The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1913-02-20
IN. pag.-Leser-smith Measures.

The Pagei.eyer-smiih legislation.
noa awaiting the decision Of the
House as 20 whether IL shalt be sent
20 conference or referred TO the
COMMITTEES 90 Agriculture. will. II
passed In proper form easily be the
constructive chef doeuyre Of this
session.
Too little IN known by the coun-
Try At large about this big and
highly important departure In the
direction of adding TO the efficiency
a our national educational system.
Briefly stated. the legislation Ia this:
The Lever bin proposes TO appro-
pirate $4,000. 900 a year for univer-
sity extension work in agriculture
that is. for demonstrating 70 the
farmers the scientific work OF th
department and the e&perimel .
stations, and $4,000 year for
direct aid 10 the agricultural col
leges OF the States. giving each
state $4,000
The Lever measure stops here.
The Page bill goes much farther.
II gives. first, the 100000 an
nually 10 extension work Then II
gives $4,000. 900 a year to aid dis
trlct agricultural schools. $1,000
000 more TO introduce the teaching
OF agriculture. trades, and domestic
science Ia the rural schools. and
s3.000.O 900 to teaching trades and
domestic science in the city schools.
Aside from the broader scope
OF the Page-biil scheme, II is funda-
mentally different from the Lever
Smith measure In this: that every
dollar which Senator Page would
give from the Federal treasury foi
these purposes. must be matched by
a dollar from the State. The State
gets no Federal money unless II
proves its sincere purpose TO co
operate in the work by giving Its
half.
This seems 10 be an altogether
desirable condition. II would be
bad economy. TO plunge the National
Government into the general bust.
ness OF endowing State education
without proper assurance that tho
endowment would be used rightly
A State could be counted upon
with all confidence, to take and use
any money handed II by Uncle sam.
but II would be much more certain
10 make proper use OF that money
,ud less likely TO accept II reckless
ly and ineonsiderately, II for every
dollar Il received II must also put
~ one of its own
The Page bill represents the truly
national, the really business-like
handling of this proposition. 1t will
be most unfortunate II, In the eager.
ness OF competing ambitions for the
distinction OF having a particular
aame and a political party label at.
tached to such a measure. the legis-
lation gets held up, or Is passed IN
less desirable form
IN the matter OF education. WI
are coming nowadays TO under
stand that all our vast expenditures
aud all our pride In them, have not
given by any means an ideal system
II Is not SO practical as. for instance,
that OF Germany. which has contri
bnted 40 very much toward making
that nation the Industrial force II Is
We have need for the very sort
work which the Page measure pro
poses to encourage In the most ef-
foctive way. In time. 1t " TO be
hoped, the various appropriations
which II makes would all be accept
ed by the States. and then multi
pA'I Aiai4s iotns
The Industrial and economic futur
this country depends In large
measure on a proper adaptation OF
our educational methods TO the
changing needs of country whose
interests become with every year
mote diversified. Efficiency must |
is keynote. so long as We can get
and have the place to put, the means
to feed. zoos 600 immigrants from
the old world annually. to do our
days work" we viii not feel the
stress 80 keeniy. But the time will
come. We cannot absorb the vast
as now: when greater
efficiency. larger intelligence. just
n appreciation Of the dignity OF lab
W. must make up for that which un
restricted Immigration cannot always
supply The Washington. D. c..
Times.