Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-02-16

opportunity for our sons 70 DC inS s.s u'.o@
in other lines besides farming. ms ar
eument has come up every year. anu l
claim it has not feather weighu'
Young men have Instincts IN these mat
ters: they have desire Tor some particu-
lar work; and to say that because TINS
college does not turn OUT IarhicrS auu
nothing else it is not doing good work,
and carving out the purposes for which
il was instituted, / say is an argument OF
not feathers weight. hope the amend
ments of the senators from Hancock ana
washington will be brushed away, and
the appropriation given us as asked ior.
MIR. Higgins of York: ! certainly am
not unfriendly to the college, ana speak
today AS an unbiased man, having no
special reason to use arguments either lor
or against the college. The trustees nave
come and asked US for $50, oop year ior
10 wears, and some of the senators upon
this floor have urged that there is an I'M
mediate necessity for this appropriation
Two years ago the Legislature made an
appropriation for this college, and added
that they required from the trustees In
formation as to how this money should
be expended, and that resolve ends with
proyiso that no part of that money should
be used for any other purpose than those
mentioned in the summary given in 1T
The total amount expended by the State
for the use of this college in 1898 was
S2S1,71S. Upon an examination OF the
various appropriations and expenditures
we will have a right to conclude as to the
necessity for some restrictions being put
upon the appropriation now asked for.
find that in 1878 the Legislature found
necessity for putting into the resolve a
proviso saying that the trustees should
use the money for the payment of the
debts then outstanding against the col
lege, and should not under any circum-
stances contract any further debts. But
the trustees have never had any regard
whatever for the wishes of the Legisla-
ture. The very next year they claimed
$40, 500 to pay the existing debts OF the
institution Debts which they had no
right to contract! And so this goes on
till 1877 In 1877 they came back again,
nd got an appropriation "to pay exist
ing debts and contingent expenses.
Now, Mr. President, 1 think that we
should do wrong, under the circum-
stances if we should appropriate s25, 900
a year for 10 years without exacting any
conditions upon which this money should
be expended, we should do wrong to
give them this money to be used as they
please, with no guarantee that two years
from now they will not come here and
ask for another appropriation, without
anything of this kind without any re-
striction.\
They have called to the head of that
college gentleman in every sense of the
word man who has impressed himself
ON every member of this Senate, and l
have no doubt upon every member of the
House. But are you willing to pay $3.50,
900 with one hand, and turn around and
with the other tax your constituents for
it, with no guarantee? | am speaking Oh
behalf of the people of this State. l want
them to know what the money is to be
used for.
make no question about this colleg
being an agricultural college, but it seems
to me that it is only when they ask for al
that you hear very much
about the agricultural feature of it. After
the appropriation is passed and the money
once belongs to them, there is not so
very much said about this agricultural
department. | say, and l believe that
am not wrong in saying, that the agri
cultural feature is a feature which is useo |!
for occurring appropriations. 1t is good |
for neither the college nor the State to re-
quire the officers of the college to lobby |
for appropriations. | believe that some
thing should be done to put this college |
on "a Substantial financial basis. l say
that do not believe it can be gratifying |
to the president of that institution to
have to come round here lobbying for
appropriations. agree with my friend.
the senator from Washington, and l
think it is shame and disgrace that
these officers should be expected to come
here and lobby.
1t is subject that we may well ponder
upon before deciding; but somehow, and
in some mind there must be something
which may be brought before us upon
which we may base a calculation as to
the necessities of this college from year to
year. AS have said, do not think this
appropriation is required and I do not
think that we sitting here with the in
terests of the State in cur keeping should
vote this amount of money without a
single guarantee as to the use it shall be
put to, or single guarantee that they
will not come down here two years from
now and ask for another appropriation.
heartily favor the amendment offered by
my friend, the senator from Hancock.
1 notice that in the act establishing
this college there is this provision, that
all students of this institution are to en-
gage in actual labor upon the land or in the
have carefully followed the
reports of this institution, and l find that
year by year, as we have passed along,
the question of working upon the land
md in the workshops, and the agricult-
ural department of this college, are grad
ually fading away, and 1 think that as
soon as they get this appropriation it will
fade away entirely.
Mr.. Day of Penobscot: My friend, the
senator from York, lays great stress upon
the restrictions which we ought to lay
upon the trustees of this institution.
May inform him that the very resolve
itself provides these restrictions. We
have the integrity of these men to account
FOR the money we appropriate-the men
who are the trustees of this college,
able men who do all the work of the trus-
tees without any pay. The senator from
York has made an attack on the trustees.
They are not able To he heard on the