Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-07
AMENDMENT IS ORDERED
George Washington University Des-
ignated to Receive Benefits.
THREE-YEAR PERIOD NAMED
No Tuition Beyond Entrance Fee to
Be Charged Students in Agricul- :.
ture and Mechanic Arts.

The House committee on agriculture to-
day acted favorably on the bill extending
the benefits of the Morrill, act TO the
District of Columbia. This bill has been
before the committee for some time and
has been thoroughly explained in a series
of hearings.
The committee today directed that the
bill be amended by designating the George
Washington University to receive the
appropriation under the Morrill, act and
acts amendatory for the period of three
years.
1t also was ordered that the bill be
amended so it will provide that no tuition
beyond an entrance fee Of $50 shall be
charged those who take the course in
agriculture and mechanic arts for which
the appropriation Is designed.
The scope Of the committees amend
ment being thus outlined. subcommittee,
consisting of Chairman Scott and Messrs.
Hawley. Plumiey. Bell and Lever, was d.
rected to put the amendment into proper
form and, when amended, to report the
bill to the House.
Including the District.
The committee made no change in the
follows:
THAT the act of Congress entitled AN
act donating public lands to the several
states and territories which may provide
colleges for the benefit Of agriculture and
the mechanic arts. approved July 2, 1862
and all acts supplementary thereto. be,
and are hereby, amended so as to include
In the terms and benefits of said act and
supplementary acts the District of Colum-
bia with the states and territories, the IN
tent being to make available for the Dis
trict Of Columbia the annual appropria-
tions for the endowment, support and
maintenance of institutions giving in
structipn in agriculture. the mechanic
arts and the other subjects specified In
the said act of Congress approved July 2
1862 and a supplementary act approved
August 30, $780, and a supplementary ac1
approved March 4, 1907, together with
other acts heretofore passed providing fol
annual appropriations for such colleges
Section 2 Is to be amended as already
outlined and sections and are to stand
as follows:
Section g. That there shall be, anc
hereby is, annually appropriated. out OF
any money In the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated. to be paid to said univer.
sity. In accordance with the provisions OF
said acts as hereby amended, the same
sum or sums as is, and may be hereafter.
allowed under said acts to each state and
territory. including the present year.
Section 4. That the Secretary of Agri-
culture. the Secretary Of the Interior. the
Secretary Of Commerce and Labor and
the commissioner Of education shall be ex
off1cio members of the board of trustees
of said university, and an annual report
shall be made to Congress regarding its
educational work.
George Washington University
nouiopa<ad
Section 2. which is to be amended, pro-
vided originally as follows:
Section 2. That the George Washing
ton University. District of Columbia, is
hereby designated to receive the appro-
priations under said acts of Congress:
Provided, That 1t shall carry on courses
of instruction in agriculture and the
mechanic arts, and in the other subjects
required of the state institutions receiv-
ing said appropriations
Why the University Was Chosen.
THE committee said Representative
Scott of Kansas, it's chairman, in dis
cussing the action of that body. ''consid-
cred that at this time George Washington
University was the best instrumentality
in the District of Columbia through
which this fund could be expended. The
amount that the District of Columbia
will receive if this bill is enacted into
law should not be looked upon as dona-
ton from the federal treasury to George
Washington University.
The District of Columbia, as a political
entity, is entitled to its share in the dis
tributiQn under the Morrill, act just as
much as is Kansas or Delaware or any
80 th1 fha,s rfofa a
time are beneficiaries under that act. 1t
was merely a question with the COM
mittee of determining upon the best in
strumentality for the distribution Of this
decided upon.
1T was not thought proper by the
committee that this fund should go to
an institution which charged high rate
for tuition, and so the provision was
inserted as an amendment to the Boutel'
bill, limiting the charge that might be
made for students taking this course"
Why Period Was Limited.
Mr.. Scott said that personally it was
matter Of some astonis ment to him that
there was not here in the District OF
Columbia a pubic educational institu
ton of collegiate grades. and he spoke
favorably of the proposition of the Dis
trict of Columbia taking over George
Washington University and establishing
it along this line.
The committee. he explained, did not
feel justified in making this grant under
the Morrill, act to George Washington
University in perpetu.ty. and SO limited
it to three years so that 1t would auto
matically come up before the committee
at that time. 1t could then be considered,
the record of the university In the use
of the fund could be reviewed and such
further action taken at that time as was
justified by such circumstances.