Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-12-19
A NATIONAL UNIVERSITY.
FOR THE FURTHERANCE OF \ OF
GEORGE WASHINGTON'S PLANS.
1t Is the Building of a Great N~on-Sec-
tarinn. Non-PoIitical education
al NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
S25.OOO for the Purpose.

| ton, for the discussion of plans as TO the
best methods to be employed for raising
money towards the establishment of Il ma
tional university. More than a century
| ago George Washington tried TO make clear
to his contemporaries of what great ad-
vantage to the country a fine university
would be, and as chief magistrate OF the
land he urged strongly that such an inStt-
| tuition be founded. Several of his success
| ors in office gave hearty support TO his
plan. and many men of learning and abil-
ity haVe indorSed il. but as no concentrated
effort has been made. up TO this time. to
carry out that plan, America stands to-
day without her finely equipped university.
At the P~an-Republic congress q few years
since, a M was formed to arouse
interest In the plan SO cherished by Wash
iugton. This committee has been steadily
| increasing in size, and now has among Its
members some of our most prominent cit
liens. the presidents of all our state uni
v~ersities and men representing many other
Institutions Of high rank and Standing in
| the country. From this so-called national
committee an executive council was select
ed with Chief Justice Fuller as its presid-
ing officer. AS u result of this councils
effort, a bill to establish the University of
the United States was introduced III both
houses on Monday. December i.
| The university will be located in Washing
ton on a site of nineteen acres owned by
| the government and held for this purpose.
Fifteen regents and u university council
viii form the governing board. the presi-
dent of the United States. chief justice of
the supreme court OF the United States and
commissioner OF education figuring on this
| board.
The university will be non-polltical. nom
sectarian, broad in scope, reaching out TO
all lands for the ablest minds and most
scientific appliances with which to teach
and illuminate modern science in its high
est form. Work of research and investiga-
ton will be especially encouraged.
one of the strongest arguments in favor
OF the establishment of such an institution
in this country is the fact that 1000 grad
| yates from our American colleges are now
in Berlin. Leipsic and Heidelberg seeking
advancement in the sciences not ObtIina-
BE here. Although they are gaining much
that Will prove of lasting benefit. Yet they
are becoming impresnated with foreign
ideas and customs which are thoroughly
out of touch with our republican form OF
government.
To the poor student. unless he or she
has been fortunate enough to have obtained
a scholarship, postgraduate work Is entlfe-
ly out of reach. because of the expense in
volved in going abroad where the most eX-
tenSive and satisfactory work III research
and in the sciences may be carried on.
Through the assistance OF John II. kirke;
state superintendent of public schools. and
reach all the public schools of Missouri and
as many of the private schools as possible.
| The children OF these SCHOOLS Will De ui-
pealed to. through q pamphlet now helhs
prepared, and outlining the work, or
through personal talks. to do what they
can towards increasing Missouri 5 doni-
ton. If an entertainment for this purpose
is impossible, each girl and boy will be
asked to bring iG fTsr, IN d as Sm Fabr "a sun % as 1Sss !
as a proof of their patriotism ana OF their
loyalty to George Washington,
Through the Athenaeuin of this city, We
are enabled to reach all the Federated
Women's Clubs in the state. These and
all other societies and organizations viii
be informed fully OF the work which mas
been undertaken. that they may lend thelr
assistance to the patriotic ladies OF Amer
lea, who have resolved to raise $4,000 for
the erection of the university admlniStra-
ton building. the cornerstone of which Will
be laid in January. 1899, the hundredth an
niversary OF WashingtOn'S death-thiS to
be done "a an appropriate memorial 10
George Washington. who, during his lie.
earnestly advocated the establishment. OF
a national university. and at his death lett
money towards the endowment of il. rms.
with other money, had been presented TO
him by the legislature of Virginia in the
| form of fifty shares of cleo sterling each
in the corporation of n company establish
ed for the purpose of opening the naviga.
ton of the River Potomac from the tide
water to Fort Cumberland as a recogni-
ton of his services TO the public during
the revolutionary war. and in consideration
of his having suggested of what advantage
to the country the extension of its inland
navigation under legislative patronage
would be. He refused to accept this money
1 a. i'l M - NV ''i ms 49,
war for Independence. but he intimated to
the legislature his Willingness to accept the
same, were he permitted to appropriate
cepted these terms. and as a result We have
the nucleus of a large university fund.
In his will, Washington declares that. as
1t has always been Il source Of serious re-
gret with me to see the youth of these
United States sent to foreign countries for
the purpose of education. often before their
minds were formed or they had imbihed any
adequate ideas of the happinessof their own;
of dissipation and eXtravaSance. but prin-
cipleS unfriendly to republican government.
and 10 the true and genuine liberties OF
mankind, which thereafter are rarely over
come; for these reasons it has been my ar
dent wish to see u plan devised on a liberal
scale, which would have a tendency to
spread systematic ideas through all parts
of this rising empire, thereby to do away
local attachments and state prejudices. as
far as the nature OF the. things would. or
indeed ought, to admit. from our national
councils.
Looking anxiously forward to the ac-
complishment of so desirable an object as
this is On my estimation). my mind has
not been able to contemplate any plan more
likely, to effect the measure than the rs;
adjustment of a university in a central
part of the United States. 10 which the
youths of fortune and of talents from all
parts thereof may be sent for the compile
ton of their education in all the branches
of polite literature, in arts and sciences. in
acquiring knowledge in the principles of
politics and good government. and a mat
e u Itlllll!lt llllllbl tillit. III NY liilS
ment. by asSociating with each other and
forming friendships in Juvenile years. be
enabled to free themselves from those Local
prejudiCeS which have Just been mentioned
and which, when carried to excess. are
never failing sources of liSq IietIde to the
public mind. and pregnant of misChievous
consequences 10 their country. Under these
impressions. so fully dilated. ! give and
bequeath, in perpetuity. the fifty shares
which ] hold in the Potomac company
Cunder the aforesaid acts of the legisla,
ture of virginia. towards the endowment
of n university. to be established within
the limits of the District of Columbia, under
the auspices of the general government. il
that government should incline to extend I
fostering hand towards il, and. until suct
seminary is established. and the fund:
arising on these shares shall he required
for its support. my further will and de
sire is that the profit aCCruinE thercfron
shall, whenever the dividends are made. b.
laid out in purchasing stock i'll the Banl
of Columbia, or some other bank. at tn.
3 discretion of my executors. or by the treas
urer of the United States for the time he
ing. under the direction of congress. pro
vided that honorable body should patroniz,
5 the measure. and the dividends proCeedin!
= from the purchase of such stock are TO b.
: vested in more stock. and so on. until
sum adequate to the accomplishment o
:. the object is obtained. of which ! have no
= the smallest doubt, before many years pas
l away. even if no aid or cncoIragement i
given by the legislative authority. or from
any other source"
the accomplishment of il by the America
/ people. 1t is because of this. ami hccaus
OF the recognized need of the institution
I proposed. that the loyal hearted ladies O
America have undertaken to raise $3.50. O.
D to nay for the building devoted to the a1
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