The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-18
"C0me to See Us''


 "I am here to ask, you, gentlemen to come to the University of Alab anna, not for single day or single week but for a whole year. 1t Is your in stitution. Study it and understand it. Deal with 1t, not in the spirit of the man who is doling out charity, but in the spirit of the man who is in- creasing his noblest investment. pledge you my word that, if you ac- cept my invitation, you will find noth- ing for which any citizen of this state would care to apologize except the meager support which has been given to it.
 "As a matter of fact, 1t was not un- til the year 1907 that the legislature realized that something, definite must be done, and done at once. desire here and now to put on record my deliberate conviction that in precisely the same sense that the Huntsville convention established the University of Alabama in 1919, so the 1cgisla- ture of 1907 re-established 1t and rem dered possible its continued existence as a standard college. So likewise the legislature of 1911, realizing that the steps taken in 1907 to provide three modern buildings meant that some thing must be done to provide for their upk eep and for the inevitable growth of the institution following such leg islation, made certain appropriations conditioned upon the action of the gov ernor in the matter of releasing them A bill has been introduced in the leg islature of 1915 to repeal these appro- uring my words I say it) that If such uring my words I say it) and If such action is taken without providing re- lief by new legislation we are face to face with a great crisis.
 Appropriation Is Compared
 "It is a fact that the University of Alabama is now receiving by uncon- ditional, permanent provision of law an appropriation, for the support of tho college of arts and sciences, the col lege of engineering, the school of edu- cation, and tho school of law, amount ing to only $5000 more than is an- Eually appropriated for the support of any one of the Class normal schools whose sole function is to train teachers for the elementary, rural and small town schools. If the normal schools arc receiving inadequate sup port Gas I verify believe), what shall be said concerning the university? do not mention the appropriations made to other institutions of higher learning. do not desire to make com : parisons, unless the facts are demand cd. Yet do desire to say that there can DO III uly OplHiOA iO POSSAOAc Jus tlfication for the historic and habitual parsimony that has been shown in the matter of supporting our most import ant seat of learning.
 How University Lives
 'The University of Alabama has been reduced in large degrees to the nNces- sity of living on the income derived from a modest endowment from stu- dent fees, from rental of rooms, and from the constitutional provision made by tho state to pay the old land grant debt, to which reference has already been made No human being can deny that we have practiced the most rigid economy. It Is simply impossible to the institution on . moro economical basis. I submit that 1t is not an economy to allow valuable property to depreciate owing to the lack of a modest fund for upkeep. submit that 1t Is not an economy to be carrying less than one-half the insurance protection that is impera- lively needed. I subm.s that 1t Ia not Au economy to bs o%escrowding class-