The Washington times., 1910-04-13
Agriculture Committee of
House Decides College En-
titled 10 Endowment.
INSTITUTION is PUT
ON 5 YEARS TRIAL
Farming and Mechanics to Be
Taught for a Nominal Sum to
District Youth.

The Committee on Agriculture report
ed TO the House today the bill granting
10 the George washington University
the ri-ht TO share in the benefits OF the
Morrill, acts. which represents an en-
dowment of from $4,000 10 $4,000 10 the
university for the trial term Of three
years
The report accompanying the bill, in
part. Is as follows.
The purpose Of thi sact IS TO give to
the District Of Columbia the benefit Of
the Morrill, act OF 1852, and subsequent
acts supplemental thereto. for the estab-
Iishment and maintenance OF colleges
for the benefit OF agriculture and the
mechanic arts, and designating George
Washington University as the instTU-
mentality through which the fund pro
vided n such acts shah be expended
soon after The bill was introduced in
1he. House in December, 1879, vigorous
ramDaiSn was begun against II by rep
resentatives of the state universities
who protested against the legislation on
the ground that George Washington
University, as a private institution with
fas was alleged strong denonlnauOnai
prociivities, ought not TO be l1ade the
beneficiary Of a grant from the public
treasury
At a later date the representatives OF
certain labor organizations and other
citizens Of the District OF Columbia
nemorialfzed the committee in the in
ferest Of the Mckinley Manual Training
School. arguing that the fund should be
granted 10 that institution on the ground
that It Is well equipped to do the work
and that as a part of the public school
Trio
charged for tuition therein
Exhaustive bearings were held by the
committee After full and careful con-
sideratiCl Of all the facts developed by
those hearings and after Weighing care
fully the arguments brought forward BY
those opposing and those favorinE the
bill the committee rearhed the follow
ing conclusion:
Committee Decides Favorably.
The bin contains two entirely distinct
propositions which may he stated IN
the form Of questions
''First-Is the District Of Columbia en-
titled TO a share of the Morrill, funds on
the same basis as other States, Territor-
les and derendencies-
''Second-If the District is entitled 10
share IN these funds. then through what
fundamentally may the best results be
obtainede
In the opinion Of the COMMITTEES
there can De but one answer TO the first
question, and that in the affirmative
he intention Of Congress in passing
the MOrTII acts was 10 doubt to afford
To All the citizens OF the United States
who desire TO avail themselves o. IL. the
Cpnorlun-+F FOR collegiate training in
agriculture and the mechanic arts
through the establishment OF colleges in
all the States and Territories
cal entity. separate and distinct from
any other political subdivision Of oar
c2Hntry Its citizens cannot claim citi-
ZeHShIp ID any other State or Territory
while residing here. and. Therefore T,-11st
Re denied tire benefits Of the Morrill, act.
unless ilc funds appropriated therein
are expended here
The Eight OF the District 70 sb,rz
IN The acts benefits = so clear that
y has not been seriously disputed and
y was even conceded by the most earn
est ob5ectOrs against the present bill.
The committee recognizes the force
Of the argument that public funds
ShOul1 be expended through a public
Institution, and il regrets very much
that there is no public school Of ooIIe9l
Grade IN the District which may be
designated for the purpose
But All Of the Morrill, acts 80 plain
u contemplate the establishment and
maintenance of colleges that the com
Ulittee does not feel as If the spirit %
The law would be met by placing the
AalA4tA~ " lAlt4Li LLle GlLLLDI OF LEle ALc IN
ley Manual Training School OF Of any
other school Of secondary grade
No Public College.
Unfortunately. there is no public
school Of college grade in the District.
and the only institution prepared TO give
the Instruction called for under the
Morrill, acts and asking 10 be desig-
mated Tor the purpose is the George
Washington University The question
therefore nsrrows to the single PROPOSE
ton.
shall the District although plainly
entitled TO the benefits of the act be
denied those benefits until a public in
stitution shall be created through which
they might be conferred, or shah Il
receive such benefits at once through
the inStrumenIality Of the George
Washington University
IL George Washington University
we're a UNCONVENTIONAL or sectarian IL
stiCuuon, as a great many Of those
protesting against the bill have evident
IL been misled into believing, the com
T1itLee would not for 2 moment con
slider "a favorable report upon the meas
sIre- BUt such Is not the case, as the
character OF the university under "A t.