Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-03-07
WILL HAV[ A HEARING
Agricultural College People Given
Another Chance Eesore Appro.
priations Committee
Question of Charging Tuition One
Of Great Importance to the
Institution.
Titus and His Biennial Election
Amendment The New Normal
School Problem.

special to Times-Republican
Des Moines March THE Agricult-
ural College people Will have another
hearing before the house appropria-
ltions committee Thursday afternoon
and will endeavor 10 show to the salts
faction of the committee Why the insti-
tuition should receive more generous
| treatment in regard to its support fund
and why it should not be required 10
charge tuition. The amount and use of
the support fund of this institution are
not generally well understood. In 1897
the income derived from the endow-
ment fund OF the institution amounted
10 $4,000. In 1899 1t was only So 1000;
this year it Will be about $4,000, and
hereafter 1t Will be consderaoy less
| because Of the reduction in the rate of
Interest on the endowment fund loans.
/ Besides this the institution receives
S25,0O0 annually from the government.
/ OF this money at least sl5,010 nldst be
/ used in original investigation and ex-
4 perimentation Not a cent OF ii can be
! used for Instruction. that is. for the
Iempioyment of teachers. and nearly all
4 of the appropriation is used in export
mental work. The Institution receives.
i slS,50O from the state and this is eni-
Iployed in maintaining the plant, keep
ling up the equipment etc. as the law
4 requires The institution asked sS0,T50
/ for additional support. Halt Of this is
required To make up the loss suffered
/ by the reduction of interest and the
4 rest for increase in teaching force am!
:, equipment in places where such inn
i iprovemant is imperativeiy needed. The
a Impression prevails that the college has
an enormous support fund, but these
4 facts show that it has not.
4 The proposition To require the col
Y lege 10 charge tuition is an entirely new.
one that was not heard OF until the
2 sIcommittee proposed it. 1t WAS Il great
81 surprise TO the college management,
\ which had not dreamed that such Il
: thing would be proposed No other
I, state in the west charges tuition at its
I Iagricultural college. In the great insti-
: ltlitions in Massachusetts and New
:. York tuition is charged because there
Al the government appropriation is but a
! small part Of the income Of the institu-
y as much on the Institutions in those
: states as the government gives them.
: The organic act Of the institution. the
: first Morrill, endowment act of July ..
al 1862, reads as follows:
A AN act donating public lands to the
; several states and territories which
6 may provide colleges for the benefit OF
Z !,
: - the interest of whicn dfund)
: shall be invioltbly appropriated by
e each state, which may take and claim
i the benefit Of This act. TO the endow
5 naent. support and maintenance of al
i least one college. where the leading OBJ
ljects shall be, without excluding other
scientific and classical studies. and in
i Guiding military tactics, 70 teach suef
! branches OF learning as are related u
/ agriculture and the mechanic arts, i,
: such manner as the legislatures OF the
states may respectively prescribe, il
order 10 promote the liberal and practi
q cal education of the Industrial elasse:
i lin the several pursuits and profession.
: of life.
d The second Morrill, endowment &C
which passed the Fifty-tirst eoagres:
e August so. 1890. is as follows:
i '.An act To apply a portion of th'
e proceeds of the public lands to the NOR,
r Ieompiete endowment and support o
i the colleges for the benefit of agricult
ura and mechanic arts established un
der the provisions of an act of congres
! approved July .. 1862.
{. GThis annual appropriation L
/. be applied only to instruction in agri
Z culture and mechanic arts, the Englisl
i. language and the various branches o
i mathematical. physical and economi
$ scence. with special reference TO thei
: application in the Industries of life, ani
i. to the facilities for such instruction.
4, James Wilson. secretary of agrcult
j. ure. telegra phed last night that unde
n the organic law OF the Agricultural
n College and by the terms of its grant
of land and the additional appropria
ton given the Institution by congress
'e it would not be possible for the legis
X lature of Iowa 10 require the college
id charge tuition fees. The only thing
IL lcould do would be 10 charge nciGents
:, fees, which it already does. the same q
m Iother agricultural colleges do. In thi
ot way each student pays about s15
ic term and sometimes more. a good des
\. of the inspiration for this movement t
ar compel the college TO charge tuitio
as came from other institutions, which Dc
4 sire to handicap the college in its CON
lg petition with them The committee o
as its first action proposed 10 chars
t. tuition in the departments of me
+. chanic arts. which includes the scier
4: tific courses, but not in the strictl
a. agricultural courses. altho the agr
e. cultural courses include much of III
S: scientific courses. AS viii be seen b
K the terms of the federal statute, a
l. this is covered in the law. Nor has
Id been explained why a person studyin
to be mechanical engineer or Il civ
engineer should be required to pa
tuition, while person studying to be
t. butter maker or scientific farmer
st given free tuition.
IN Senator Titus is determined to ha,
r every voter vote on his biennial ele,
he tions constitutional amendment. ar
p SO he has introduced and secured ia,
=. orable recommendation on bill to r,