Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-16

the charter of Bates College and when
you made that charter you reserved the
right to amend it in any way
YOU pleased. You said in affect, We shall
do anything we please with the charter.
Il is your institution. it is yours as repre-
sentatives of the State of Maine, it belongs
to the people.
Again, gentlemen; We are told that We
must stop giving to sectarian institutions,
Was Harvard a sectarian institution when
large part Of the instruction was devoted
to the Hebrew language, and to theology
as interpreted by Calvin? Was Bowdoin
a sectarian institution in 1874? Was Bow
dom Sectarian institution in 1871 When
the State of Maine for seven years sue
cessiv@ly granted her an appropriation of
$1,000 a year? Was Colby q sectarian in
institution when the State gave her the
$li,oU0 and the two half townships OF land
Sectarian? You know, we all know and
every thinking man knows that the days
of sectarianism have gone by. There
might have been some charge of secta-
rianSm back there in those years, but sec
tarianism new! The man cannot stand up
and permit himself TO be counted as a
Votaly of Sectarianism We learned yes
terday that no dogmas are taught at our
sister college which was also before You
asking for aid. l feel that we ought not
even to he asked to say that of Bates Col
leGe, What does this all mean? 1t means
merely this that all there is left is that
some religious denomination in Maine is
especially accountable for the care or the
conduct of the college, and because of that
are inspired to send their children to those
institutions and to become interested in
higher education And then, beyond that
it means this, that those institutions are
striving for character and morality, for
practical Christianity. Do you want TO
take this away? That is all there is. OF
what you call sectarianisrQ, that is all
there is to it. | do not believe you do.
But they say we have our University.
And here | come to very delicate point.
| am not here to antagonize the UniVer-
sity of Maine. The State of Maine is under
obligations to it, 1t Is increasing those
obligations year by year The State
should meet those obligations. rndoubt-
eddy the University of Maine should have
APPROPRIATIONS, not once in As years as
Bates College has had appropriations, but
every year. Their may be a question as to
the amount and as to the purposes for
which those appropriations shall be used,
but as to the fact there is no question.
How comes it that with the history of
Bowdoin and Colby and Bates behind us
and with the loyalty and love that found
disqualification in these men who gave
themselves to death for their country and
those men who have served their country
with highest distinction wherever distinct
ionion is to be found-how comes it that
we are talking as if Maine had only one
institution? l repudiate the suggestion
The thoughtful man must repuuiate the
suggestion.
] have ore more thought to present
New England had her method. l have
shown what that method is, individual
initiative. gifts, grants from the State
The West had her method. 1t was diff
ferent method. Why should it be differ
entn New England was settled slowly,
population came i'll 4 few hundreds in a
year. There was an opportunity TO devise
liberal things and to take time for the
development of those liberal things. BY
the ordinance of 1887 cur country forcsee-
ing what wonderful development await
ed our great northwestern territory, put
at the disposition of the states to be
formed out of that territory millions of
acres of public land. Now, who should
become trustees of these millions? Why,
naturally the states they are success
lively organized would become the trustees
OF those millions of acres and the millions
of money which they yield. So sprang up
the great State Universities of the West
There must be action. Thousands of
people. hundreds of thousands entering
in five years, in one year. The people
must be educated. The State must take
hold and take hold literally; and so there
grew the great State Universities of the
West And later the government. not TO
be biased in favor of one section as
against another. as the northwestern ter
ritories We're organized. in it's benefcence
gave its millions of acres for the new in
habitants going into the southwest terri