Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-25

1
of the Boutell bill. extending the Nor
rill act to the District of Columbia and
naming George Washington University
as the medium through which the funds
| are expended.
AT the hearing given by this commit
tee December TO- 1909" said DR.. James.
Il noticed that Mr.. Justice Harlan of the
| Supreme Court of the United States ar
gued for this bill. If l am correctly in
payroll of the George Washington Uni
versity for many years at a salary of
from $1,000 to 5000 per year.
Regarded as Improper.
| 1T does not seem to me that 1t is quite
the proper thing for justice Of the Su-
preme Court to urge upon the Congress.
| among whose members are many men
who practice in his court and may be be-
| holden to him for favors, that they
| should make appropriations for the ben
eft of a private institution on whose pay
roll the said justice has been for the bet
ter part of generation"
In answer to DR.. James suggestion that
Justice Harlan was on ale payroll OF
| the university and that his advocacy of
the bill must therefore be discounted be-
cause OF the possibility of the reduction
| in his salary in case the bill was not
passed. DIR. Harlan said
1T is doubtless not worth while be-
| fore any committee of Congress to
| make the slightest reply to the cheap
Ming at my honored father which Presi-
dent James has just permitted himself
to make Most of this committee nit were
years he had been a teacher of consti-
tutional law at the George Washington
University.
THAT is a matter of common knowledge
in the city. But as he is now approaching
his four-score years, after residence
of thirty-three years In the District, dur
ing which he has come into C ose contact
with its young men, l do not suppose
there was very much doubt in the minds
of the committee as to the sincerity of
his appeal in behalf of the only feasible
plan in sight for granting to the young
men of the District the same privileges
that are now given to the alien races of
Hawaii and Porto Rico. His love of fair
play and equal rights and his interest in
young men are too we'll known in this
community to call for any further COM
ment upon DR.. James insinuation.'
Former Oficial Criticised.
President James also took a fling at
former Commissioner Mcfarland because
| he appeared before the committee last
December In advocacy of the pending bill
| in his ofiacial capacity as Commissioner.
| while The also happens to be president of
the board of trustees of George Wash
.ngton University"
With single exception said Mr..
James. every man who testified at that
hearing in behalf of George Washington
University was connected intimately with
| that institution and tied up in some way,
either financially or by hav ng h $ pu-
tation at stake, with the interest of that
Institution. 1 respectfully submit tnat
| this is hardly fair representation of the
real opinion of the people of the District
Of Columbia upon this important matter. :"
For about an hour DR.. James spoke
against the Boutell bill He presented
| to the committee petition. dated Feb
| ruary, 1910 signed by the presidents of
| thirty-six state universities, representing
thirty-four states; by the presidents Of
sixteen of the independent colleges for
agriculture and mechanic arts and by
| ninety presidents of public state
normal schools in every section of the
| Union. This petition, he SAID, was also
Endorsed by the committee on legislative
| action of the Massachusetts State
Teachers Association. the State Teach
| ers' Association of Illinois and by other
| bodies.
Basis Of Opposition.
| DIR. James based his opposition to the
granting of privileges under the Morrill,
act to George Washington University
largely on the ground that 1t was a sec
tartan instit 4tion and absolutely under de-
nominational influence. This content on
was disproved by DR.. Harlan, who, fol-
| owing DR.. James, showed that since the
reorganization Of the university. some six
! or seven years ago, 1t had been absolutely
divorced from the Baptist Church, and
| that now on its board of trustees there
| we're only four Bapt.sts out of twenty
one members, while so far its faculty
and officers are concerned. there are sew
eral denominations, notably Episcopalian
and Presbyterian, that are morely largely
represented.
On the ground that 1t was a private
| institution" DR.. James also based a por-
ton of his protest, not because it was a
private institution as such. but because
he did not think il proper for private in
situations to receive federal aid.
Replies to Another Objection.
Replying to DR.. James on this point.
DR.. Harlan pointed out that under this
same Morrill, act various states had been
permitted to use their share Of the land
grant funds due them for work at private
institutions until their state universities
! were completed or founded.
Or. James also made the suggestion
sity were permitted to enjoy the privi-
/ leges desired the cause of educational
work in the District would be ham,
pered because of the reluctance of this
4 university 10 see any OINGT GQuCdJIONaI
institutions started which might share in
or attempt to secure the fund.
Glad to Be So Designated.
| DIR. Harlan made the statement in re-
Il ply to this that the authorities Of the
George Washington University would be
happy to have that institution made the
University of the District of Columbia,
land never, under any circumstances
could he conceive that the granting of
the fund TO George Washington Univer-
sity would make that institution any the
| less eager to further the general cause
of education along whatever lines and
In whatever direction.
| President Thompson of the Ohio State
| Univer ity and President Ayres of the
Tennessee State University also addressed
the committee In opposition to the bill
President Needham Of George Washing
ton University made few remarks at
the close Of the hearing.