Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-03-14


government, it must maintain such
school as the general government intend
ed to provide and foster. SO well did thu
land grant colleges prosper. so well die
they do the work which the nation in
tended them to do, that later on Congress!
appropriated more money to assist then
in certain lines; and right here | wan
to say that the appropriation made by
the government of the United States fol
every land grant college is confined t,
expenditures for instruction in certain
lines, and il must be used dollar for dol.
lar for those purposes and for none other
The $4,000 granted by the United State,
annually cannot be used for building
purposes or repairs or for anything cx
ccpt instruction in certain definite lines
and il Is 50 used.
The State Of Maine after instituting Tn
college at Orono proceeded from time t
time to give il appropriations. not 70,
long terms of years bat annually. In 1888
the policy of the State changed and the
LEGISLATURE decided to make 10 yea.
appropriation. II has been stated on thu
floor Of this House that the friends OF
the college at that time stood here and
10 year appropriation was all that they
would ever ask for. Well, | have taken
pains to go to the record. Mems mem
cries are defective, but the SHORTHAND
notes Of the StenoGraphcr taken in this
hall ana transcribed on the records OF
this Legislature are apt to be accurate
and ! find that when the resolve came
in here in 1897. and | was here, the re-
solve reported by the committee on the
University of Maine was for onc-twclftE
Of a mill on the valuation of the State, OF
about 10000. ana when that resolve was
introduced on the floor of the House an
amendment was offered by MIR. Blanch-
ard of Wilton. cutting the amount down
10 $1,000 a year. An amendment To hi
amendment WAS offered by Mr. Hamilton
Of Biddcford. making the amount SD 900
a year FOR ~ years. You can sec that all
the debate was apropos of $4,000 a year
and not s20.Wo. In connection with that
resolve for $4,000 year Mr.. Stctson OF
Bangor said this to the HoIso:
Speaking officially as treasurer Of
the college. and familiar with its work
ings. know that 100000 year is only
sufficient to pay the running expenses.
Now when the treasurer of that
school stood here and told the Legis-
lature Of 1891 that $4,000 was only
sufficient to pay the running expenses
uf that college. who has got tight
To say that we claimed We could build
buildings with it? Further than that,
from my place on the flood ! said them
of all the institutions and organiz-
atoms that have como before this
House for appropriations. the State
college is the one instance where the
needs az the institution have not been
considered. but the financial condition
of the State has been considered. Tho
commission appointed by the Governor
and Council said in their report that
the present buildings at Orono are alb
solu;ely inadequate FOR the use Of the
college: and yet we DO not ask you.
this year. for one dollar Of building
appropriations
Now. if that was not frankly saving
that that appropriation of $50, 600 was
for current expenses alone. and that
the buildings which the commission
said must be built, must be built i'll
the future by the State. then do not
know what fair dealing is among men
if that was not fair statement of the
position of the college. Nobody sup
posed at that time that private mu-
nfioence was going TO erect the $40 600
building which mas since gone up
there. or that private people We're 60
ing to build steam heating plants. We
knew that must he done by the State.
and it could not have been misunder-
stood at that time. | say further that
is was not misunderstood. Mr.. ClaSon
who opposed the resolve in the Senate
did not misunderstood it, for in the
debate in the Senate. he said:
If we pass this resolve apprcpria-
ting $4,000 year for the next IL years
that will not be the whole amount that
will be asked for. We know that every
two years from now until the 10 Years
have expired the State College will
reed and will claim money for better
buildings and better conditions than
they have at the present time"
He not only said that we would
claim it, but knowing the college as a
member Of the commission appointed
by the Governor to investigate il. he
said we would need buildings from
time to time. Can there be any more
unfair Il charge than to say that we
have not kept faith with the State?
| think not.
There has been one fault attributed
to that institution. a fault that was
attributed to us by the commission of
1891, and q fault which | desire to adj
nit. 1t has been claimed as great
fault Of the institution that from time
to time it was growing. There is no
possible question about that. But |
would suggest to the men who have
urged that argument against the col
lcge that all things whether of human
or Divine origin must grow or retro
grade-nothing stands Still-with the
possible exception Of the Democratic
party. and that at times goes back.
Laughter). 1t is hardly fair thing
to CritiCiSe this school for having pro-
crossed. There is no danger that our
In 1897, we made another change in the
policy Of the institution. a change
which I did not then believe in and
do not now believe in. and we did il
to follow the recommendations of the
commission in order to check the
growth of the college, and that was
the avowcd object of the bill bill
was put through here by which that
college should charge tuition to its
studentS-aS absurd a thing. I believe.
as if our public schools should charge
tuition, or your High schools should
charge tuition. 1t went through. and