missionaries "
view to coming over and convert
The United States to that faith. Sho
any of these gentlemen settle in Nc
,cI Carolina and desire to attend the |
as as versity, that institution would hav
ost afford them, free of charge, all its
'n< pie facilities to fit them for their pi
task, would it not? If not, why I
And then, now and again, some ent
I5s F1s prising ministers from far.off |
lile seek the heather wilds Of North u
es' es' lima to initiate its benighted PEI
into the sacred mysteries of the l
Revelation. Should any of these
the worldly culture of Chapel Hill
oso the better importation of their spiri
end gifts, would they be denied the p
find lege of free tuition!
EN-. "But the ministers must be Chras
ministers"
Must they? Why should not t
xl TO