Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-12-11
NATIONAL COLLEGE
Project Was One That George
Washington Advocated and
Left Legacy For.
CONGRESS PROVED INDIFFERENT
Carnegie's Offer of $40, 100000 and
the Think Trust''-CarroII ID.
Wright's Remarks.

Washington, Dec. 11.-Andrew Car
negie'S offer to donate $10,000,000 to
the goevrnment for Il national univer-
| sity has revived interest in the plans
OF George Washington for n great ma
tional institution of learning under the
patronage of the federal government.
/ This project was among the most cher
ished dreams OF the father Of his coun-
try. He left Il bequeSt in his will
which lie valued at $4,000. but which
| proved of less value owing TO the ma
| ture OF the securities in which the
money was invested. In laying out
the capital site was reserved for 4
national university, and it is still IN
improved. Owing to the growth OF
the city it is not regarded now as
adapted 10 the purpose and would
have to he sold.
Harper Organizes the 'sThinIx Trust
For reasons not easy to understand
congress has never seriously interested
itself in the national university project.
Private institutions supported by en-
dowment have always opposed such Il
university. They fear the competition
of an education factory subsidized by
the government So last wear when
the project was revived President
Harper organized the presidents of all
the principal endowed universities into
an association known aS the National
Educational association. Here it WAS
iocularly dubbed the think trust"
The presidents met i'm Washington be-
hind closed doors and resolved that it
would he injurious to start mp Il gov
ernment university; or. if one must lat
er he started, IL should be n university
for original research along liueS not
pursued by the endowed institutions;
in other words, it must he nOn-cOnI-
petitiVc
which Controls the Situation.
Professor Harper was among the
first to get wind Of the Carnegie Offer.
He came in haste to Washington ana
has been busy for the last week work
ing with Professor y. NJ. Butler. of
Columbia university, and others to i'll
sure the use of the money in some
way which viii not compete. They
have urged the president TO recon-
mend postgraduate institute for
original research. Senator Depew *
author of bill to carry into effect the
provisions OF WaShiugtOn'S will. This
Will now he modified ana it may be
tEa+ congress viii vote an approprla-
tion To supplement the Carnegie mil
lions and build up one of the greatest
Institutions of learning in the world.
Plan That Finds Endorsement.
One plan which finds hearty indorSe-
ment i for an amalgamation of the
scientific departments Of government
with the new university. The aSri-
cultural department spends millions
wear in original research. The navy
department supports an astronomical
observatory. The treasury department
runs Il mathematical bureau on the
coast and %eOdetic survey. The treas
ury department has bureau of scien-
tific weights and measurements, which
is essentially postgraduate work.
And thus there are bureaus scattered
all over which should be under one
controlling management \ Dill 10
accomplish this will be ready when the
president transmits the Carnegie let
ter TO congress.