The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-01-20

the line of instruction in the mechanic
arts" and in those branches OF study not
especially related to agriculture. !"
We know that the friends OF the insti-
tuition have for years rebutted the popu-
lar notion that.it should be considered
mainly an Agricultural College, and
the occupations Of it's graduates fully
sustain their contention. In 1892 of the
84S graduates then living there were en-
ployed "a in agriculture and allied in
dusrri6s as follows:
Farmers, II
Professors of Agriculture, z
Directors of Agricultural Experiment
Stations,
Chemists toSAg ricultural Experiment
Stations, :
Veterinary Surgeons,
Nurs erymen,
Florist,
Assistant U. S. Bureau of Animal
Editor of Agricultural Paper. /
Total, 81
The other graduates were employed III
many, professions and other occupations
which the report gives in detailed form
and con t1nues:
The college today in its practical work
ings is School Of science and tech
nology, and Is so advertised. We do not
question, but have every reason TO be-
iieye, that as such it is an institution OF
high rank, and that it's graduates are
wellsequipped for professional or Dusi-
ness life. At least two thirds of its
students, we should say, are following
thestechnical courses, to wit: civil, me-
chanical, sand electrical engineering.
Nine distinct courses of study are now
open to all, without regard to residence
free of tuition, each requiring four years
for completion. One of these is an
observation-disclosures, which is treated,
according to the last catalogue Gas "a
branch of technology"
''For those who wish practical rather
than scientific training in agriculture
shorter courses are provided" The phar-
macy and preparatory medical courses
have recently been added.
THE DUTY Oh THE TATE.
We come now. to the claim 81 often and
so effectively urged upon the Legislature,
thatsby accepting the National land grant
the State became bound to support the
college and that to keep faith with the
Federal Government it must continue
such support. We cannot agree to this
unqualified proposition. 1t was not so
understood by the early friends of the
college, it was never so contemplated sby
the people at large, it cannot be sus-
tanned by the conditions of any act OF
Congress or of the Maine Legislature.
By accepting the grant the State agreed
"a To establish school of the described
character within five years; (2l 10 re-
- III H. ion
the interest wholly in support of The
school, and a. To repair and preserve
thekbuildings, which 1.-THE State was to
provide. So much and no more the
State must do to preserve faith with the
National Government.
Appropriations for other purposes can
not be claimed on the ground of Ubliga-
ton, for the State long ago Establish cd
a school, within the meaning Of the
Act, and must certainly be its own judge
as to the extent Of it's further benefac-
tions.
If the college can fairly enlarge it's
"plant, expand it's courses of study,
and increase it's corps OF instructors with
no Limitation save the needs of the rapid
ly growing number of students from
within and without the State which free
tuition may attract, and If the State is
pound to make annual appropriations
then one might almost be inclined to
ask whether the college exists for the
State or the State fur the college.
WHAT OTHER STATES HAVE
DONE.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
divided the proceeds OF Its land grant
between the A Agricultural college at Am
herst and the Institute of Technology in
Boston, in the proportion of two thirds
and one third. The State Of Maine. on
basis of assessed valuation, has appro-
priated for the State College swo and one
half times as much as has Massachusetts
in aid of both these Institute Massa-
chusetts pays the Institute of Technology
"a private corpoI atom annually, the
tuition of twenty young men, the charge
bein $500 per year. This is all that is
done by Massachusetts,, with seven times
our assessed, and twice our per capita
valuation, for such technical instruction
as our State is furnishing free to every
one, fact which young men of other
States are not slow to recognize.
The Massachusetts Agricultural Col
lege, an institution of the very highest
rank, and which conforms more nearly /,
we bC1ACtO, oHUh any OsAlSls W. o-tS
nal design Of such colleges showing in a
total graduate list Of $50, that 355 are
engaged in farming and allied indus
tries) received for the year ending June
8. 1896, an income of 100000. as against
that of the Maine State College OF Sos, :
600.
The State of Vermont. with an as
sessed valuation somewhat mora than
one half that of Maine, but with a larger
per capita valuation, has appropriated In
aid of the University Of Vermont, an old
established classical and scientific 1nsti-
tuition, the sum fof S6. coo per year since
1883, of which amount So. 600 is for the
use Of the Agricultural Department.;
making the sum total Of appropriations
$4,000.
On basis of assessed valuation the
State of Maine has done more than three
and one half times as much RS Vermont,
for their respective institutions.
THE UOMMITTEE'S VIEWS.
In view of the foregoing facts. we do
not think 1t reasonable that the State be
asked to further increae it's gift to the