The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-06-28

amazing proposition that Congress ought
TO continue to exclude the native and
naturalized Americans living in the Dis
trict OF Columbia from the benefits of
beneficient and national educational policy
which the people OF the District are help
ing 10 carry out for the benefit of>other
parts OF the country, and even for the
Hawaiians and Porto Rlcans.
THE campaign We have conducted on
behalf OF the Gallinger- Boutell bill has
helped TO make clear this principle. even
though it has not yet been enacted into
law. and the work we have all done 10
this end. in the past sixteen months VIII
yet bear fruit
"A striking evidence Of a new realiza-
ton on the part of members Of Congress
that the District Of Columbia has the
same educational needs and the same
educational rights as other parts OF the
country, was given last week in the
report from the Senate Committee on
Agricultural. recommending the passage
of a bin proposed by Senator Dolliver
That bill proposes TO appropriate Sl0ooo,oo0
annually for education in agriculture,
the mechanic arts, and domestic science,
through the high schools of the coun-
try, on condition that an equal amount
Is contributed by the States themselves.
On Footing with states.
ITO us citizens OF the District the sig
nihcant and welcome feature OF the Dol
liver bill is that. for the first time in the
history of this class Of legislation. the
District OF Columbia Is put upon an
equal footing with the States. in proper
ton TO its population. After the cam
paign which the George Washington Uni
versity has made for extending the Nor
rill act to the District of Columbia. l
do not believe that, II the Deliver bill is
enacted. any serious effort win be made
to amend it by excluding the District of
Columbia from its benefits
Therefore. although the Gallinger-
Bouteu bin has not yet been passed. We
are justified in believing that the jus
tice and wisdom of its first section. admit
ting the District itself TO the benefits Of
the Morrill, act has been established be-
yond serious debate.
THE only question, in connection with
this bill that VIII he much discussed at
the next session of Congress viii be a
purely local and practical question. name
~: In the face of the other educational
needs and serious financial problems OF
the District is not the George Washing
ton University for the time being the
only available. as it certainly would be
the most economical. instrumentality by
which the Morrill, appropriation could be
made actually effective as we'll as theo-
retically available for the District OF
Columbian
with the radical business-like reor-
ganization now being worked out by the
new board of trustees C12 out OF whose
q members have been added TO the board
in the past seven months; with the new
local support which this community viii
surely give TO the reorganlZed George
Washington University. because of its
nonsectarian character and its compTe-
hensiye and practical educational pro-
gramme-I feel confident that, as pru-
dent men, and In justice to the present
needs Of the young people Of the District.
the members of Congress. at their next
session, will conclude that no amount of
criticism of the financial policies of the
former board (whose disinterested sin
cerity and laudable ambition to serve
the people of the District have never been
questioned) ought to stand in the way
Of the only plan that Is at present FEAST
bic for administering the Districts Nor
rill appropriation.
Pardon tsis long letter. The interest
which my three years connection with
the university has led me to take in the
educational problems OF the District is
so profound and abiding. and my de-
votion to the George Washington Univer-
sity has come to be so great that
have not been able to sever my con-
nection with it without putting upon
record some expression of the mistaken
faith I have in the ultimate success OF
an institution whose primary mission and
chief ambition It is 10 serve the young
people of the District of Columbia. Yours
respectfully. RICHARD D. HARLAN
The George Washington University. June z. 1910 I"