The evening times., 1896-08-27
THE PEABODY FUNn.

Twenty-fiue or thirty years ago George
Peabody set apart a fund OF 5.6te ,0Ga,
the interest from which should he devoted
TO educational purposes in the South. 1t
was not to he given to private iii>ritutio us.
bat in support OF public school systems ia
those States whose Impoverished exciiequcr
wunlH' not ebtiier wise permit of adequate
provision for pul,lic education At the
expiration OF given term OF yeafs these
contributions are 10 cease ard the capital
is TO be distEisutrd among different cduca-
tioDaI institutions in such manner and
proportion as the trust ces of the fund may
determine. This term expires next year
and considerable interest is manifested Us
TO what disposition the trustees viii make
Of the money
It is a matter for coasratulation that to-
day every State in the South isin such con-
ditssn. finantE-iiy as o he n bic TO t.ispenS.
with outside assistance in the support ald
maintenance of its pablic schools. IN max
ing their ealcul atoms. therefore, the
trustees Of the Peabody fund will have
much wider field before them than thai 10
which they have been confined kitherto.
II viii be possible for them to assist ma
terially those seats Of learning which. by
reason OF lack o! cnt,o wmants or through
providentiaI visitG;icn. lave beeu Crippled
in the Development OF their GsefulreSs.
Such institutions. FOR Instance. as the Uni
versity OF Virginia. which sustained serious
loss by fire, and Old WHliara and Mary
College at Williamsburg. Va would
seem properly To Come within the SEQ pc of
the deceased philanthropist's intentions
1t would be an emirenily fitting eiirnax
to the great amount OF good dene Sy
means of the Peabody fund, If these two
time -konoret colleges. from which have
gone forth some of the most distinguished
men of the country, could be thus finan-
ciaHy rehabihlated. They are not in The
enjoyment OF such cndoEmcnts as have
been bestowed upon Harvard, Yale, Cor
nell and other Northern universities, but
they have rendered no less distinguished
services In the cause OF education
Undoubtedly there are other Institutions
of learning in the South upon which por-
great advantage. Those abovenamed have
been. specified, first, because they are in
our neight,or State OF Virginia nd, seoo nd,
because one OF them. at least, the Uni
versity of Virginia, has world vide rep
utatiop, and its increasing fame and use
fulness must be matter of pride to all
people. whether VirgiDians or not
NO ENFORCED CONTRIBUTIONS.
The edict against campaign coDtribu
tions sent out by the Civil Service Com
mission Is eminenuy proper, fos it
gives all government employees to under
stand that their tenure of office does not
depend upon their furnishing funds 10 one
party or another. but, on the contrary, upon
strict attention to business. 1t is also
timely warning to superserviccable Off
Gals OF high and low degree that they must
bring no pressure to bear upon suEordinates
or fellow Clerks for the exaction Of cam
paign contributions uIsler expressed or i'm
piled threat of trouble in case the demand
is not responded to. The circular sent out
by the commission directs that neither So
lcitations nor contributions must be
made within tile jurisdiction of Federal
office, and that all violators Of the law
viii be promptly prosecuted.
As matter of course, no man, whether
government empleye or not, can or Should
be prevented frcm giving such proper sup
port to the party with which he affIhates
as he may elect, whether it Ee by vote
by contributions to campaign funds, or
otherwise. But such support should be
entirely voluntary and dissociated from
official station or influence. II rs not the
purpose OF civil service reform 10 deprive
a government cmpnye OF his rights as a
citizen, and in these rights is included
the free disposal Of his time and property
within lawful and reasonable limits. These
limits stop at the Jurisdiction of Federal
office, and properly too. for no one that
can remember tho modus operandi Of the
collection OF campaign funds In antl-re-
form days womb advocate q return to
these nethods. 80