The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-13
Bills to BE Introduced i'm Congress To-
Day for Establishment of n Great
Educational Institution.
PROJECT LONG DISCUSSED
PROPOSED BY GEN. WASHINGTON
OVER ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
Features of the MeasUre-PIans of the
Senate and House for This Week
War on the Civil-Service Law.

| WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.-The bill to es-
! tablish the University of the United States
| will again be introduced in both houses of
| Congress tomorrow. The bill, in general
| terms provides for an institution of the
| highest possible type, for the graduates of
accredited colleges and universities only,
with special reference to the work of orig
iEal research and investigation in all i'm
| portant fields of inquiry. The government is
vested in board of regents and a univer-
sity council. The board of regents embraces
| the President of the United States, the chief
| justice of the United States the commits
! sioner of education, the secretary OF the
| Smithsonian Institution, the president of the
| National Academy of Sciences, the presi-
| dent of the National Educational Associa-
| tion, the president of the university and
nine other citizens to be appointed by the
| President, by and with the advice and con-
| sent of the Senate, and no two of them
shall be from the same State. The univer-
sity council is to have immediate charge of
the work of instruction, research and i'll
vestigation. 1t consists of the regents and
twelve other members, to be appointed by
them from among eminent educators, with
a like impartial distribution. All courses
| and officers of instruction are to be deter
! mined by the council, also all regulations
| governing the internal management of the
| institution. Neither sectarian nor political
/ preferences in any form are to be allowed,
| whether in the appointments or in any of
| the operations of the institution. Authority
is given to establish with other institutions
| of learning such cooperative relations
| are deemed advantageous. Provision is
made for the use of what is known as uni
| Versity Square," the site set apart by
! Washington for university purposes and
| lately occupied by the naval observatory.
| Congress is now asked for but enough
means to enable the board of regents to
ganize and practically inaugurate the insti-
| tuition. Gifts and bequests are to be de-
| posted in the United States treasury in
trust and invested in bonds of the United
States bearing per cent. interest.
The present bill is the outgrowth of more
than hundred years of agitation. The
| thought of national university first came
| to Washington while commanding the rev.
olutionary army. Subsequently, as Presi-
dent, he repeatedly urged it's establishment,
| and in his last will and testament left $685.
| COO in stocks first endowment, the in
| terest to be compounded. Had Congress
| fostered the plan this sum would now be
| nearly $5,O00,000 The idea thus cherished by
the father of his country was also indorsed
| by Presidents John Adams, Jefferson, Mad
ison, Monroe, John Quincy Adams and
| Jackson and, in more recent years by Pres
| identS Grant and Hayes. During all this
| time the measure was advocated by men the
| most distinguished for learning and states
| manship, but owing to the lack of organized
/ effort nothing practical was accomplished.
THE MODERN MOVEMENT.
| The more modern movement in this cause
may be said to have been inaugurated in
1869 by the National Education Association,
after an appeal from DR.. John w. Hoyt,
/ of Wisconsin, at the close of his educational
| tours of inspection in all the countries of
| Europe and in the American States, by au-
! thority of the government. That great
sociation thrice unanimously indorsed the
| university proposition, and through its COM
mittee bill was introduced and unanimous
| ~ reported in the House of Representatives
in 1878. The measure continued to receive
| the Endorsement of leading scholars and
statesmen from time to time, and in 1890
| university bill was introduced in the Senate
| by Mr.. Edmunds, of Vermont, and on his
motion referred to select committee, with
| Senator Proctor as chairman
| The present general movement was begun
! at the panrepublic congress of 1891 by The
| appointment of q committee OF promotion
! to be enlarged in the discretion of its chair
| man, Ex-Governor john W. Hoyt, which
| committee, by steady growth became what
| is known as the national university commit
| tee of one. hllndreG-a committee now grown
| to several hundreds embracing the lresi-
dents of all the state universities and some
| two hundred other leading institutions, the
| superintendents OF public instruction of ell
| lne states put one ana many OF our uosl
| distinguished statesmen, scholars scientists
ana % men oa al aalrs an The IN is$s eAGoVeTnor
| giving a complete history of the efforts al
| ready made for a national university, with
| the arguments therefor, OF which several
| editions have been printed. In 1893 Senator
| ProctOr'S committee unanimously reported
! the bill Senator Hunton, of Virginia, sue
] Ao6 Proctor a chairman
the committee was made the standing COM
mittee it now is. 1t likewise reported unan-
| imously, in 1894, and the bill was ably dis
cussed in the Senate. In 1895 the national
| committee of one hundred formed an execu-
| framing of a bill and in systematically pro-
| noting it's passage the membership being
as follows: Hon Melville w. Fuller, chief
| justice of the United States; Ex-senator
| George f. Edmunds DR.. William Pepper,
| ex-provost University of Pennsylvania;
| Andrew d. White, ambassador to Germany;
| Ex-Governor John Lee Carroll, general pres
| ident Southern Railroad; Gen. Horace Por-
! Smith, Kentucky University; ex-senator
| Eppa Hunton; ex-senator and ex-Attorney
| General A. H. Garland Dictrict of Column
| bia ex-senator J. b. Henderson, of Mis-
| souri,: Gen. John Eaton, ex-commissioner
! of education District Of Columbia; Simon
| Newcomb ex-director nautical almanac,
| District of Columbia; John A. Kasson, cx-
minister to Austria II ungary. District of
| Columbia; DR.. G. b. Goode, assistant secre-
| tary Smithsonian Institution, and ex-Gov
| John w. HOyt, chairman national unlVer-
| sity committee. Washington.
| This council. after several meetings. Chief
! Justice Fuller presiding, prepared the
pending BILL and in due time the Senate
| committee, Senator Kyle chairman, sub
mitted favorable report, including letters
| of Endorsement from some three hundred
| eminent educators and leading public men,
as we'll as the arguments of members of the
council before the Senate and House com
| mittees, since which time there have been
| a wide correspondence and distribution of
| documents from the office of the commit
| tee with steady increase of public in
| tereSt.
! With ahe approval of the national uni
| versity committee, patriotic women of the
| country. under lead of Mrs. Ellen Richard
! son, of Boston assuming the early estab-
| lishment of the institution, have organized
| the George Washington memorial commit
tee for auxiliary, though independent work,
! their purpose being to raise by popular SUBJ
| scription $3.50 900 for the erection on Uni
versity Square OF first university build
| ing. The ladies engaged in this work are
/ OF such character and influence as TO give
great hope of the success of their under
| taking Moreover. distinguished friends of
! art are planning for national art galleries
! to be established in connection with and
as a part of the University of the United
| States.
1t is the intention of the national uni
| versity committee that the government and
people shall cooperate in the establish