Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-01-25

for drill hall. They said we were too
late in the session. BY virtue of this act,
military science is requirement. in this
institution. By law since passed by
Congress, the war department sends an
instructor in military science to the State
College. The State has never expended
81 on this department, with the exception
of 5000 which it gave two years ago for
ground for rifle practice. These 207 stu
dents are under the supervision of West
Point graduates lieutenant of the United
States army You have here an institu-
ton for the State of Maine what West
Point is to the United States. When these
students leave this institution they have
a certificate that they are qualified for
the minor offices in the United States
army, including that of brigade with the
rank of major. You have just appropri-
ated one tenth of mill for the benefit of
the militia of Maine, which constitutes
500 men, who have one annual meeting
of six days. Here you have 207 boys hav-
ing Sc weeks of military instruction and
discipline in year And those boys are
without any drill hall; and we ask now
for $50, 900 for proper gymnasium and
drill hall in connection with this institu
ton. Now the demand comes for electri-
cal engineering. We cannot teach any
branch of science without apparatus In
a college teaching various departments of
science, the most expensive thing con-
nected with them is the apparatus. We
found we must have $4,000 to start with
in that direction. Our chemical depart
ment is one to be proud of,and it calls for
expenses every year, and we found we
must have $4,000 for that. The professor
of the natural history department says he
must have $2700 for that department.. The
agricultural department needs S2100.
The horticultural department, so much
more. The civil engineering so much
more. Fuel, so much more. We have had
no money to pay insurance these last two
years. We found ourselves in arrears on
insurance $4,000 We found ourselves in
Il position where we needed sos, 800.
What are we going to do You are
treated to this humiliating condition Ct
things-the trustees and president of that
institution coming to the Legislature,
lobbying and trying to get through that
which by law in 1866 the Legislature of
Maine promised we should always have1
l have looked this matter up and l find
that very large percentage of the states
have provided an appropriation of So
much per capita, or so much a mill of the
taxation, and we decided we would try
the Legislature on this proposition. We
don't come here as beggars. | don't stand
here as the representative of Waterville
begging for the State college. l stand
here as one of the people of Maine, believ-
ing it is our duty and that we are able to
stand with other states in the develop
ment of this modern scheme of educational
science. The college at Orono is a
scientific institution. 1t is keeping pace
with the trend of thought for the last 25
years. We are living today in an age not
of classics but of applied science, and the
most wonderful age men ever lived in.
Other states have recognized this fact
California gives 10 mills per annum to
her state college. She received from her
land grant, instead of S11S, 900 as we did,
s711,OO0. Instead of having total in
come of $40, 900 as we have she has s236,-
900. Colorado assesses one-sixth of mill
for agriculture only. Illinois gives her
state college nine twentieths of mill
Indiana, one-tenth. Kentucky. for agri-
culture only, five mills. Michigan, agri-
CultuTt only, Ouc-leHbu VI d MIL
nesota, two tenths. Mississippi one-tenth
Missouri. four tenths. New York. the
noblest example of the land grant colleges.
receives $4,000, 900, having private en-
dowments of over 1000, 900, has total
income of s469, 900 and buildings valued
at 81, 343, 900, and it has received from
the state 81, 500, 900. 1 find that New York |
receives annually $4,000 for its expert |
ment station and SIS, 600 for repair of its |
buildings. Ohio gives her college one
twentieth of a mill for three institutions |
each. Pennsylvania, two-tenths of mill |
and buildings West Virginia. three
tenths of mill. Wisconsin, three tenths. |
Utah, that small state, four-tenths of a |
mill, and has one of the most magnificent |
land grant colleges in this country. Now
the State of Name ranks the 10th among
the states in regard to the proceeds of |
its land grant. As to its total income
from its land grant, it ranks II. As to
the value of its buildings it ranks IL as
to its apparatus, Il: as to its machinery,
IS; as to its library, IL; as to its total
state appropriations, Is; as to its annual
State grant, if granted, it will rank 16
After we ascertained these facts we
concluded to submit this matter TO the
Maine Legislature and leave it to them to
say. In accordance with this idea have
put in this bill providing for one-tenth of
q mill for the year 1895 and thereafter /
want the bill to lie on the table; / want
everybody to understand it. This will
to some S32, 600 or S33, 900 at
present. 1t will increase. to be sure.