Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-12-13
SCHEME FOR UNITED STATES UNI.
VERSITY TO BE PUSHED.
CONGRESS TO BE ASKED TO AID
BILL TO BE INTRODUCED IN BOTH
HOUSES TO-DAY.
Rcgun in Washington's
Timc-Mcasurc Provides for an
Institution of the Highest
Typc-High officials
Regents.

Washington. Dec. 12-,Thc 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 refer
| cnce TO the work of original research and
| investigation in all important fields of III
| quiry. The government is vested IL a
| board of regents and Il university couu-
! cil The board of regents embraces the
| president of the United States, the chief
| justice of the supreme court of the United
| States, the commissioner of education, the
| secretary of the Smithsonian institution
| the president of the National Academy of
| Sciences, the president of the National
| Educational Association, the president of
the university and nine other citizens. to
be appointed by the president. by and with
| the advice and consent of the semitic. no
| two of them being from the same state.
| The university council is to have imme-
| diate charge of the work of instruction.
research and investigation. 1t consists of
| the regents and ten other members. to be
| appointed by them from among eminent
| educators, with like impartial diStribti-
| ton. All courses and officers of instruction
| 80 ~ be t't'i pS tle touicil tISU
| all regulations governing the internal man
aeement of the institution. Neither sec
\ tartan nor political preferences in any
| form are to be allowed, whether in the
| appointment or in any of the operations
| OF the institution. Authority is given to
establish, with other institutions of learn
| ing. such cooperative relations as are
| deemed advantageous.
Provision is made for the use of what
1 u. l.
| 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
| regents TO organize and practically inaugu-
| rate the institution. Gifts and bequests
| are to be deposited in the United States
| treasury. in trust. and invested in bonds
| OF the United States bearing per cent
! interest
| The present hill is the outgrowth of more
than a hundred years of agitation. The
thought of Il national university first came
to Washington, while commanding the
Revolutionary army. Subsequently. as pres
ident, he repeatedly urged its establish
ment, and in his last will and testament
left $4,000 in stocks, as a first endowment,
the interest to be compounded. Had con-
gress fostered the plan. this sum would
now be nearly $5,0Oo,0o0. The idea thus cher
also indoIsed by Presidents John Adams
jefferson, Madison. Monroe. John Quincy
Adams and jackson. and in recent years
by Presidents Grant and Hayes. During
all this time the measure was advocated
by men the most distinguished for learn
ing and craftsmanship. but. owing to the
lack of organized efforts, nothing practical
was accomplished.
The more modern movement is this cause
he said to have. jp1, Tod ;vI
1862 by the National Educational Associa-
ton. after an appeal from DIR. John w.
Hoyt of Wisconsin, at the close of his
official educational tours of inspection in all
the countries of Europe and in the Ameri-
can states. That great association thrice
unanimously indorsed the university propo-
sition, and, through its committee. a bill
was introduced and unanimously reported
in the house of representatives in 1873. The
measure continued to receive the ndorSe- |
ment of leading scholars and statesmen,
from time to time. and, in 1880, a university |
bill was introduced in the senate by Mr.. |
Edmunds. of Vermont. and upon his mo- |
ton referred to Il select committee, with |
Senator Proctor as chairman. |
The present general movement was be- |
gun at the Pan-Republic congress of 1891, |
by the appointment of committee of pro- |
motion. to be enlarged in the discretion of |
its chairman, Ex-Governor John W. Hoyt.
This committee. by steady growth. became |
what is known as the National University |
committee of 100-a committee now grown |
to several hundred, embracing the prcs-
dents of all the state universities and some
200 other leading institutions. the superia-
tendeEts of public instruction of all the
states but one, and many of Our most dis
tnguished statesmen. scholars, and men of |
affairs. In 1892. Ex-Governor Hoyt pre-
serted to the senate memorial of which
several editions have been printed. giving
complete history of the efforts already
made for n national university, with the
arguments therefor.
In 1893. Senator Proctors committee
unanimously reported. Senator Hunton. of
Virginia. succeeded Senator Proctor as
chairman. and the committee was made
the standing committee it now is. 1t. like
wise. reported unanimously i'll 1891. and the
bill was ably discussed in the senate.
In 1895. the national committee of one
hundred formed an executive council to act
III its behalf both in the framing of bill
and in systematically promoting its pass
age. the membership being follows:
Hon. Melville w. Fuller, chief justice of |
the supreme court of the United States;
ex-senator George i. Edmunds. George
w Pepper. cx-proyost, University of Penn
sylvania: andrew d. White, ambassador
to Germany; Oscar S. Strauss. eX-mnister
to Turkey; Ex-Governor John Lee Carroll.
general president ). X: General Horace
Porter ambassador to France; Colonel
Wilbur r. Smith. Kentucky university: "a
Senator Hunton: ex-senator and eX-Attor-
ney General Garland: ex-senator J. l..
Henderson. of Missouri; General John
Laton: Simon Newcomb: John A. KaSSon,
eN-minister to Austria-HunGary: DIR. G.
Brown Goode assistant secretary Smith
sonian Institution, and Ex-Governor John
w. Huyt.
This council. after several meetings Chief
Justice Fuller presiding, prepared the pend
hill and in due time the senate commit |
tee. Senator Kyle chairman. submitted a
favorable report, including letters of in
dorsement from some 80 eminent educa-
tors and leading public men. as we'll as
the arguments of members of the council
before the senate and house committees: |
since that time. there has been a wide
and distribution of docu- |
mcnts from the office of the committee
with 4 steady increase of public interest.
With the approval of the national uni
versity committee, patriotic women of the
under the lead of Mrs. Ellen A.
Richardson. of Boston. have organized the |
George Washington memorial committed |
for auxiliary, though Independent, work
their purpose being to raise. by popular |
S250C00 for the erection on |
square of first university
building.
1t is the intention of the national univer-
sty committee that the government shall
co Operate in the establishment of the pro-
posed university, and IL is intended that ,
the bill shall be pressed to early passage.