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

stood there for years, a monument of
private philanthropy; look at the
splendid Walker art gallery. Was the
State wise in making these initial an
preparations that should build UP an
institution of learning, that should
command the allegiance of alumni and
the generous wealth of the public =?
Why, gentlemen, 500 have come back
for every $40 that have gone out from
the State of Maine-if you judge mere
ly by material results-by these build-
lngs. And what is true of Bowdoin
has been true of Colby. For every
dollar that the State has given to Col
by, for every dollar that she received
through the instrumentality of Massa-
chusetts, she has brought in $40, per-
haps $40. from private sources. Think
of the contributions of Mr.. Shannon,
of the contributions of Gardiner Colby
whose name the institution bears. and
let me ask you whether from a merely
material point of view it is wise for the
State to help these struggling institu-
tions, so long as they are struggling
and until private benevolence has so
flowed in that State aid becomes SD
perflous?
Nor is the history of Bates College
an exception. A wealthy gentleman
not native of Maine, not a member
OF the denomination to whose peculiar
care the interests of Bates College are
committed, in securing millions of cap
ltal TOT Il city of which we are now all
proud, put into the balance, put into
the other arm of the scales $1OO. 900
in order that there might be in the new
born city, not merely thrift, but that
there might be morality that there
might be character that there might be
intelligence And the State of Maine
generously has recognized the interest
that wealthy men and wealthy women
from other states have shown by Civ
ing TO Bates College the sum of SIS. geo
giving it, if / mistake not, before the
institution became a college propcr.
back to its seminary or academy days.
as years ago next Monday, l think.
Now, gentlemen, has it been for the
interest of the different states and for
the State of Maine to pursue this
course by which public grants and in
dividual gifts have flowed into these
college and university treasures? If
gentlemen will think moment, which
- tltC NeelllEICSl Sldtt III our great
country? Where is labor best paid?
You will answer in the state of Massa-
chusetts. Compare the state of Mass
achusetts with the state of Pennsyl-
vania. A great educator of Pennsyl-
Vania. speaking of the wretched wages
paid to a large number of working men
in Pennsylvania, and then speaking of
the we'll paid Of Massachusetts, traced
it FL back to Harvard College and the
colleges that followed her. and to the
interest of Massachusetts in higher
education. For, gentlemen, just as
surely as the waters will flow out from
the great reservoirs as they must flow
out, as they will find outlets, just so
surely will the results of higher cdu
cation flow out over our land and go
down to the humbest workman. the
poorest. plainest family. But not in
wealth, merely. I must not delay you
too long, but l must ask you to think
for a moment of men. Take away
Harvard College from the history of
Massachusetts, and then ask where
would her Adams be, her Quincys be,
her Charles Summers be, her Senator
Hears be? Take away from the his
tory of the State of Maine, BoWdoin
College, and where would her Chief
Justice Fuller be, where would her
Judge Putnam be, where would her
Senator Frye be, where those great
lights of literature, LongfelloW and
Hawthorne be? Has the policy not
paid? Tried by the sharpest test of
all, the test of patriotic devotion, the
colleges, the colleges founded, not by
the State alone and carried on by the
State alone, but the colleges founded
by the common benevolence of the
great public and of the humble private
individual the colleges have reared
patriotic beyond all other institutions.
The percentage of college men who
died in the great fight for their coun-
try is larger than that afforded by any
other class. All honor to our glorious
American people from the highest and
most eminent to the humblest. That
is the fact.
In the State of Maine, take away the
history of Bowdoin, of Colby, of Bates,
ard try to reflect for an instant upon
what the condition of this State would
be now. What change would it make
in our Legislative body at this very
session? What change would it make
in our supreme bench at this very mo-
mcnt? What change would it make
in respect to those whom we recognize
as the leaders of thought and public
opinion the ornaments of the State of
Maine. the sources of that intelligent
director of public affairs which is
bringing to us not only good name,
but great riches, second to be sure in
value, according to the Scriptures, but
vet to he priced? And Bates College
has rendered her own distinctive ser
vice along with the rest. She, too, can
refer to her legislators, men who have
presided over both branches of the
LEGISLATURE of the State of Maine.
She, too, can refer to the supreme
bench as. in a sense, representing her.
She can refer to the leaders of thought
in every direction. But there is an
other and a special service to which
YOU will pardon me for calling atten-
ton at this moment. You give, every
year, and you do ii rightly, l would not
substract $1-you give many thousands
of dollars, | don't know how many. to
our Normal schools, and you are about
to establish another, and l am glad of
i'll believe we should have it-many
octS ic