Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-10
TEXT OF PRESIDENTS SPEECH

ventions aud discoveries of science,
the beauties OF poetry and the imper-
| ishable thoughts of the master minds
of all the ages. A liberal education
may begin in the ella ssroom, but it
will scarcely rise above mediocrity un-
less it is extended into the library and
by that means broadened into the
practical experience OF life.
We are dedicating this library
with its iuestimable treasure of learn.
ing to the memory Of Abraham
Lincoln. Vt ~ we'll known that in his
early life he had little opportunity to
come in contact with books. He had
almost nothing that could be dignificd
as schooling. While it is true that
there is a very large field Of education
that lies entirely outside Of books. yet
books are the foundation OF all edu
cation. Ii is said that Lincoln walked
miles to borrow a book. and the few
which he had he studied until he had
mastered them. No one could have
become the great master of English
which he was. the author Of the Get.
tysburg Address, the Emancipation
Proclamation and the second inaugu.
raj address, without profound ac-
Quaintance with many books. His
place merely in the realm Of litera-
ture is such that it would he eminentlv
fitting to dedicate any library 10 his
memory. But there is a special reason
for placing his name on the lihrar,
Of one of the land grant colleges Of
our States.
Interested in Agriculture.
This great President had pro.
found interest not only in education,
hut
livered an address in 1859 before the
Wisconsin State Agricultural Society
IN which h. said Free labor insists
on universal education In the same
address he then set out his belief in
what has come to be known as indus.
trial educa ton. saving that Heads
and hands should cooperate as
friends and expressed his opinion
that this should be applied to the
tillers OF the soil by declaring that No
other human occupation opens so wide
field for the profitable and agree
able. combination Of labor with cuiti.
waited thought AS agriculture. He
also declared his belief in scientific
efficiency by adding. The thought
recurs that education cultivated
thousht--can he best combined with
agricultural labor. or. any labor, on
Here was a man who had been
brought up under surroundings where
the tilling Of the soil was carried on
by methods which had made no ad-
vance for 1000 years. In fact, the
husbandman Of the days Of Lincoln's
hoyhood was the husbandman of the
days of Abraham. The great change
came with the application of ma.
chinery. When Lincoln was speaking,
this was almost entirely OF the horse.
drawn variety, but the steam engine
was coming into more diversified use
and some attempt had been made TO
use it for blowing. The general ap.
plication of chemistry to soil produc
ton had scarcely been applied to the
farm. The fact that in those sur
roundinSs and under those conditions
he was able to vision agriculture AS
one Of the learned professions is an
other OF the many indications Of his
supreme greatness.
Land Grants Supplemented.
"In the case of Lincoln perhaps it
is unnecessary to say that this was
no mere figure of rhetoric intended
only to serve the purpose of platitudi.
nous oratory. but the expression of a
sound and mature conviction which he
believed to be practical, and. should
occasion offer, one which he would
attempt to put into operat ion. The
opportunity came to him sooner than
he may have expected. During the
administration OF President Buchanan
the Congress had passed a bill proVid
ing for Il grant of land in the several
States to establish educational insti
tutions in agriculture and the me-
chanic arts. This bill had been vetoed.
1t is said that Jonathan r. Turner
was the author of this measure. and
that before he was nominated Lincoln
had told him that il he were chosen
President the proposal would have his
approval. Representative Morrill, of
Vermont, later Senator for many years,
fathered the bill in the Congress and
it bears his name. 1t was passed and
signed by President Lincoln on July
2. 1852 Under it's provisions so 900
acres Of public land for each of their
Senator'S and Representatives in the
Congress were given to each State to
be used for the support of a college
OF agriculture and mechanic arts
Under the terms of this law the States
have established these institutions.
which in the past so years have played
such an important part in the agri
cultural life of our country.
These grants Of land have been
greatly supplemented by direct appro
priations from the National Treasury.
until under laws now in existence the
annual appropriations made by the
Congress for this purpose run into
millions of dollars. All Of this is the
realization OF the vision of Abraham
Lincoln, which may have come to him
as he rode the circuit over the prai
ries Of Illinois, or as he went up and
down the State in the conduct of pc
litlcal campaigns. It's material and
spiritual effect upon the we'll being OF
our country is beyond estimation.
Farms Vital to War.
I'VE should all of us remember Lin
coin as the great emancipation. the
President who guided the Nation
through four years of internal con
fiict, who demonstrated beyond future
question the national quality Of our
institutions and the indestructibility
OF our Union, who removed forever
from our soil the stain Of human
| slavery. and who possessed a God
given insight into the hearts Of the
American people. But these elements
Of his greatness should not be per.
mitted TO eclipse the mighty service
which he rendered to the cause Of Vo.
cational education by his advocacy
and approval of the measure which
established what are usually referred
to as our State agricultural colleges.