Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-25
UNDER THE MORRILL, ACTS
For Institutions Teaching Branches
of Agriculture and Mechanics.
DR.. r. HARLAN'S APPEAL
Cooperation in Support of Gallinger
Amendment-George Washington
University the Beneficiary.

HlNeTSity movement, mas sent lelteT
to many Of the representative business
and professional men of Washington ask
Ing their vigorous cooperation in sup
port of the Gallinser amendment to the
Morrill, acts, which permits the District
to share in the Morrill, appropriations
made each year to at least one college
in each state and territory. including
Porto Rico and Hawaii. that teaches
such branches of learning as are related
TO agriculture and the mechanic arts. 1t
designates George Washington as the in
stitution to receive the appropriation.
A brief statement Of the case. in
closed with the letter. is in part as fol-
lows:
OBVIOUSLY, the District of Columbia is
quite as much entitled to the annual Nor
Till approprlatf ton are the territories
of Arizona and New Mexico; and it would
be grotesquely unjust to deny to the ma
tive or naturalized Americans in the
District what is now given to Hawaii and
Porto Rico, especially when the fact is
remembered that the money thus distrib-
uted by the federal government to the
Immigrant institutions in the fifty other
political divisions OF the country dnclud-
ing Porto Rico and HawaiD comes from
the tariff and internal revenue taxes. to
which the citizens of the District pay
their full quota.
Omitted by Accident.
The omission of the District of CO.
lumbia from the original Morrill, act
was not intentional, but purely accident
al. In those early days it did not &C.
cur to the trainers of that beneficent
body Of legislation that the people of
the District would require the forms of
education provided for in the Morrill,
acts. Moreover. there was no one here
in the District to raise the question. for
the simple reason that it has only been
within the past few years that any of
local need for education in the mechanic
arts (of a collegiate grade), or have
begun to meet those needs.
only those who live in the District
can have an adequate conception Of the
great need there is in Washington of
the courses in the mechanic arts which
the Morrill, appropriation would enable
the George Washington University to
develop for the benefit of this COM
munity.
There is a fearful dearth of business
opportunities in the capital for the thou
sands of young men who are compelled
to live here because their fathers are in
the government service.
We have no manufactures and very
little general business. Hence there are
few openings in Washington for such
young men: their only chance is some
petty clerkship in one of the depart
ments, with its uncertain tenure. AL
though most of our small army of minor
officeholders are eager to give their sons
the advantages Of good practical edu-
cation, their meager salaries will not
permit many of them to bear the ex-
pense of sending them away from home.
1.-THE nation has deliberately entered
upon the beneficent policy Of helping to
develop In each Of the political divisions
of the Union what Senator Morrill, called
colleges for the advancement OF general
scientific and industrial education" Shall
it now actually penalize the men who
have been brought to Washington to do
the nations work by thus narrowing the
opportunities to be found at the National
Capital for educating their children?
Education in Mechanic Arts.
1.-THE government Official who found in
Washington itself an attractive oppor-
tunity for practical and liberal educa-
ton in the mechanic arts for his sons-at
no expense beyond a moderate tuition
would become thereby a much better SER
want to the whole nation. For that rea-
son the fullest development at Washing
ton of such practical educational advan-
tages would make it just that much
easier to attract to the service OF the gov
eminent the most efficient type OF men.
1.-The Mckinley Manual Training School,
one Of our public high schools. is strik-
ing proof Of the local demand for edu-
cation in the mechanic arts. In spite OF
the fact that large building and equip
ment costing nearly 100000 has recently
been provided for that school. yet the
applications for entrance are nearly four
times as large as the accommodations.
"If the Congress of the United states
will now put the District all equal
footing with Hawaii. by granting to the
District as such its fair share Of the an
nual Morrill, appropriation (which comes
out of the federal taxes, to which the citi-
zens OF the District pay their full quota J..
and it the District legislature will decide
to make that appropriation Immediately
effective at the minimum expense to the
taxpayers Of the District, by utilizing the
services OF the George Washington Uni
versity-then. speaking generally, this
university would put capstone upon the
splendid work done by the Mckinley
very best collegiate courses in the me-
chanic arts called for In the Morrill, acts.
There never was fairer or a wiser
bill introduced into Congress than the
amendments to the Morrill, acts proposed
by the wise chairman Of the Senates COM
mittee on the District of Columbia"
DR.. Harlan's Views.
DR.. Harlan says in his letter:
1.-THE passage of that bill would have
two results of great Importance to the
District of Columbia.
lit would appropriate $4,000 for the
present academic year, $4,000 for the
next year and, thereafter, $4,000 an
nually-for the purpose of promoting a
liberal and practical education in the
mechanic arts for the benefit of the
young people of the District of Column
bia.
1T would designate George Washing
ton University as the institution to do
this work and receive the said annual
appropriation.
LAS explained in the brief statement,
this bill raises no question between
George Washington University and any
are the only institution in the city that
is now doing the kind of work of a COL
legiate grade that is prescribed in the
Morrill, acts, and, SO far as we know
no other university here is even plan
ming such work.
Passed by Unanimous Vote.
This bill was passed In the Senate of
the last Congress by a unanimous vote
at a full meeting on March 3. 1909. when
a single objection would have prevented
it from coming to vote. 1t also made
encouraging progress in the House CON-
mittee of the last Congress.
THE only opposition to this bill comes
tain group Of institutions outside Of the
District OF Columbia. known as the land
grant colleges.
.rTheSe institutions have for roapv