New-York tribune., 1899-03-25
NORPILL'.S GREAT SERVICES
WHITE ON HIS AGRrcULT-
URAL COLLEGE LAW.
n.,,rrn vrrtr THE WORK OF HAMILTON. JET
PERSON AND CLAY ~ Statesman
LIKE CHARACTER

RANKED WITH THE WORK OF HAMILTON JET
PERSON AND CLAY IN STATESMAN
LIKE CHARACTER.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir. note in a recent issue Of The Tribune
and in other papers accounts OF the tributes
recently paid at Washington to the late Seha-
tor Justin s Morrill,. of Vermont
They all seem patriotic and full OF the right
reou;np toward the deceased statesman But
one omission in the published accounts anlazeS
me- In none Of them Is anything SAID rcsa'u-
ing the most statesmanlike and far-reach'hS VI
all the great services which Mr. Morrih as
Representative and Senator. rendered 10 MS
country. namely. his championship OF wha' 10
known as "the Morrill, bill of 1867
That bill. which had been previously vetoed
by Mr. Buchanan. devised ana iouen'
through against a mass Of doctrinaire ana o'"e'
obstacles. by Mr. Morrill, and the result vas
that II established in every one OF our states
q strong centre for advanced scientific techni-
cal military and general education
II is IN nv opinion. a service which deserves
% he ranked. and which future historians VIII
rank. with those Of Hamilton In advoca,'hs
the Constitution. Of Jefferson in acquiring
Louisiana. and of Clay in giving us truly
American policy.
Mr. Norrill's service in this respect is all the
more noteworthy when consider inc ume
when II was rendered. II was the darkest
period OF the Civil War, and yet. full OF CONF
dence in the future Of the Republic and largely
indeed 10 better that future, he introduced anu
carried this great measure. Since the Romans
quietly bought and sold the lands on whlch
the Carthagnans were encamped IN the he's"-
borhood OF the Eternal City there has been 10
moro noble exhibition Of faith In the destiny
OF q republic.
yarious features Of the measure showed ex-
ceeding breadth and depth OF statesmahiNe
ceiling and one Of the strongest of them is the
fact that these institutions were not put INTO
the hands OF a bureaucracy at Washington or
elsewhere but left to he developed by the goou
sorse or each State in accordance with its
necessities The result has been that we nave
nearly fifty noble institutions. each suited to It's
or,.irorr,cnt and 10 many Of them individuals
have given enormous sums in order 10 suPP'o'
mon, tho work originally contemplated.
Arother noint worthy OF note is that Mr. Nor
riu eav the advantages the Confederate states
had derived from military training IN thelr
Stote schools. and therefore inserted in his Dill
Tho "niIitary tactics" clause. which has done
much and which can be made 70 do vast deal
,,oro in making our best-educated young men
,ocd soldiers and leaders Of soldiers in case or
need. $780,
Under all these circumstances should there
not he some recognition Of this great ana spe-
cial eor,.icn2 It is true that some Of the lnsu-
tutions he founded have already remembered
him. Cornell University for example. having III
fro llbrar,, q splendid full-siZed portrait or MIN
I,,. Huntington But this IS not enough why
should not all these institutions unite in erect
ing n suitable statue OF him near the Capltoi
IN which he served so long and so well. ana III
tho CITY the development and beautihcauon Oh
which was so dear TO him? A very mooera'e
annroprlation from each of these institutions
would accomplish this result. cannot some
movement of this kind be started through your
powerful advocacy?
It Will have immense value TO the Whole cou'-
trv as a perpetual lesson regarding one or the
higher reaches OF craftsmanship, showing IN
deed. what craftsmanship in a country IKE ours
u is ANDREW D. WHITE.
Berlin. Germany March s, 1899
NETS WOULD HAVE SAVED MANY hlN rs
THE WINDSOR FIRE SHOWS THE NECESSITY FoIs
HAVING Az AMPLE SUPPLY.
To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir. Five women appeared at fourth-story
window in Forty -sixth-st- Of the burning Nlhu-
eor Hotel and shouted that they were cut OH
from escape fireman procured net anu
q sufficient number OF men to hold it, ana toIa
the women 10 jump into It, one at time four
Of then, reached the net and were unihJureu'
Tho fifth missed *, struck the flags, and was
instantly killed.
This is the only instance have heard or wheh
a net was used Acrobats who mount 'he
trancze voluntarily and from choice are not al
lowed to do SO without net under them'
Guests of a hotel who are placed where they
are obliged to Jump or burn are entitled To the
same protection.
Every engine company should have net
wagon with an ample supply Of nets-enough
10 surround completely any buildlng III New
York-ond net should be spread under every
limo of rooms thus affcrding every one 'he Up
nortunitv to Jump. Had such precautioh , peSl
At hand at the Windsor Hotel FIRE. ana proiilp1S
NM in practice by disciplined men, it may iaiIiy
be questioned II any one would nave oeen los
FREDERICK +, Alhh'
New-York March -, lST'
rur Dr,OCpITTC DINNERS.