The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-12-16
A BILL WILL DE INTRODUCED IN
CONGRESS TODAY PROVIDING
FOR 1T.
PLAN ORIGINATED WITH washington
Eather of His Country Made u re
quest n Hundred Years Ago.
should he Leading Univers-
ity Of the World.

! ton of the highest possible type for the
graduates of accredited colleges and uni
yersities only with special reference 10
| the work of original research and investl-
CATION in all important fields of inquiry:
| The government is vested in boar. OF
| regents and university council. Inc
board of regents embraces the presiden.
| of the United States. the chief justice OF
| the United States, the commissioner OF
| education, the secretary of the Smithson-
| ian institution, the president of the Ma
| tional Academy of Sciences, the presii-
! dent of the National Educational assocl,.
alton, the president of the university ana
| nine other citizens, to be appointed by
| TIE president by and with the advice and
| consent of the senate, and no two OF them
shall be from the same state. The Inl-
yersity council is to have immediate
| work of the instruction research and in
vestigation. 1t consists of the regents
| and twelve other members. to be appoint
ed by them from among eminent edu-
Gators with like impartial distribution.
All courses and officers of instruction are
to be determined by the council; also all
regulations governing the internal man
agement of the institution.
Neither sectarian nor political prefer
ences in any form are to be allowed,
whether in the appointments or in any
of the operations of the institution. Au-
thority is given to establish with other
institutions of learning such cooperative
relations as are deemed advantageous.
Provision is made for the use of what
il known as university Square, the
site set apart by Washington for universe
II purposes, and lately occupied by the
naval observatory. Congress is now ask
cd for but enough means to enable the
board of regents to organize and prac-
tically inaugurate the institution. Gifts
and requests are to be deposited in the
United States treasury in trust, and in
vested in bonds of the United States
bearing 5 per cent interest.
The present bill is the outgrowth of
more than 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 its
establishment, and in his last will and
testament left $4,000 in stocks asa first
endowment, the interest to be compound
ed. Had congress fostered the plan this
sum would now be nearly $5,O00,0OO. The
idea thus cherished by the father of his
country was also Endorsed by Presiden.
Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe,
John Quincy Adams and Jackson. Dur
ing all this time the measure was advo-
Gated by men most distinguished for
learning and craftsmanship, but owing to
organized effort nothing practical was ac-
complished.
The more modern movement i'll this
cause may he said to have been inaugu-
rated in 1869 by the National Education
al association after an appeal from DIR.
John W. Hoyt of Wisconsin at the close
of an educational tour of inspection in
all the countries of Europe and in the
American states by authority of the gov
eminent.
That great association thrice unani-
morsly endorsed the university PROPOSE
ton, and through its committee n bill was
introduced and unanimously reported in
the house in 1879. The house continued
TO receive the endorsement of leading
scholars and statesmen from time to
time and in 1890 Il university bill was
introduced in the senate by Mr.. Ed
munds of Vermont. and upon his motion
referred to Il select committee with Sen
ator Proctor as chairman.
The present general movement was be-
gun ut the Pan-Republic congress of
1881 by the appointment of II committee
of promotion to be enlarged in the dis
cretion of its chairman, cx.Governor
John w. HOyt. which committee. by
steady growth, became what is known as
the National University committee of
1OO-a committee now grown to several
hundred. embracing the presidents of all
the state universities and some 200 other
leading institutions, the superintendent
of public instruction of all the states but
one, and many of our most distinguished
statesmen, scholars. scientists and men of
affairs.
in 1882 rx-Governor Hoyt presented to
the senate IL memorial giving the com
plete history Of the efforts already made
for II national university with the argu-
ments therefor, of which several editions
have been printed. In 1893 Senator
ProctOr's committee unanimously re-
ported the bill. Senator Hunton of Vir-
Sinia succeeded Senator Proctor as chair
man. and the committee was made the
standing committee it now is. 1t likewise
reported unanimously in 1894, and the bill
was ably discussed in the senate. In
1896 the national committee of 100 form
ed an executive council to act in its be-
half, both in the framing of bill and in
Systematically promoting it's passage, the
membership being as follows:
Hon. Melville w. Fuller, chief justice
of the United States; ex-senator Ed
munds. DR.. William f. Pepper. ex-pro-
vost University of Pennsylvania; An
drew ID. White, ambassador to Germany:
Oscar :. Strauss, ex-minister to Turkey:
Ex-Governor John Lee Carroll Gen.
Horace Porter. ambassador to France
Col. Wilbur X. Smith. Kentucky Uni
versity; ex-senator Epps Hunton, ex-Sen-
ator and Attorney General Garland, Dis
trict Columbia; Senator Henderson Of
Missouri: Gen. John Eaton, ex-commis-
sioner of education. District of Column
bia; Simon Newcomb, ex-direc;or Nauti-
cal Almanac, District of Columbia; John
A. Kasson, e-.minister to Austria
Hungary, District of Columbia; DR.. q.
Brown Goode, assistant secretary Smith
sonian institute: Ex-Governor John w.
Hoyt, chairman National University
committee Washington. ID. c.
This council, after several meetings,
Chief Justice Fuller presiding, prepared
the pending bill, and in due time the
senate committee. Senator Kyle, chair
man. submitted a favorable report, in
Guiding letters of endorsement from some
800 eminent educators and leading pub
lie men, as vel! as the arguments of men,
hers of the council before the senate and
house committees. since which time there
have been a wide correspondence and
distribution of documents from the Office
of the committee. with steady increase
of public interest with the approval of
the National University committee. Pa
triOtic women of the country, under the
lead of Mrs. Ellen +. Richardson of Bos-
ton, assuming the early establishment of
the institution, have organized the
n Wy, - rfn,, anp, for anvil