Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-05-19
A NATIONAL UNIVERSITY.
The Proposition q. One That Would
BE Endorsed.

BE Endorsed.
From The St. Paul Pioneer Press
From the very foundation If our govern
ment the establishment at Washington of
a great national university-rot the coun-
terrart or rival OF anything already ex-
listing in America, nor Yet a servile fmita-
ton of the famous universities of Europe.
but something which might successfully
aim to direct and crown the highest edu-
cational aspirations of our land, and which
might In time challenge the supremacy of
old world investigators In the domain Of
knowledge, just as we had already chal-
ienged the rightfulness of European polit-
lea! ioeas-has been the dream of Ameri-
can Patriots and intellectual leaders The
thought captivated the soul of Washing
ton, who repeatedly urged the matter upou
the attention OF Congress and of other in
nuenual bodies, as well upon many in
diNidrals of note. like Hamilton Jefre
son and Governor Brooke of Virginia Ana
the Father of his Country, I'm the evident
nope of stimulating by such a bequest the
early action of Congress- made a dying
Slft OF $1,000 to the nation as the begin
nlng OF a fund for the purpose. II is claim
cd that, had this bequest been properly in
vested and cared for by Congress. its ac-
cretfons Of interest might now have
amounted to over 81. 100000
II would take q column to repeat even
the names of the illustrious men, in and
CUT OF Office, who have lent their influence
10 the furtherance of the great idea The
PROJECT has been urged upon succeeding
CONGRESSES by Presidents John Adams
JEFFERSON. Madison. Monroe, j. O. Adams
Grant and Hayes, but in the pressure Of
other matters, to a narrow vision more in
umately connected with the material
growth CT the nation. 1t has been continu-
ally thrust aside; more particularly it
would Seem. because there was until re-
cently no organization behind 1t charg I'd
with the special duty of pushing IL to the
'front.'. An attempt was made in 1869 to
remedy this deficiency by the appointmen
OF great committee by the National Ed
ucaional Association: but this committee
aided by Senator Sumner and others, hav-
ing secured the introduction of a bin in
both houses of Congress and its indorse-
ment by President Grant In 1873. seemed
TO consider its work DONE and on the fail
ure OF the bill the committee disappeared
from view. Another bill was introduced
by Senator Edmunds in 1890 but the mat
Ter Went no further than the creation of q
select committee. since made a standing
committee the Senate. having charge of
the project
step which seems likely to result i'm the
hnai consummation of the scheme was
however, taken i'm November, 1885,, In the
feIlna ton OF A committee of one hundred
tsince grown TO three hundred) TO promote
the establishment of the University of the
United States. This committee has an
executive council presided over by Chief
Justice Fuller. and including such men as
Senator Edmunds. General Horace Porter
ex-Attorney General Garland, with twelve
others, who have lately brought the mat
Ter almost TO focus. In January, 1870.
they secured the Introduction of a new hill
IN Doth houses of Congress- which was
aiterWard faVorably reported. but the re-
session.
1t looks as If among the glories which
IL is hopad may crown the Mckinley adj
mn. s,ralicn might be that of taking the
mrs. formal steps for the contamination of
dream that has haunted the brains Of
our statesmen and scholars for more than
a century. Probably the immediate voting
OF large endowment would hardly be
wise IN view Of the present condition of
the nations finances: but a commission
can be appointed to formulate a plan II
organization and future endowment and
,IcS an IMPORTANT advance be made
meanwhile, as has been repeatedly pointei
CUT, such arrangements can be made for
me utlilzatfon, in connection. with the pro-
posed university, 6 the immense scien-
INC and other collections gathered in the
governmental departments at Washington
ana or the force of several hundred trained
experts there employed, as shall in fact
De equal at the outset to a greater en-
dowment than is now possessed bv any Of
eie so-calied universities in the country
gathered at the capital are already SOME
SIXTY or more great bureaus and institu-
lons, whose Resources may in part thus
be laid under tribute 10, or to a certain
NerSlty- Such u connection will be espe-
claiiy Valuable in utilizing to an extent
o,herWlse inp-acticable, the treasures of
The great Congressional Library, of the
SnithSonian institution. of the Medical
museum and Library. of the patent oflce.
oI the botanical garden, of the naval OBJ
servatory, and of the scientific bureaus of
the Agricultural Department
AS it is proposed to admit TO the uniyer-
slty, as applicants for its degrees only
students who have already taken The
Dachelors degree in other colleges the
lear that the proposed institution will in
!uriously compete with others already es-
tablished is practically done away with
me great universitys endowed fellow
ships will support deserving specialists in
every line of scientific investigation, and
with departments of letters, science. and
philosophy so constituted that they shall
be centers for the grouping Of post-grad-
uate professional schools of every class. it
VIII no doubt, If the project is carried out
so hty crown our educational system that
every American shall look to it with ex-
ultant, patriotic pride.