The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-13

1890 university bill was introduced in
the senate by Mr.. Edmunds, of Yer
mont, and upon his motion referred TO
select committee, with Senator Proc
tor as chairman.
The presnt general movement was
begun at the Pan-American congress
of 1891 by the appointment off a COM
mtttee of promotion, 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 100-a committee now grown
to several hundreds, embracing the
presidents of all the state universities
and some 200 other leading institutions,
the superintendents of public instruc-
tion of all that states but one, and
many of our most distinguished states
men, scholars, scientists and men of
affairs. In 1892, eX-GOv. Hoyt present.
ed to the senate a memorial giving a
complete history of the efforts already
made for a national university. with
the arguments therefor, of which sew
eral editions have been printed. In
1893, Senator Proctor's committee
unanimously reported. Senator Hunton,
of Virginia, succeeded Senator Proctor
as chairman, and the committee was
made the standing committee ii now
1t. 1t likewise reported unanimously
in 1894, and the bill was ably dis
cussed in the senate. In 1895, the ma
tional committee CT 100 formed an eX-
ecutive council to act in it's behalf,
both in the framing of a 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 George +.
Edmunds, Dr. William Pepper, ex-
provost, university of Pennsylvania;
Andrew d. White, ambassador to Ger
many; Oscar Strauss ex-minister to
Turkey; ex-Gov. John Lee Carroll, gen.
eral president S. r.; Gen. Horace Por-
ter ambassador to France; Col Wilbur
r. Smith, Kentucky university; ex-
Senator Eppa Hunton, ex-senator and
eX-attorney general; A. II. Garland,
d. c.; ex-senator j. B. Henderson. of
Missouri; Gen. John Eaton, eX-commis-
sioner of education; Simon Newcomb,
ex-director nautical almanac, D. c.;
John A. Kasson, eX-minister to Aus
tria- Hungary, d. c.; DR.. G. Brown
Goode, assistant secretary Smithso-
nian institution, and eX-Gov. John W.
Hoyt, chairman national university
committee, Washington, d. c. This
council, after several meetings, Chief
Justice Fuller presiding, prepared the
pending bill, and in due time the sem
ate committee. Senator Kyle chair
Hl1ll SuDlIIlleu al IdNOTdDle report, III
Guiding letters of Endorsement from
some 300 eminent educators and lead
ing public men, as we'll as the aIgu-
ments of members of the councill be-
fore 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 a steady increase Of
public interest.
LADIES AIDING.
With the approval of the national
university committee, patriotic women
of the country, under the lead OF Mrs.
Ellen A. Richardson, of Boston, as
suming the early establishment of the
institution, have organized the George
Washington memorial committee for
auxiliary though independent work,
their purpose being to raise by popular
subscription $3.50, 900 for the erection on
University square Of first university
building. The ladies engaged In this
work are of such character and in
fluence as to give great hope of the
success of their undertaking.
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
university committee that the gov
ernment shall cooperate IN the estaD-
lishment of the proposed university,
and it is intended that the bill shall
be pressed to early passage, so that
July g. 1899, the Tooth anniversary of
Washingtons bequest, shall witness
at least the practical beginning Af what
should become the leading university
Of the world.