The weekly examiner., 1901-07-27

WILLIAM R. HARPER.
 Chicago University President Opposed to
 National Idea)
 Jefferson, both the Adamses, Madison, Monroe, Jackson, Grant and Hayes; by Benjamin Franklin, Edmund Ran dolph and Justice Lamar, as well as a long line of able but less famous men.
 After a consultation with James Madison and Edmond Randolph, Wash ington announced to the commission CTS of the District of Columbia his pur- pose to contribute a large sum to the establishment of national university. He carried out his purpose by giving securities, which, it is estimated, if held to the present day, would have been worth $4,OOO,OOO. In the prepara- tion of his final address he set apart the 19 acres of land known $ Universi- ty square, at the foot of Twenty-fifth h street, where the National observatory was first located. In his last message to congress he said: ''I have hereto fore proposed to congress the expedi- ency of establishing a national uni versity and also a military academy.
  stitutions has so constantly increased with every new view I have taken on the subject that I cannot omit the op- portunity of once for all recalling your attention to them. Among the motives to such an institution, the assimilation of the principles, opinions and manners mpf our countrymen, by the common ed- '6ca tion of portion of our youth from every quarter, will deserve attention" President Jefferson wanted to bring 8 faculty from Geneva for the institu- tion, and proposed the use of the treas .ury surplus for it's endowment. Presi- dent Madison urged in three messages, saying in his last: "The importance which I attach to the esta blishment of university in this district on scale and for objects worthy of the Ameri- can nation, induces me to renew my recommendation of it's favorable con- sideration." President Monroe said: "If it receives hereafter the proper en- couragement, it cannot fail to be em- inently useful to the nation.'
 President John Quincy Adams la mented that ''in surveying the city, which has been honored by his name, he Washington would have seen the spot on earth which he had destined and bequeathed to the use and benefit of his country, as the site for a uni versity, still bare and barren"
 President Jackson, in 1882, approved the appropriation of ,OOo to Colum- bian college, on account of the gener- ally acknowledged utility of central literary esta blishment" and of his hope that the institution might realize the dreams of his predecessors.
 President Grant, in 1873, again took up the theme and said in his message: ''I would suggest to congress the pro- priety of promoting the establishment in this district of an institution of learning or university of the highest class by donations of land. There is no place better suited for such an insti- luton than the national capital. There is no other place in which every citizen is so directly interested"
 In 1877 President Hayes renewed this recommendation.
 In 1885 Hon. l.. o. c. Lamar, then sec retary of the interior, wrote: Eighty years ago President Jefferson, then in the fullest tide of his authority as a party chief, told congress that to com plete the circle of democratic policy a national university was a necessity and should be created. In the histories of nations democracies have been the cradles of pure thought and art. The same cause which operates in them ex- ists in American society, and whether through a national university or in fragmen tary institutions in the sever al states sooner or lat ter a higher edu- cation, higher than the common school, the academy or the college can furnish, will alone realize and express the high CT aspirations of our democracy . These historic excerpts form part of Senator Kyle's report. Will that re- port ever now be presentedto congress? The deceased senator was thoroughly and pa atriotically in earnest on this sub feet. The narrator has often talked with him and heard him express the hope that his name and fame might be linked with the university which George Washington so fondly hoped might be established.
 Who will take up the work which Senator Kyle laid down when he an- swered the summons: "Come up higheF2" aMITH D. FRY.