New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-14

W
declarations Of Congress.
THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY SCHEME.
We print the letter from Governor Hoyt when
appears on another page with pleasure Ior TWO
reasons. namely. II expresses with interesting
enthusiasm the views OF Il sincere man concern
ing an important project. and IT seems 10 Us 10
strengthen the position which we TOOK III COLI
monts upon previous communication from the
same source recently published in Inc tribune
Governor Ioyts letter Is collection ol ~
snmntions such as these: The proposed NatohaI
University would do much good and no harln 10
institutions already established IN ana near
Washington. the Smithsonian INSTITUTION CAN
not become an effective instrument Tor the u'"-
ization of the educational material c1ls'lhg ~
the capital: the National University Would
stand m the head Of all scholastic institutions III
tlo United States and operate to Sllmula''' CO..
ordinate and elevate all COVER concerns
such a committed" rs that which IS promoting
/ the National University is entitled 10 the Teau!
"acccptance of its conclusions upon such a mat
| ter hv both people and Congress me Nauoh"l
University would complete and crown THE now
innerfcct system Of public education, Wouh
exert a most important influence upon Inc
| nuhlic service IN general and would III 'h"u-
sand ways strengthen the patriotic sentimch'
of the country; the fear Of political interfer-
ence and manipulation is nothing puu wv
! ghost of hygonc time.
| All this rs we have said. IS mere assumption.
Governor Hoyt is at perfect liberty, OF course
10 entertain such opinions and recommend 'h'ih
10 others but they prove nothing. CONSIDER Ms
| oUusion 10 the National Committee, whose con-
/ clusions. he says ought 10 be accepted onhahu
by Congress and the people. II unquesuohaDF
contains an array Of distinguished names. bul
how much IS really known about the CONVICTIONS
Of their owners? 1t is one of the easiest 'h'hSs
I'm the world to secure such names IN support OF
INV scheme as the Ramapo job has la'eiy
shown If Governor HOyt will excuse us TOT cit
ing that unsavory business merely as an Nus
tration Some men give their signatures on ap-
| ulicatlon out of careless good nature, olheTN
without intending TO commit themselves 10
specific plan for the carrying out OF n general
purpose with which they have more or less sym
pathv. Thus Or Gilman's name appears on the
register Of the National University Committee
hnt Or Gilman. according 10 Governor Hoyt
differs somewhat from hundreds OF his col
lcagues" as TO the best way to give the general
idea form, Wup. N'fOlhllE w ~ '''ih'''' '''''
dsapproval Of the form is much less mild than
that.
II these are negative considerations there are
others Of positive character Governor lioyt
in his first letter TO The Tribune spoke Of the
proposed University Of the United States az
The logical elimination of the American system
of public education' and his present letter
shows that to he his real idea Now. there Is no
~ lao TTpifp1 States The
United States as a Nation has not gone into the
business of celebrating an educational system AT
all What it has done has been to give certain
lands 10 the states for the development OF their
educational systems and this mainly with refer
cnce TO agricultural and mechanical arts What
ever form the development takes, however II X
q State system.
Furthermore. the educational institutions
which have thus far done the best work and
commanded most thoroughly the confidence Of
the educa tiona world at home and abroad are
moi even State institutions. No man questions
that the two most conspicuous and most com
plete universities in the country are Harvard
and Yale which have no relation to any state
system. or to any system Of the United States
Something similar might he said Of Princeton
Columbia. Chicago. and the whole group Of
small New England colleges, like Williams Dart
mouth Amherst Brown. Bowdoin. Colby etc
and large proportion Of the best esteemed
! among the others. Moreover. the most con
sricuous institutions having some relations 10
the States. ike Cornell. the University Of Mich
igap. the University of California. etc, are
themselves undertaking hopefully, and with a
credltable measure Of success, 10 do the very
work which this National University proposes
70 do 1t would come. then, at The outset al
least in no sense "a an additional institution
tending TO complete that system. bnt as ne"
rival institution. attempting with all the disad
T. yantaces of a beginner 10 compete with then
I'm a work in which they have already made
b good records
: Perhaps the universities grouped IN and arount
9 WASHINGTON cannot do post graduate work a
- Governor Hoyt says; but this charge doesn
come with very good grace from movement
=. which first solicits their aid and that of th'
q | Government proposes then 10 pass around th'
+ hat for a big subscription fund ana only there
IA after 10 begin the work on which they arr
Il already engaged.
G Governor IIoyt dscnms any idea Of intcrfer
: ing with the Smithsonian. and yet he lays down
as the greatest Of all aims ~ tie Institution h.
: wants 10 found dn style which II b. were no
Sc educational. might be- called little bit spread
Il caslcshl the task Of leading the world in the
work Of research and inycstieation'- the precise
Il work for which the Smithsonian was estab