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

! tory; and so grew up the great State Uni
Vefslties there. And again, when the
| Morrill, Act was passed in 1862 the govern
ment put still again millions and millions
| of acres at the service of all the states OF
the country for the benefit of particular
| kinds of education, specifically designated
| as agricultural and industrial education
How did the states deal with these fund /?
In the great West where they had their
State Universities organized with the
State as trustee, naturally the States took
that money and placed ii in the State
University and carried on the work along
side of other work Such as the universities
were already carrying on. In the middle
states a somewhat different course was
pursued. In Pennsylvania an agricultural
college was established which still exists
In New York great institution was called
INTO being and by a wisdom and foresight
and breadth Of thought and business abil-
lily almost without parallel in our history,
| the managers of the fund for the State of
New York secured the ma gnificent sum of
, SIN millions of dollars for the foundation
OF Cornell University. Bit Cornell Uni
Verslty is not i'll peculiar and distinctive
sense State University, and 1t receives
large sums of money. hundreds of thou
sands of dollars, from the great philan-
thropists of the country. In New England
how was it? In Massachusetts the Mass
achusetts Agricultural College was estab-
llshed. In Vermont the fund from the
sale of the lands was Incorporated with
the fund of the University of Vermont.
in New Hampshire it went first to Dart
mouth College. Subsequently it was
separated and went TO establish the New
Hampshire Agricultural College. In
Rhode Island it went to establish a dis
tinct agricultural college which still exists.
In Maine we know the course of events
Now, far be it from me to say one word
against those great interests that the
University of Maine was established 10
serve, our agricultural and industrial
interests, and we shall not unless we
forget our history, unless we forget the
forces that have moulded and formed us
as a people. unless we forget who are
presiding over our normal schools and our
public schools in our State, we shall not
forget that Bowdcin and Colby and Bates
are the children of Maine.
Gentlemen, as to the economy of the two
methods. The state Of Michisan this year
is appropriatfng $f50,0o0 to maintain the
University of Michigan. Why? Because
private benevolence naturally languishes
where public beneVoience becomes profuSe.
DO We look forward to the time in the
State of Maine when we shall give $450, 800
ger year to one institution while we forget
the rest? Is that economic? Will that
policy be successful. VIII that invite the
hundreds OF thousands of dollars from
philanthropists in other states? History
tells US that such never is the result. 1t IS
not the best policy for developing an inter-
est in education, to make 1t the exclusive
policy. People are interested in that which
they help TO promote and to establish and
maintain. and they are not interested in
that which is given to them as a. fund, /
as something coming they hardly Know
from whence; they are willing to leave TO
the state the burden. -
Gentlemen you do not mean to have but
one institution in Maine | take it,. That
is not what you mean. That is not what
the Legislature of Maine means. Hut If
YOU are to have more than one institution
in Maine, and / believe you are, you are
going to own them all, sill as your children,
Just as you have in the past. And more
over. gentlemen, the people of tn s country
are going to believe that colleges like