Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-31
District Interest Grows.

But there is a more definite reason
why the District has so long been left
outside the breastworks' in regard to the
benefits of the Morrill, acts.
"In 1862 the main idea then discussed
was the esta blshment of colleges OF ag-
riculture; and. naturally. no one Thought
that the District would ever require such
a college, nor is any one now suggest
ing such college. Moreover. IL was
not until many years later that the other
half of the double field of education con-
templated in the Morrill, acts came to
the front in the educational work OF the
cOuntry-namely, the mechanic arts.
In regard to this work in the mechanic
arts there has been no organized effort
II raise the question as to the District
needs and the Districts rights i'm an eff
fectiye concrete form, for the simple rea-
son that it has only been within the last
three or four years that one OF our in
situations has discovered the local demand
for the collegiate grades or education In
the mechanic arts and has begun to meet
that demand.
For the first time. therefore, the citi-
gems Of the District have a condition to
fight for, instead Of q theory OF equal
rights for the District. In our busy Con-
gress it is always difficult to secure the
passage OF a resolution that would seem
only to give academic approval OF mere
principle or theory of equality.
The attention of our overburdened
Congress must first be called to con-
crete condition of affairs. Therefore, the
only way Of overcoming the present
Inertia i'm Congress is for the citizens of
the District to find some means. through
their representative organizations, to call
the attention of Congress TO what the
people of the District really desire and
need in this matter Of education in the
mechanic arts.
The marked success of the Mckinley
Manual Training School shows the local
demand for these forms Of education. but
work of that splendid school ought at
once to be crowned by strong college
of the mechanic arts. For our citizens
clearly to understand that. legally, the
Morrill, appropriation is not applicable
to work of high school grade. but is In
tended for work of collegiate grade.
Local Demand for Instruction.
Now that it has been demonstrated i'm
concrete form that there Is a local de-
mand for collegiate work in the mechanic
arts, If the Congress OF the United States
as representing the whole country will
at once amend the Morrill, acts by admit
ting the District. as such to its equitable
share I'm the Morrill, appropriation, and
IL. secondly, Congress as our District
legislature will decide upon the econom-
cal plan of utilizing the Services of an
institution already established and doing
the work i'm the mechanic arts, instea d
OF burdening the District taxpayers with
the expense of duplicating that work,
then the George Washington University
will be enabled at once to double the
efficiency of its college OF engineering and
tic mechanic arts.
That being done We can turn out each
year goodly company of civil engineers.
mechanical engineers, electrical engi-
neers. etc, who can then get out of
the District of Columbia, where there Is
no future for them. and go hack into
their several states and territories and