The record-union., 1897-12-13
A Bill to Establish 1t Pre-
pared.
II will be introduced Into Both Houses Of
Congress To-Day.
Washington's Bequest Of $4,000
Hundred Years Ago for the
Purpose of Founding 1t About
to be Put to Use at Last-Many
Delays Have Prevented the Full
fllment of His Hopes So Far.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12-The bill to
establish 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 for accredited
colleges and universities only, with spe-
cial refernce to the work of original re-
search and investigation in all i'm
portant fields of inquiry. The govern
ment is vested in a Board of Regents
and a University Council. The Board
of Regents will embrace the President
of the United States, the Chief Justice
of -he Supreme Court of the United
States, the Chamber of Education, the
Secretary of the Smithsonian Institu-
ton, the President of the National
Academy of Sciences, the President of
the National Educational Association,
the President of the university, by and
with the advice and consent of the
Senate no two of them to be from the
same State.
The University Council is to have i'm
mediate charge of the work of instruc-
tion, research and investigation. 1t
consists of the Regents and twelve
other members, to be appointed by
them from among eminent educators,
with like impartial distribution. All
courses and officers of instruction are to
be determined by the council. as also
regulations governing the international
management of the institution. Neither
seotar:an nor political preferences in
ff fn he oil hot hay =,
the appointment or in any of the opera
tions Of the institution. Authority is
given to establish with other institu-
tions oil learning such cooperative re-
lations as are deemed advantageous.
Provision is made for the use of what
is known as University Square," the
site set apart by Washington for uni
verSity purposes and lately occupied by
the Naval Conservatory. Congress is
now asked for but enough means to
enable the Board of Regents to organ
ize and practically inaugurate the in
stituLion. Gifts and bequests are to be
deposited in the United States Treas
ury in trust, and invested in bonds of
the United States bearing 5 per. cent
interest.
The present bill is the outgrowth of
more than 100 years of agitation. The
thought of a university first came to
Washington while commanding the
Revolutionary army. subsequently, as
President, he repeatedly urged it's es-
tabIisnment, and in his last will and
testament left $25, 900 in stocks as a
first endowment, the interest to be
compounded Had Congress fostered it,
this sum would now be nearly 5000,
600. The idea thus cherished by the
Father of His Country was also in
dorsed by Presidents John Adams, JEFF
ferson, Madison, Monroe. John Quincy
Adams and Jackson, and in more re-
cent years by Presidents Grant and
Hayes. During all this time the meas
ure was advocated by men most dis
tinguished for learning and statesman
ship, but owing to the lack of organ
lied efforts nothing practical was ac-
compliShed.
The more modern movement in this
cause ay be said to have been inau-
gurated in 1869 by the National Edu-
cational Association, after an appeal
from DR.. John w. Hoyt of Wisconsin
at the close of his educational tours of
inspection in all the countries Of Eu-
rope and in the American States by
authority of the Government. The
great association thrice unanimously
indorsed the university proposition, and
through its committee a bill was intro
duced and unanimously reported in the
House of Representatives in 1873 The
measure continued to receive the in
dorsement of leading scholars and
statesmen from time to time, and in
1890 q university bill was introduced
in the Senate by Edmunds of Vermont,
and, upon his motion, referred to a Sc
lect committee with Senator Proctor
as Chairman
The present general movement was
begun at the Pan Republic Congress in
1891 by the appointment of a commit
tee Of promotion, TO be enlarged in the
discretion of its Chairman, ex-Govern-
or John w. Hoyt, which committee by
steady growth became what is known
as the National University Committee
of One Hundred--a committee now
grown to several hundred, embracing
the Presidents of all the State uni
versitias and some 200 other leading
institutions. the Superintendents of
Public Instruction of all the States but
guisiled statesmen, scholars and men of
affairs.
With the approval of the National
University Committee, patriotic women
of the country, under the lead of Mrs
Ellen A. Richardson of Boston, have or
ganZed the George Washington Mem
orial Committee for an auxiliary in the
present work, their purpose being to
raise by popular subscription S25O,0O0
for the erection on University Square
of a first university building.
1t is the intention of the National
University Committee that the Govern
ment shall cooperate in the establish
ment of the proposed university. and
it is intended that the bill shall be
pressed to early passage, so that on
July 8, 1893. the one hundredth ami
versary of Washington's bequest. shall
witness at least the practical beginning
of what should become the leading uni