The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-13
UNITED STATES UNIVERSITY.
BILL TO ESTABLISH 1T TO BE IN
TRODUCED IN CONGRESS.

NaShinBtOn-lie Bequcuthed 49,
OOO as IA First Endowment and Had
His Directions Been Followed the
Sum With Compound Interest
Would Now Amount to More
Than S5,0OO,O0O.
Washington, Dec. 12.-The bill to estab-
lish 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 original research and investi-
cation in all important fields of inquiry.
The government is vested in board of re-
gents and university council. The board
of regents embraces the President of the
United states, the chief justice of the Unit
ed States. the commissioner of education,
the secretary Of the Smithsonian institu-
ton, the president of the National Acade-
my of Sciences, the president of the Ma
tional Educational Association, the presi-
dent of the university and nine other cit
izens to be appointed by the President by
and with the advice and consent of the
Senate, no two whom shall be from the
same state.
The university council is to have imme-
date charge of the work of instruction,
research and investigation. 1t consists of
the regents and twelve other members, to
be appointed by them from among emf
nent educators, with a like impartial dis
tribution.
All courses and officers of instruction
are to be determined by the council, also all
regulations governing the internal man
agement of the institutions. Neither sec
tartan nor political preferences of any form
are to be allowed. whether IN the appoint
ments or in any of the operations of the
institution. Authority Is given to estab-
lish with other institutions of learning
such cooperative relations as are deemed
advantageous.
Provision Is made for the use of what
is known as University 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
urate the institution. Gifts and bequests
are to be deposited in the United States
treasury i'm trust and invested In bonds of
the United States bearing per cent. in
terest.
The present bill Is the outgrowth of
more than a hundred years of agitation.
The thought of a national university first
came to Washington while commanding
the revolutionary army. Subsequently as
President, he repeatedly urged it's estab-
lishment, and in his last will and testa-
ment left $4,000 In stocks as q first en-
dowment, the interest to be compounded.
Had congress fostered the plan this sum
would now be nearly $5OO0,0O0. The idea
thus cherished by the father of his coun-
try was also indorsed by Presidents John
Adams, Jefferson Madison, Monroe, John
quincy Adams and Jackson, and in more
recent years by Presidents Grant end
Hayes. During all this time the meas
ure was advoca ted by men the most dis
tinguished for learning and statesman
ship, but owing to the lack of organized
effort, nothing practical was accomplish
ed.
The more modern movement in this
cause may be said to have been inaugu-
rated in 1859 by the National Educational
Association, after an appeal from Or.
John w. HOyt of Wisconsin, at the close
of his educational tour of inspection in
American states, by authority of the gov
erument.
That great association thrice unanimous
" indorsed the university proposition, and
through its committee a bill was intro
duced and unanimously reported in the
House of Representatives in 1878. The
measure continued to receive the indorse-
ment of leading scholars and statesmen
from time to time and in 1890 "a univer-
sity bill was indorSed in the Senate by
Mr. Edmunds of Vermont, and upon his
motion referred to a select committee,
with Senator Proctor as chairman.
The present general movement was be-
gun at the Republic congress Of 1891
by the appointment of committee of pro-
motion, to be enlarged in the discretion of
its chairman, ex-GoV John w. Hoyt, which
committee by steady growth, became what
Is known as the national university COM
mittee Of 1O0-a committee now grown to
several hundred, embracing the presidents
Of all the state universities and some 200
other leading institutions, the superind-
ents of public instruction of all the states
but one and many of most distinguished
statesmen, scholars scientists and men of
affairs
In 1892, ex-Gov Hoyt presented to the
Senate a memorial giving a complete his
tory Of the efforts already MADE for a ma
tional university, with the arguments
lueItlOFs Oi WHICH stNSldl fuitiOuS nave
been printed.
In 1898, Senator Proctor's committee
unanimously reported the bill. Senator
Hunton of Virginia, succeeded Senator
Proctor as chairman, and the committee
was made the standing committee II now
is 1T likewise reported unanimously in 1894,
and the bill was ably discussed.
In 1896 the national committee OF 100
formed an executive council to act in It's
behalf, both in the framing Of a bin and In
systematically promoting ITS passage, the
membership being as follows: Hon. Mel
Vile w. Fuller, chief justice of the su-
preme court ex-senator Edmunds Dr.
Wright, ex-provost university of Pennsyl-
vania; Andrew ID. White, ambassador to
Germany; oscar Strauss. ex-minister to
Turkey; ex-Gov. John Lee Carroll, Gen.
Horace Porter ambassador to France Col.
Wilbur r. Smith. Kentucky university; ex-
Senator Eppa Hunton. ex-senator and ex-
Attorney General A. II. Garland, District
of Columbia. ex-senator B. j. Henderson
of Missouri; Cen. John Eaton, ex-commis-
sioner of education District of Columbia
Simon Newcomb, ex-director Nautical AL
manac, District of Columbia; John A. Kas-
son, ex-minster to Austria Hungary, Dis
trict Of Columbia Dr. G. Brown Goode, as
sistant secretary of Smithsonian institu-