The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-03-22

made
For people will talk.
Now, the best way to do is to do as you please;
For your mind If you have one will then be at
OF course you viii meet with all sort ofabuse
But don't think to stop them-it amt any use
For people will talk.
MARYLAND
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
A Question Whether Farmers Are
Really Benefited By It.
As graduate of and a stakeholder in the |
Agricultural College, having it under view
since its patriotic founders established it, the |
first of its class in this country, as means of
making farming in our State more profitable |
and more attractive by broadening the edu-
cation and culture of those following it from |
choice or necessity, your subscriber can throw
some light on the conditions surrounding that
institution today. Primarily, many of the
difficulties of its career are due to- the unfor-
tunate and illogical system of control. Orig
inally private enterprise, the State appropn-
ated to it Sc, 900 year, conditioned upon its
providing course of instruction particularly !
fitted for agriculturists and maintaining
'smodel farm where successful and practi-
cal farming should be exemplified. made
quately equipped it fell soon into debt, and
the proprietors decided halfinterest in all the
property for $45, 900 to the State, which has
ever since had voice in its direction. Under
present law six State and legislative officials
and six trustees appointed by the Governor
represent the State, and the original owners
supposedly elect annually five other members
of the board. This, however, is fiction, as
these trustees hold stock proxies, some ex-
ecuted generation ago, and continue them
selves indefinitely. Meetings have been held
where only one stakeholder was present.
As experience generally demonstrates, ex
officio managers of plblic institutions are sell
dom attentive, and the direction is largely in
the hands of these trustees of the stockholders,
though their real interests are in6nitessimal.
The revenues of the college are very great.
The following items are believed approx
mately correct:
Per Annum
|. Under the U. s. law of $780, .$25 900
g From the U. s. Land Scrip law of
1862 5000
8. State appropriation. 5000 |
A. From fertilizer control ....... 10000 |
5. Under Hatch act, U. s. law of 1887 $4,000 |
6. From students fees, say.........-. 1900 |
=
Horticulture. ......................... 0,O00 |
8. Products of farm. ........
Total ....-.....................$82 800 |
From this is to be deducted the amount |
given to.the colored school at Princess Anne.
Additional annual appropriations of $1,000
are made for the farmers institutes Under
Governor Brown an extra appropriation was
made, and in 1898 still another of $14, 900. 7
H.,
also that as the income from the United States |
land scrip investment of $4,000 has fallen |
to 3 per cent, the State is bound by its ac-
ceptance of the grant to make this income |
equal to 5 per cent. This difference will re-
quire So, 400 year more, or nearly $685. |
If capitalized at per cent. The State Comp |
troller shows that for the year ended Septem-
Der 80, 1899, the State paid to the college over
S69, GOO
Besides this its authorities have had prepar,
ed and introduced bill said to appropriate |
to the college another sum of 1000 in two |
yearly payments Of $4,000. The bill itself. |
discloses, however, that three items aggre-
eating $1l 900 are designated as ''annual APP
preparations" which if the bill became law
would go on probably indefinitely unless
specifically repealed.
The plea for this enormous grant is the in-
sutficIency of money and buildings for the
operations of the college. Yet in the last
catalogue, of the 1873 pupils enrolled SO we're
in preparatory department. which is of the
grade of an average grammar or country
school, and obviously occupying one fourth of /
the space, which might be devoted to pupils
Of the agricultural course provided in the cur
riculum. But as a matter of fact, the pupils
do not take the agricultural course. 1t is not
in favor. Last year there were four gradu-
ates three from Maryland and one from Penn
sylyania, and not one of the four from the
agricultural side. Three or four years ago
the roster showed. as a gentleman then con-
nected with the institution advises me, only
four young men IN the institution pursuing |
the agricultural course.
The Experiment Station has done some
work which is accepted by the farmers as
profitable to them in their calling, and the |
farmers institutes have been made success /
by the energy and tact of Mr.. Amoss, their +
director, whilst the fertilizer control, which is
in the hands OF competent chemist, is dis
tinctly advantageous. The first two depart
ments are handsomely supported and the third |
is a source of great profit to the institution. |
But so far as the college itself is concerned,
our farmers are no more enthusiastic than
they are over the operations of the farm,
which a few years ago had run heavily in debt, |
or anticipated appropriations.
The education is not such as fits the young |
men to the farm; it differs little from that offer
cred in the other colleges and academies of |
the State, and its graduates go into the pro-
LESSONS as do theirs. Many citizens complain |
that here their sons have been educated away
from the farm. Every graduate, if the col |
iege met the requirements of its charter and
of the Morrill, acts ITO promote the liberal |
and practical education of the industrial
classes would be center of influence of |
progress and of enthusiasm in his community. !
The impression is sought to be made that |
the farmers are solidly back of the movement |
for this large addition to the endowment, but
this is not correct, whilst rsany of those who |
have Endorsed it are not advised as to the /
present resources of the college, which are /
said to be so inadequate. Such large and
representative bodies as the Maryland State /
Horticultural Society and the Peninsula Hor- |
ticultural Society declined to approve the ap- /
plication. In Montgomery county, whose /
territory is adjacent to the college and where /
its work is apparent, all the farmers clubs, /
three in number and the equal of any in inteli- /
gence and public spirit, Olney Grange, the !
largest in the State, and Montgomery County |
Grange, composed of delegates from the local
oranges Of Montgomery and Prince Georges,
have adopted resolutions vigorously opposing
the grant. So has Centennial Grange, of Bal
more county, and other associations. Much |
of the favorable sentiment was fomented by |
persons interested, and several oranges were
organized within week of its meeting with
the sole aim, evidently, of obtaining the State
Oranges Endorsement. / am in receipt of
letters from farmers throughout the State TAX
ing the ground that the results of the college
are not commensurate with its cost, that any
additional appropriation to it would be an
imposition on the State and the taxpayers and
that it is the part of wisdom for the Legislature
to follow the advice of the State Board of Aid
and Charities, in whose membership are two
former Governors familiar with the college
and its operations and the chairman of the
Ways and Means Committee of the last Mary
land House of Delegates General Latrobe,
who report that "as the college is already in
receipt of large fund from both the State
and national Governments it would be neither
judicious nor expedient at this time to in
crease its appropriation.
Baltimore county. VIM. b. SANDS.
Mrs. William Klump died in Lowell, Mich
igan, Thursday, from poison which had been
mailed to her in package labeled headache