Evening star., 1898-02-21
THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Work of Committee in Charge of Pro-
posed Washington Memorial
Hoyt's Estimate Of the
Progress Mnde-AddftiOn OF Names
to Membership.

In reply to an inquiry into the present
status and prospects Of the National Uni
versity enterprise, ex-Gov. John Wesley
Hoyt, chairman of the national committee,
says good progress seems to be making In
all quarters, unless it be in the Senate. Op-
pc sitiOn has occurred there he says, of
ecclesiastical origin in the committee; and
this, in connection with other circum-
stances, has simply delayed action Never
theless, the friends of the measure are
confident of early and favorable results.
Meanwhile the work of the national COM
mittee. says Mr. Hoyt. has been vigorous
and fruitful of good to the cause in many
ways. This is seen in the addition of many
distinguished names to it's already formid-
able list of members, including those of
eminent statesmen, and of some sixty col
lege and university presidents besides the
great number already enlisted, among them
the heads of the University of Virginia and
Of a dozen Oh more institutions of the re-
ligious denomination for time supposed to
be against the national movement, but now
known to be, for the most part, in SYM
pathy with it; in the awakening Of deeper
interest among men and women of leading
infiuence.throughOut the country, as well as
among public journals in all sections; and
finally, in the enlistment of a number of
patriotic men and women of fortune, some
of whom are seriously considering the offer,
professorships, lectureships and fellowships
in the coming university.
The Aids Received.
The most notable of the aids actually
rendered to the National University COM
mittee In the recent past are these:
l. The voluntary gift of $500 by Mrs.
Phoebe A. Hearst of California and District
Of Columbia for the salary Of the chair
mans secretary during the year just
passed.
2. TIE support accorded by the George
Washington Memorial Association, under
lead of Mrs. Ellen A. Richardson, Mrs.
Phoebe A. Hearst, Mrs. Brce, wife of the
ex-senator Of Ohio, and other distinguished
women of the country-an association which
has among it's officers the presidents Of
the National Council of Women, the
Worlds w. c. T. u, the General Fedora
ton of Women's Clubs, the National Uni
versity Committee of the Daughters of the
American Revolution, the Columbian
Daughters of America, the General Society
the Danes of the Revolution. the ladies Of
the G. A. R.. the Kings Daughters and
perhaps yet other national organizations.
President Charles A. Bell of the American
Security and Trust Company, Washington,
d. c.. is acting as treasurer.
The immediate object Of this George
Washington Memorial Association Is the
raising OF a quarter of million dollars
to be erected on the site selected by Wash
ington himself, and reserved for university
purposes in the pending bill. To this end
and for the further support Of the Ma
tional University cause 1t has formed state
and congressonal-diStrict committees of in
fiuential women in nearly every one of the
states, all Of which are preparing for spe
cial contributions in small amounts on
Washington's birthday and until the whole
amount is raised. 1t is believed by Mr.
Hoyt that they will succeed. and that ere
the final date, December, 30, Congress will
have done its part also.
Ex-senator Henderson's Offer.
3. The offer just made by ]. B. Henderson,
Ii. D.. late United States Senator from
Missouri and now of this city, to be one of
one hundred to pay into the treasury of the
university $1,000 each when Congress shall
have done as much. His object is to en-
courage the creation of a special fund Of
one hundred thousand dollars for some i'm
portant chair 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 inter-
est of the cause of the university, that the
distribution shall be wide the coun-
try itself. The national committee assumes
that this example of General Henderson
will be promptly followed by other liberal
friends Of the enterprise, and that the in
stitution, when once established by Con-
gress WILL as Washington believed, become
so popular center for patriotic gifts as
demands Of government appropriations.
Chairman Hoyt expresses a willingness to
furnish all desired Information concern
ing the proposed university.