The times., 1898-02-23
Georgetown Students Debate the
Interesting Question.
FOR THE MERRICK MEDAL
Messrs. Brady and Waggainan Argue
That 1t Would Be Expedient to
Establish Such an Institution,
White Mess rs. Kirby and O'Netli
Speak in the Negative.

The question under discussion was
Resolved. That it would be expedient for
the United States to establish national
university, having control over all collie
giate degrees" V
The debaters. four innumber, had been
chosen by ballot by the society, and rep
resented the best oratoricai talent of the
college. They were: Edward Joseph Bra
dy, Maryland. 9S; and Samuel John Wag-
ganlan, District of Columbia, 9S. In the
affirmative; Maurice Brown Kirby, Dis
trict of Columbia. '9s. and Thomas Jere-
miah O'Neill. New York, SO, in the mega
tive.
The debate was interspersed with selec
tions by banjo sextet and q mandolin
quartet.
Mr.. Henry Ryan Cover, Iowa '9S, made
a short Introductory address. in which he
stated that the occasion of the contest
for this much-coyeted medal was always
one of much interest to the students and
also to the public; that the question for
the evening was one well-befitting the
day: that it was at the present time being
agitated to a considerable extent and
ments on either side of the subject by its
public defenders and opponents.
Mr.. Brady began his remarks by stat
ing that on page 16, vol. ] of the official
records of the orphans court of the Dis
trict of Columbia, would be Found the
bequest OF fifty shares of stock OF the
Potomac Company, made by George
Washington. for the establishment of u
mt iona tIuit r-iy he -
Columbia under the auspices of the gen
erai government. He said that this con-
ception of the need of such an institu-
tion of learning by Washington was one
worthy of its high patriotism. and an
indication of his love for and conception
of the needs of the people of his country.
Ever since that time, he continued,
patriotic statesmen have advocated the
establishment of such an Institution;
schools have urged it, and today public
sentiment demands that the wishes of
the father of his country shall be COM
piled with.
The benefit of having a national uni
versity with control over the degrees of
every college in the land was not only
eXpedient, but an absolute necessity If
a high standard OF education was TO be
maintained. and that It would compel
colleges and universities to be always
diligent in maintaining and increasing
their excellence.
He stated further that IL was the Iogi-
cal result. Of the legislation of Congress
in laying the foundations of States and
setting apart public lands for the estab-
iishment and maintenance of public
schools that these schools should have
fountain head by which a standard
of excellence could be diffused through
out these schools, which would result
in the better preparation of citizens to
exercise the responsible function of self
government. pa
Mr.. Kirby. speaking on the negative
side of the question. said that it was the
earnest desire of Washington that the
next generation after him should see the
consummation of The plan advocated by
him for a national university. Three
generations have passed away since
then" he continued. ''and the plans of
that patriot and statesman are now
nearer oblivion than fIlfillment The adj
vancement along these lines since that
time have made a complete metamorpho-
sis of those conditions which existed
when Washington lived and promoted
this scheme.
''in the days of Washington this coun-
try had population of only three mil
lion, and had only twenty-five regularly
organized colleges. Today we are reck-
oned to be seventy millions of people. and
more than four hundred colleges AMI mi
versities adorn our land.
the question is impossible when view
ed from constitutionality. When consid-
cred from a sentimental point of view it
seems plausible, but when considered IN
a common sense way it is wholly imprac-
ticable.
had right to make the expenditure
necessary for the establishment of such
an institution and the endowment of
chairs. which he said would cost at least
SIS, 900 900 at the outset. He cited the fact
that the national debt was already nine
teen hundred million dollars, and con-
stantly growing. But my opponents will
probably tell you that the advantages
growing out of the establishment of such
an institution will more than balance the
expenditure. The only reasons to my
mind which would Justify this enormous
outlay would first be the advantages it
would give to deserving young Ameri-
cans without means; second, to the op-
portunities offered to our college gradu-
ates who are now completing their school
ing in Europe; and thirdly. the advan-
tage of regulating the curriculum of the
American colleges. Now. as to the first
advantage claimed. Now, as to the first
free school, when we consider that the
average charge of colleges in the United
States is only $52 year. it will readily
be seen that it would be. saving only to
residents of the District of Columbia or
it's immediate vicinity, while those coming
from other parts of the country would
expend this amount in Incidental expenses
and travelling" AS to keeping students
from going aboard, Mr.. Kirby, stated that
1t was as much the desire to travel and
see Europe as to get an education that
took these students over there. He cited
the casesof people who sent abroad for
their wearing apparel and asked II
American tailors were not exactly as
good as Europeans.
In regard to regulating the degrees he
maintained that it would SAVIOR of estab-
fishing a monarchy. and said he. ''the
American must bend his knee to but one
sovereign and that is Almighty God"
Mr.. WagSman here took up the ques-
ton. He maintained that such a univer-
sity would be a benefit in many ways to
that to establish uniformity of degrees
would be beneficial: that as it was now
the possession of a degree meant almost
nothing or anything, as it's value de-
pended solely on the school from which it
was issued.
Mr.. O'Neill concluded the debate. He
declared that to have one board of di-
rectors to shape the education of seven
ty millions of people would be contrary to
the fundamental principle of American
institutions, and chat the Government had
no more right to legislate in regard to ed
ucation than it bad in regard to reli-
sion. He cited Harvard College as an ex-
ample of politics in education, saying