Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-02
The Morrill, Acts and the District.

Every one seems to assent to the prop
oSition that the provisions of the Morrill,
acts should be extended to give the Dis
trict of Columbia the benefit of the fed
eral appropriations in aid of education
~ the mechanic arts and agriculture for
We encouragement of which those stat.
NieS were enacted. Congress as the ma
tIonal legislature should put the District
on the same footing az ii has put all of
the states and territories, Porto Rico and
Hawaii. From this there can be no logi-
cal or reasonable dissent. The question
over which some difference OF opinion
has arisen has been as to whether George
Washington University alone, or George
Washington University along with How
ard University, or George Washington
not at all should be designated as the
college to give the contemplated instruc-
ton and TO receive the benefit of the
acts.
IL the Morrill, acts are extended to the
District and no portion of the appropria-
ton to assure this special public educa-
ton is bestowed upon George Washing
ION University it will be- first, because a
separate institution for the express pur-
pose OF expanding this fund for this par
iIcuiar purpose has been created by Con-
SresS after the analogy of MANY of the
states; If this is done. clearly George
Washington would not he needed as the
medium of this special education and
would have no claim whatsoever to the
appropriation or to any portion of it,
OR. second in the absence of a SEPARATE
institution, George Wa hington Iniyer-
sity may be discarded as a medium of
this instruction on the ground that il is a
Sectarian institution and is on this ac-
count unavailable.
me charge that George Washington
University is sectarian rests upon no
basis of fact. The institution is TODAY
distinctly non-sectarian, its charter pro-
vlding specifically for the eligibility as
trustees of persons of every religious
denomination, and providing that no per-
sons shall be refused admission into tho
institution or be denied any of its privileges
lmmunitles or advantages for or on ac
count of his sentiments in matters of re-
ilSion. At the present time the board of
trustees comprises four Baptists. four
Episcopalians, five Presbyterians. one
Methodist, with the immediate prospect
of another, and one each of the German
Reformed. Unitarian, Swedenboreian and
Hebrew churches. A more comprehensive
~ pan-sectarian organization could not
he conceived. 1t firmly establishes George
Washington as an institution apart from
the domination of any religious BODY or
sect. 1t is impossible to understand the
persistence of the idea in some minds that
George Washington is today sectarian
institution and is on that account in
eligible to receive the benefits of the Nor
rill acts
Finally, it has been urged that George
Washington. while eligible, should not he
utilized for the purpose of giving the in
struction provided for under the Morrill,
acts, because it needs the money. Against
this extraordinary argument which as.
sumes that the law intends the money to
work minimum of benefit by it's use only
where it is not needed. the District pro-
tests most vigorously.
Every one knows that George WASH
ington University. in extending its lines
OF work and putting itself on a true
university basis, and in endeavoring to
make itself worthy of and to secure en-
dowments, so freely made by rich men
OF today, and failing to get these private
endowments of which there was reason
able expectation. is financially hard up,
and must either secure an endowment in
some shape or must cut out certain por-
TONS OF its courses of instruction. OF
that fact there has been no concealment
This year there is a deficit Of Sal 600 in
the very lines of instruction to promote
which the benefits Of the Morrill, acts
are conferred.
II the appropriation under the Morrill,
acts is given this year to George Wash
lngton it will merely reimburse the uni
Verslty for expenses incurred over and
above its receipts in connection with in
Struction in the mechanic arts and aeri-
culture. If this benefit is not conferred
and this deficit IS not met these courses
u instruction must he eliminated and
the educational facilities of Washington
10 this extent crippled. The fact that the
appropriation under the Morrill, acts if
u goes to George Washington. is neces-
sary and will work a maximum of practi-
cal benefit. and will be immediately avail
able in keeping in operation exactly the
courses of instruction contemplated bv
the acts. instead of being an argument
against the utilization of George Wash
ington. is the strongest possible consid-
Grafton that can be urged in its favor
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