The Washington times., 1901-12-10
TEN MILLIONS
FOR A COLLEGE.
Carnegie'S Offer to Be Sub
mitted to Congress.
SUBJB T OF A SPECIAL MESSAGE.
President will Communicate the
Terms of the Proposed Gift SEN
ator Depew Introduces Bill to
Establish National University
in Washington.

President Roosevelt will send TO Con
gress a special message, including in i
letter recently written to him by An
drew Carnegie. in which he proposes {,
give $4,000 coo to the American people az
a fund for the establishment of a colleg,
Of higher education in this city.
Before writing his letter, MIR. Carnegi,
consulted the presidents cf various grea
American colleges, including Or. Elliot, oi
Harvard DR. Gilman, of Johns Hopkins
and Prof Andrew d. White. OF Cornell
the present Ambassador to German. Al
a recent White House luncheon tie de-
tails OF the proposition were discussed
and met with general approval.
Mr.. CarneEie's Proposition.
Mr.. Carnegie's idea in general way is
to turn this sum of money over to the
United States Government to be held in
trust for the maintenance and operation
of the proposed college, just as the funds
that maintain the Smithsonian Institution
are now handled.
1t is not 10 be a national university.
The Government is to be in no way con-
nected with it. except to take care Of the
money, and to be represented by board
of regents. such as now controls the af-
fairs of the Smithsonian Institution, found
ed by James Smthson. with a gift Of
s1,00O,000. to be used in the diffusion OF
scientific knowledge
If Mr. Carnegie's gift is accepted by
Congress ii will mean the end OF the long
talked OF proiaot for the establishment in
Washin ston of a national university, as
recommended by George Washington and
by many other distinguished people since
his time.
A school for Higher Education.
The institution that Mr. Carnegie has in
mind is in no sense = national university.
1t is rather a school for the teaching Of
the higher branches OF. scientific educa-
tion. and intended to be supplemental to
the great colleges throughout the United
States.
The details Of the plan are set forth in
Mr.. Carnegie's letter and very few per-
sons in Washington are acquainted with
them. One CT Two os the leading men OF
the Senate and House have been sound
cd on the subjec, and favor Mr. Carnegie's
plans. wiriio::. ere sad to be wise. practical
and generous.
senator Depew's Bill.
Senator Depew has introduced a bin
for the establishment in this city Of the
University of the United States The
measure selects the plot once occupied by
the Naval Observatory as site. and pro-
yides for an elaborate board of governors.
The provisions OF the bill are as fol-
lows:
That there shall be. and is hereby. es-
tablished in the District Of Columbia a
body corporate with the name The Uni
yersity OF, the United States, for the ad-
Yancement of knowledge by means Of in
struction exclusively post graduate and
special. including particularly all matters
which concern the Government, AID by
original research and investigation for
the benefit OF mankind
Government Of the University.
The bill provides that the government
of the university is to be vested in a
board OF regents, to be composed Of
the President OF the United States. who
shall be president OF the board. the
Chief Justice of the United States. who
shall be vice president OF the board: t:
the Commissioner OF Education; the
president OF the university: the secre-
tary OF the Smithsonian Institution: the
President OF the National Academy OF
Sciences; the President Of the American
Association for the Advancement Of Sci
eoce; the President OF the National Edu-
cational Association: the president o. the
American Association OF Agricult Iral Col
leges and Experiment Stations; the presi-
dent of the American Historical Society;
the president OF the Washington Academy
of Sciences; the presidents Of all institu-
tions OF learning in the United States,
exclusive OF State universities, having
fifty or moro resident students holding
the degree OF bachelor Of arts or its
equivalent and engaged in systematic
work either in their professional schoo IS
or in other regular postgraduate cours IS
of study; the presidents OF the State uni
versities; ana the presidents of such
other institutions as, being without post
graduate courses other than professional
annually confer the degree OF bachelor Of
arts or its equivalent on fifty or more OF
their stddents, together with six other
citizens, who. with their successors. shal
be appointed by the sident Of the
United States, by and wi,n the advice and
consent Of the Senate.
On Old University square.
In regard to the location Of the pro-
posed university the bin provides:
That the grounds in Washington City
which were designated BY President Wash
ington as a site fos a national university,
and which for this reason were long known
as University Square and recently occu-
pied by the Naval Observatory. are hereby
granted 10 the said corporation. TO be
utilized for the benefit of the university
in such manner as he board OF regents
may deem proper"
Senator Wellington has introduced in
the Senate q bill providing Tor the estab-
lishment In Washington OF the University
OF the United States. The grounds are TO
lie those selected by George Washington.