Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-03-18

Inc poor FARMER ana tne poor iutcHa,AS
shall be taxed for this purpose. This In
stitution ought to collect tuition from ev-
cry boy that is able to pay. They can
easily collect $4,000 a year and not OPP
press the father of single boy who Is
not able to pay. In reply to the asser-
ton that ii tends to divide the boys into
classes, | remember by own experience
and that of scores of others in the col,
lege where / graduated who were aided
under general scholarships. and ] never
knew a boy who in the thought of a sin
gle student in the college was pointed out
because he was poor and because he was
trying to educate himself with the little
aid which the institution afforded him.
All this talk about classes in college di-
vided by wealth and poverty is utter
nonsense. Why should an appropriation
be made for 10 years? One reason that
is urged is that certain educational in
stitutions have been endowed for 10 years.
This assertion was an error. AS l under
stand from the chairman of the commit
tee on education, all the appropriations
for academies this year are for two years
only. Surprising it were true, do not the
senators see the difference between the
gift of money to an institution which is
not under our control. and the appropri-
alton of money to run one of our own
business institutions where the officers
and agents are responsible to us for the
manner in which they spend the money?
Another reason urged is because the
militia gets permanent appropriation
is SO. Those of you who were here in
1893 will remember that a bill was intro
duced in the early days of the session and
went through before anybody noticed it.
In 1895 that appropriation was changed
from one-twelfth of mill to one-tenth
of Al mill. The amount was all right but
the method was vicious. The expendi-
lures of the military department are
nearly all of them regulated by law. But
here we are dealing with college which
aims to be a university. whose courses
are enlarging and that calls for larger
appropriations year by year. They say
ton for 10 years that they can fix the
policy of the college. They say in their
report that they must have $4,000 a year
for 10 years: The appropriation agreed
them $4,000 year. How can they
fix a policy. The senator from Piscata
quis said. yesterday. that they would
have to lop off the things they must have.
mite sum for 10 years, it goes through
early in the session. Then they come and
say: Give us $4,000 or $4,000 for this.
that or the other thing" and how easily
1t would go through | do not object to
the enlarging tendencies of the State col
lege If it is properly done. but I do object
to the increase Of these departments and
these courses of study in the higher
branches at the States expense. They
may have all the courses of study that
they please in the very higher branches.
but do it at the expense of those who are
benefited thereby. Why should we not
appropriate for the Maine Insane hospital
10 years appropriations in advance, or for
the State Normal school. or for our Re-
form school. We do npt do 1T for any of
them, especially in view of the fact that
there are things which they have got to
have and will have to come back next
year to get them. / had rather vote, to-
day. for $500 for two years. than $4,000
year for 10 years. We ought to limit
the amount to not more than $50 900 at
the outside. ! think the institution can
get along with $4,000, which with a tut
ton of at least $5OOO will give them $25-
900. and that in addition to their fixed in
come will give them nearly 100000 to carry
on the business of the college for the en-
suing year. That is $4,000 more than ii
takes to run Bowdoin college. and almost
double what it takes to run Colby or
Bates college. And now again wishing
that institution abundant success as Il
State college of agriculture as it was in
tended to be. and of the mechanic arts
for the industrial classes as it was writ
ten to be, | submit this matter to the
Senate.
Mr.. Engel of Penobscot: | will appear
here as witness and testify impartially
and frankly what I know of this college.
| operate some mills I'm the same place
where this institution is located. and my
farm adjoins the farm of the State col
lege. Every morning / go there to take
my breakfast at a boarding house. and
there l meet great many scholars of
this institution. 1nquiring Of them where
they come from. their financial condition
and the occupation of their fathers.
have learned that 50 per cent. of them
are the boys of farmers mechanics, mas
ter builders. lanorers. clerks, and not one
have | found to be the son of a banker
broker. Il cashier or even the son of a
land owner. They belong to the indus
trial classes And If you will look at the
occupation of the graduates of this col
lege. you will find the most of them are
civil. mechanical or electrical engineers
master builders and business men. and a
few farmers. | know that the farmer is
ambitious for his son and is not anxious
to have his son return to the farm. The
question of tuition comes up. The minute
you say that the student must pay tut
ton, it is practically labelling this insti-
tuition: No poor boy need apply" The
senator from Kennebec says that 1t will
make no classes. / speak my own experi-
ence with good deal of feeling. | was
unfortunate enough to be a free scholar
in a university, and the heart-aches and
foundations l. have suffered are beyond
description. / was practically barred out
of any social function where money was
required In the infancy of our State
any sort of education was thought to be
sufficient Under the changed conditions
it became absolutely necessary that a boy
of the poor should have a highseducation,
ana this college came upon the surface.
There Is no doubt that the management
in some details has not been what it
ought to be. but nothing is perfect in this
world Two years ago, as you all know.
we gave this institution $40 OeO year and
now they need $4,000. The senator from
Androscoggin says he has no itemized
statement of facts. At the same time he
shows you report from DR.. Harris and
he wants to defeat this measure because
the report in pamphlet form was not
tackled onto his resolve. l, for one, am
perfectly willing to furnish him the pin
to pin 1t on.
Mr.. Savage: Unfortunately Mr. Pres
ident. the report does not state the par
ticular items.
Mr.. Engel: At the same time the gen.
tleman is perfectly well aware what this
money is to be spent for. There is one
thing the gentleman will admit that the
attendance has increased so per cent And
II he voted to give them $40 900 two years
ago. he must know it is absolutely neces-
sary to give them $25,tOO this year, and if
we do not it win cripple the institution.
AT first was not In favor of the 10-year
plan, but after hearing the testimony I
found that the management cannot get
the best educators unless they can be
reasonably satisfied that if they dis
charge their duty faitn. ully they will
keep them for a term of years If by
some mismanagement or accident il !
should prove that the scholarship dmin-
ishes, the Legislature has a right to cut
down the appropriation. The question of
economy has been raised here. 1t SIM
ply means one-fourteenth of a mill of our
state tax, and 1t would practically mean
for every poor farmer and every poor
man who has S10{0 IN v n h1.a prnnert, ,;rb4