Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-02-26
Introduces a Bill to Establish
School Advocated by
George Washington.
$500, 900 FOR BUILDING;
ENDOWMENT OF $4,000, 900
President of the United States
Would Head the Board
of Regents.

a national university. to he called the
University of the United States and to
| be located in the District of Columbia, is
provided for in a bill introduced in the
Senate today by Senator Dillingham; of
Vermont chairman of the Senate com
mittee on the University of the United
States
The establishment of a national uni
versity in Washington has been the
dream of educators and statesmen since
the days of George Washington. The
first President of the United States in
his will, left certain properties to be used
for the purpose Of aiding the establish
ment Of such a university here Since
his day the project has been recon-
mended by many Presidents but so far
nothing definite has been accomplished.
Intends to Push Bill.
Chairman Dillingham; believes that the
time has now come to push to sue
by George Washington for a national
university. He intends. he says to do
all in his power to advance the bill
which he has introduced. This measure
has been drafted after careful consiei-
by the Association of Presidents of State
Universities and by the National Edu-
cationa1 Association. composed of many
thousands of educators in this country.
The bill provides for the appropriation
of SJ00.0o0 Immediately to obtain a site
and erect buildings for the national uni
versity. IT also provides that the sum
of SJ,U0l,GO in The Treasury be set apart
permanently as the principal of a per-
petual fund the income: from which shall
be used to pay the expenses of the uni
versity.
What the Bill Provides.
The provisions of the bill ere as fol-
lows:
That there is hereby established in the
District of Columbia a body corporate. to
be known as The University of the United
States. whose purpose it shall be to pro-
vide facilities for the higher and the
highest possible instruction in the sciences.
arts and letters: to promote it may, in
harmony with its primary objects, the ad-
vancement OF knowledge by means of
original research and investigation: to
provide the instruction needed to qualify
students for important posts in the service
or state or nation and for the practice
auire for their pursuit the highest special
training: to SO relate itself to the state
universities, colleges of agriculture and
mechanical arts and otoier Institutions
elevation and uniformity of standards
Said corporation shall haze Il common
seal and may alter the same at pleasure,
may sue and be sued. may acquire and
hold real and personal estate and may
accept any devises, bequests. grants and
donations Of money or other properly, to
be devoted to the uses and purposes afore-
said: Provided, that no condition there
of shall be repugnant to any of the pro-
visions of this act and that all the terms
and conditions shall be agreed to by the
legal authorities of the institution. 1t
shall appoint the necessary officers and
employees and have power to remove the
same, and it may make and change by
LAWS ard d such acts not inconsistent
@'tii ;dw as shall be necessary and proper
u carry out the purposes of its establish
ili-nc.
Section .. That the government OF said
university shall be vested in board of
regents which shall be composed of the
President Of the United States, who shall
be president of the board; the Chief JUS
tice of the United States. the Attorney
General. the Secretary of State, the Sec
retary of Agriculture, the president of
the university. the secretary of the Smith
sonian Institution and the commissioner
of education, together with twelve other
citizens of the United States, who with
their successors. shall be appointed by
the President Oh the United States, by
and with the advice and consent of the
Senate and may be removed by him for
neglect of duty or malfeasance. A va
cancy occurring in the office of any re-
gent thus appointed shall be filled in like
manner.
Regents Terms Of Service.
Those appointed in the first instance
shall be divided into four classes to be
determined by lot. The first class shall
hold Office for two years, the second class
for four years, the third class for six
years and the fourth class for eight
years, and the term Of office for regents
appointed to fill vacancies in the three
classes thus formed shall be filed in the
same manner by appointments for the
residue of the term. Vacancies occur
ring by expiration of term shall be filled
by appointments for eight years.
"a majority of all the duly appointed
and certified members of the board of
regents shall constitute quorum for
business. The board thus provided shall
have exclusive control of the admins
tration of the university and Of all its
affairs not otherwise specified. 1t shall
make and may change all bylaws and
rules for the government of the uni
versity: appoint, and, II necessary, re-
move the president of the university and
its business officers and employees; con-
fer such degrees, none academic being
lower than those of doctor; and do all
such acts not inconsistent with law as
ton of the purposes for which it was
established: Provided. that such of them
as Immediately concern the internal af-
fairs of the institution shall, before taking
effect, be submitted to university coun-
Gil as hereinafter provided for, and, il
disapproved by that body. shall be modi-
fled or predetermined by two-thirds vote
OF the board 1t may also designate a
number of it's members. including the
president of the university chairman,
to act as an executive committee.
sec. j; The university council shall
consist of one representative from each
state i'm the Union. The governor of
each state shall appoint such representa-
tive and deliver to him certificate of
such appointment. In making such ap-
recruitment the governor shall select the
president of the state university, in case
there is an institution of that character
In operation: il not, he shall appoint as
such representative a citizen of the state
learned and experienced in the question
of education.
..The term of office of all representa-
tiyes shall be eight years and vacancies
shall be dealt with as in the case of the
board of regents. In all proceedings of
the council the president of the univer-
sity shall preside, il present. having the
casting vote in case of equal division. and
in his absence a presiding officer chosen
for the time. A majority of all the men,
bers shall constitute a quorum for the
transaction of business. and 1t may ap-
CONTINUED on Twelfth Page.)