The San Francisco call., 1898-02-21
Ex-Governor Hoyt Takes a Cheerful View of
 It's Prospects.
Distinguished Names Being Constantly Added to It's
 Membership.
Valuable Assistance to the Com n1ittec From Notable Women
 of tho Country.
Special Dispatch to The Call.
Call Office, Riggs House

Call Office, Riggs House,
 Washington, Feb. 20.
 In reply to an inquiry into the pres ent status and prospects of the national university enterprise, ex Governor John Wesley Hoyt, chairman of the na- tional committee, says good progress seems to be making in all quarters, un- less it be in the Senate. There, oppo- sition of ecclesiastical origin has occur red in committee, and this, in connec- tion with the other circumstances has simply delayed action. Nevertheless, the friends of the measure are confi dent of early and favorable results.
 Meanwhile the work of the national committee, says MT. Hoyt, has been vigorous and fruitful of good to the cause in many ways; in the addition of many distinguished names to it's al- ready formidable list of members, in cluding those of eminent statesmen and of some sixty college and university presidents, besides the heads of the University of Virginia and the heads of a dozen or more institutions of religi- ous denominations, for time supposed to be against the national movement, but now known to be for the most part in sympathy with it's awakening inter- est; cooperation of men and women in the leading influence throughout the country, as we'll as public journals in all sections, and, finally. the enlistment of a number of men and women Of for tune, some of whom are seriously con- sidering the offer in advance of the en- dowments of departments, professor ships, lectureships and fellowships In the coming university.
 The most notable of the many aids actually rendered to the national uni versity committee in the past are: First, the voluntary gift of $500 by Mrs. Phebe A. Hearst of California and the District of Columbia for the salary of the chairmans secretary dur ing the year just passed; second, the support accorded by the George Wash ington Memorial Association, under the lead of Mrs. Ellen A. Richardson, Mrs Phebe A. Hearst, Mrs. eX-Sena- tor Brice of Ohio and other distinguish ed women of the country, and the asso- citation which has among it's officers the presidents of the National Council of Women, the Worlds W. c. T. U., the General Federation of Women's Clubs, the national university committee of the Daughters of the American Revolu-
 
 America, the General society of the United States, Daughters of 1776-1812, the Danes of the Revolution, the La dies of the G. A. R., the Kings Daugh- ters, and perhaps yet other national or ganiZations-Preside Charles A. Bell of the American Security and Trust Company, Washington, D. C., acting as treasurer.
 The immediate object of this George -l.s, ;o1 a;a& {e, the raising of S250 900 for the First Ma tional University building to be erected on the site selected by Washington himself and reserved for university purposes, in the pending bill. To this end, and for the further support of the national university cause, it has formed State and national district committees of influential women in nearly every one of the States. all of which are pre- pairing for special contributions in small amounts on Washington's birth day, and until the whole amount is realized. It is believed by Mr. Hoyt that they will succeed, and that ere the final Gate, December, 1899, Congress will have done it's part also
 An offer has just been made by Gen. eral J. B. Henderson, United States Senator from Missouri and now of this city, to be one of 100 to pay into the treasury OI tUe university @1OVV SdCl when Congress shall have done as much. His object is to encourage the creation of special fund of $100,00O for some shares in the university, and there is no objection on his part to the taking of any number of such shares by any one contributor, while preferring in the interest of the cause of the uni versity that the distribution should be as wide as the country itself.
 The new committee assumes that this example of General Henderson will be promptly followed by liberal friends of the enterprise, and that the institution, when once established by Congress. will as Washington believed. become so popular as a center of patriotic gifts as to relieve Congress rom the demands of Government appropria- tionS.
 Persons wishing further information are referred to ex-Governor Wesley Hoyt, chairman of the committed, Washington, D. c.