EVENING SESSION.
On motion of Mr. STEWART of Rush, at the hour of seven p. m., Mr. Osborn was called to the Chair.
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
Mr. STEWART of Rush, moved to take up the special order, viz: the consideration of Mr. Cory's Agricultural College bill, [H. R. 172] but--no quorum voting thereon--
The SPEAKER (Mr. Osborn in the Chair) directed a call of the House, which proceeded till a quorum was determined.
Mr. WILLIAMS of Knox, submitted a resolution for proceeding at once to locate the Agricultural College, by a viva voce vote.
Mr. STEWART of Rush, opposed the proposition. He said he intended to vote for a location somewhere on the Terre Haute railroad, or what was once the National road. On that line was Greenfield; in Hanocock county, Indianapolis and Greencastle. He recited the Hancock county proposition, and considered the advantages it proposes, as compared with those presented at Indianapolis and Greencastle. He gave his preference for the Greenfield location chiefly because of its position in the Eastern part of the State.
Mr. GORDON was opposed to making any location, but he particularly objected to the Greenfield location on account of the want of soil of proper adaptation to the college farm. His own preference, if a location were to be made, would be the Tippecanoe Battle Ground. He moved that the subject be laid on the table for the present. But he withdrew the motion on explanation.
Mr. BRECKINRIDGE. Mr. Speaker: I shall only occupy the attention of the House for a few minutes. I feel it is a duty to myself and to the people I have the honor in part to represent on this floor, that I should say a few words in regard to this matter, as it is one in which they feel a deep interest, the first proposition in regard to the location of this college having come from Tippecanoe county. I agree with the gentleman from Monroe, that it would not be the part of wisdom to divide this fund among the half dozen colleges now existing in the State, neither would gentlemen on this floor entertain the proposition that it should go to the school fund or in any way be diverted from that originally designed by the grant of Congress.
There are two propositions now before us: to locate it in connection with the State University at Blooming, or at one of the several points named having the best advantages as regards location, and offering the best inducements by way of donation, &c. The gentleman from Monroe, and especially the gentleman from Allen, made some sweeping assertions in regard to the failure of Agricultural Colleges, both in Europe and in this country, when established as separate schools, and not in page: 563[View Page 563] connection with old established literary institutions; but failed entirely to state the facts upon which such statements were founded.--My information on this subject certainly differs from that of the gentlemen, and their sources of information must have come through avenues which are not open to the public. Hon. Andrew D. White, President of Cornell University, in an address before the State Board of Agriculture of New York this winter, having jus returned from an extended tour in England, spoke of the great value of schools for teaching agriculture, of their satisfactory condition and prospects in the old country; the great good already accomplished and greater good to be accomplished in the future. Many of these schools are private enterprises, and successfully sustained without any public fund whatever. In our own country nearly all the States have accepted the grant of Congress and established separate schools, which are in a highly flourishing condition. Even Massachusetts, with but little Agricultural interests, and with colleges and universities of world-wide reputation, has established a separate school of Agriculture, and shall the great State of Indiana, with her population of a million and a half, and growing by thousands every year, whose people are mainly devoted to agriculture, fail to sustain a College of this kind? The idea seems to me, Mr. Speaker, simply rediculous and absurd.
Now, in regard to location, let me say, for the Battle Ground, that it is central in its position rather than otherwise, and easy of access from all parts of the State by railroads; that it is admirably adapted to the purposes designed; situated in the midst of an Agricultural region, surpassed by no other in the State, with a great variety of soil, it will afford every facility for analysis and experiment that could be desired. In addition to this, the location is healthy, and the people of the village highly moral and intelligent. It is within six miles of Lafayette, by railroad, a city of over twenty thousand inhabitants, noted for its wealth and enterprise insuring the College a large local support, and, besides the present liberal donation, fifty thousand dollars in money, and buildings and grounds valued at one hundred and ten thousand dollars. This should only be regarded as a small installment of what would be done in the future in the way of endowing and making this institution second to no other of like character in any of our sister States.
Besides, we claim, as the gentleman from Boone has said, that it is not local; it belongs to the people of the whole State; to you, to me, to all of us; there sleep the remains of the gallant Daviess, of Spencer, of Warrick and their companions, who laid down their lives in defense of our border settlements, who saved our women and children from savage violence and our scattered frontier settlements from the midnight torch and the scalping knife of a savage and relentless foe. What more fitting place than this for your Agricultural College? As your young men come here from all parts of the State to fit themselves for the highest of all arts, that of Agriculture, they will learn lessons of patriotism and a deeper love for their country as they gaze upon the soil made sacred by the ashes of those who laid down their lives in its defense. As my friend, the gentleman from Cass, has said, what more fitting monument could we raise to the memory of those men than this school? Would it not seem, then, that we were hastening for-forward to the time of which prophets spoke and poets sang,
"When they should hang the trumpet in the hall, And study war no more."
The good time coming, foretold in that good book from which my friend quotes so often, and with which he seems so familiar. "When swords shall be beat into plow-shares, and spears into pruning hooks; when nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall I they learn war any more:" Such are some of the reasons, Mr. Speaker, which to my mind, will induce the honorable gentlemen on this floor to locate the College on the Battle Ground of old Tippecanoe.
Mr. CORY reminded the House of his admonition, that if we attempt to locate this College, before we organize it, we shall not be able to organize it this session. The House had disregarded his admonition by determining to locate first, and now he hoped that his prediction would not prove true. He then read a paper purporting to have been prepared partly in reply to the written speech of Mr. Buskirk. He alleged the inherent, self sustaining power in any worthy Agricultural College, and referring to flourishing Agricultural Colleges in England and in this country, dwelling on the evidence which he adduced to show that the Michigan Agricultural College had passed through its time of trial, and was now planted on a permanent basis as an independent institution. He referred to the report of the Trustees of the Illinois Agricultural College to show that its corriculeum of studies equal that of any College in the whole country. Kansas, Ohio and Massachusetts have done much the same thing as Illinois with their College grants. With respect to New York, the Cornell University was the product of her Agricultural College fund and the donation of Mr. Cornell, Cornell giving more to the institution at Ithica than the State of New York. But still that was a separate institution. It war about the same way with these College funds in the States of New Jersey and Rhode Island. He then spoke specially against page: 564[View Page 564] the Bloomington location, and for a more central and accessible location. He deprecated that obstinacy in the General Assembly which because it cannot obtain its own favorite location would oppose any location and so defeat the great object of the beneficent Congressional donation.
Mr. RUDDELL. Mr. Speaker: I have not consumed much of the time of the House during this session. I have not as yet attempted to make a speech nor do I propose to do so now. But since the subject under consideration is one of the most important yet presented to this Assembly, and its disposition fraught with greater interest to the whole people of the State, inasmuch as by that disposition we say whether that interest above all others, which has made us what we are, and has given our State that position which she now enjoys in our great sisterhood of States, shall receive the aid of State patronage and the fostering care of State legislation? I do feel that I will be justified in taking up a few moments of your time in presenting my views, upon this subject, however crude they be, and to that end I ask your indulgence.
Since we have been made the recipients of a magnificent donation by our General Government, and we are now come to consider the most profitable mode of using that gift, it would seem that the first thing to be considered is the will of the donor. We do not understand this grant to be an unconditional one. Then let us inquire into what the conditions of this grant are. To do so we refer to the act creating the grant, and from that act we read the following: The proceeds are to be invested in safe stocks, yielding not less than five per cent, per annum, and the interest "shall be invariably appropriated by each State which may take and claim the benefit of this act to the endowment, support and maintenance of at least one College where the leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture, and the mechanics arts, in such manner as the Legislatures of the States may respectively prescribe, in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life."
Where the leading object shall be to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanics arts. This language wruld seem to be sufficiently explicit; but, lest some may not be sufficiently impressed with the force of the language employed in this provision, let us read further from the words of the originator of the bill, in explanation of its purposes.
Speaking of the different Governments of Europe he said: "They have established ministers of instruction, model farms ekperimental farms, botanical gardens, Colleges, and a large number of secondary schools, for no other purpose--and they need no higher or nobler than the improvement of the industrial resources, the farms and farmers of the respective countries."
At another time he said: "The opportunity of obtaining a sound education adapted to the wants of the individual will be offered at reduced rates; a love of useful labor will be promoted, and thus health and usefulness must be advanced." Speaking of our Colleges and classical schools, and saying that they are chiefly occupied in supplying the learned professions, he continued: "Other institutions are wanted where the idea of labor shall be uppermost and where the esprit du corps of those instructed will seek highest honor in no other direction."
Now, it is evident to every member upon this floor, that the act creating this grant has no other purpose than the practical education of the industrial classes of our country, the benefit of the masses, the elevation and dignity of labor, the development of the Agricultural and mechanical interests of our country, on which so largely depend the prosperity, the wealth, the power and the glory of our loved America. Knowing the purposes and intent of the grant, are we not in honor bound to carry out that design; are we not bound to appropriate the interest arising from this fund to the "endowment, support and maintenance" of a College where the leading object shall be to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts?
Let us see what is proposed by some members of this House. It is proposed to locate the Agricultural College at Bloomington, in connection with and subordinate to the State University, or, in other words to appropriate the proceeds of this fund to the use of the State University, and, in consideration therefor, the Trustees of the State University will have established in said University a chair for the teaching of such branches as are necessary to prepare one to commence the study of the science of agriculture. That is all and nothing more.
Do they propose to teach practical agriculture? No. They offer no grounds, no farm. They declare the teaching of practical agriculture and mechanism a failure, and should therefore be abandoned. Gentlemen, who has a right to declare this magnificent scheme for the cheap education of the laboring classes of our land in those branches which are adapted to their individual habits and tastes and that the enterprize shall be abandoned; the humble recipients of the gift, or the originator of the plan, the founder, and the donor? page: 565[View Page 565] I think that would be the privilege of the latter. Congress did not ask you how you regarded this enterprise; does not make it obligatory on you to-day to accept this grant.--What assurance have we that the Agricultural Department established at the State University in accordance with the pet scheme here presented will not be a failure.
I rather think it will, and predicate my opinion on as good authority as do the gentlemen who say an independent Agricultural College must fail. I wonder how many people in the State of Indiana are to-day aware of the fact that the State University has had, since 1852, an Agricultural Department in connection with it. I wonder how many farmers' sons have ever left the institution any wiser for the existence of the Agricultural Department? I take it that no answered is required. This may be answered by saying that the endowment was not sufficient, and that the wants of students did not demand it; that that department was not patronized. So may I say that years ago our common schools were not patronized, when some were too poor and others too ignorant to avail themselves of their opportunites, meagre are they were. But now that we have had enough knowledge diffused throughout the land to enable the masses to appreciate its importance, and having schools free to all, we find our schoolhouses filled; we find the educational standard being elevated; you find an increase demand for educational facilities in the way of common schools, graded schools, academies, colleges, law schools, medical and commercial schools. Not only that, but you see the more enlightened we become, the more practical do we grow. A few years ago the student poured over his text books dealing with abstract principles and theories which to him were the merest vagaries, and then he went forth into life to spend another number of years in reducing his theories to practice, and using his information successfully. But how different is it now?
You find the student of to-day, if he designs being a teacher, leaving his course of studies, to a great degree a practical and experienced teacher, ready to take hold of his life-work, and march right along without the delays, the blunders and the embarrassments which attended those of other days. The student of law comes forth from the lecture room, the quiz and the mock court, prepared to commence his professional life at once. The medical student comes forth from his lecture room, dissecting room and hospital, with that practical knowledge which will enable him at once to meet the greatest responsibilities to be met with in life.
The commercial student, the moment he emerges from the College walls, launches his little bark in the ocean of life's varied and busyscenes, prepared by the practice and drill in the actual business department, for anything that may present itself. He has there gone through all the transactions to be met with in actual business. He is familiar with business papers of every description, familiar with the circulating medium of the country, and skilled in the detection of that which is counterfeit--prepared in every way to become at once an active and useful member of society. In all these departments you acknowledge the incalculable advantage of uniting and combining the theoretical and practical. Yet, when a class of your citizens, comprising three-fourths of your entire population, call upon you to afford their sons an opportunity to pursue such branches of learning as are adapted to the life which they have selected, combining practice and theory, you deny them that privilege. Men who profess to be in favor of education, in favor of the general diffusion of knowledge, in favor of advancement; men who boast of the pre-eminent practicability of Americans, get up here and oppose one of the grandest, one of the sublimest enterprises of the age, one in keeping with the scientific advancement of the nineteenth century and because they say it has been a failure! Why, that is the old song. The same spirit of fogyism manifests itself here which has thrust its doubting face in the front of every new idea that has ever dawned upon the scientific world, and threatened an innovation of the good old way, or to upset a time honored fallacy or absurdity. I say, sir, the same old spirit of unbelief, selfishness and bigotry which has cursed the world from creation's dawn, obstructed science and retarded the progress of civilization, raises its fossilized remains here in this hall, and, confronting the votaries of advancing science, firmly plants it feet, shakes its hoary calcined locks, and, in that same old tone, which now, thank God, has lost its significance and its terror cries out failure! Failure! Ha, ha. We have long since laughed that word to scorn. I pity the man who insists upon plodding along sullenly and blindly along the footsteps of his forefathers, when all the rest of mankind are rushing onward at lightning speed.
An Agricultural College will be a failure, and experience has proven it, say those who want to divert the proceeds of this grant from the purpose designed by the grantor. I say that is not the question for them to decide. But the only thing for you to decide is, will you accept this grant and try the experiment according to the terms imposed by the grantor, or will you refuse so to do, and forfeit your claim to this government bounty? But for the sake of argument, we will grant that you may apply this fund as you like, and we will see whether experience does justify the assretions here made, that every attempt to establish a page: 566[View Page 566] separate institution for practical and theoretical instructions in agriculture and the mechanic arts has proven a failure. I unhesitatingly take the broad ground that experience teaches no such thing. It is universally conceded that the most systematic, orderly, and successful farmers we have in the country are Germans. Pray tell us why this is so? I will try to answer. Of all countries in the world, the Germanic States have taken a greater interest in the establishment of schools for the education of the industrial classes. This is the only answer. Are the German Universities in any manner interferred with? Are those glorious old institutions, where the classics and sciences are so thoroughly mastered; where those who desire to enter the learned professions have every facility which the light of modern science can furnish; where the student of literature can indulge his taste and his passion to any extent desired, are those grand old nurseries of literature and science rendered less useful or less famous because those classes whose habits of life and taste, dictating a different kind of instruction have that different kind afforded them? Most certainly not.
It is said by building up institutions adapted to the wants of the several classes which make up society, it will cause such a division of patronage and sustenance as will reduce all our institutions to inferior grades, and thus but a superficial knowledge will be acquired by any. Are not German scholars the most profound of all? Are they not famous for their most thorough and complete course of instruction? And yet in the Germanic States there are in the neighborhood of one hundred and fifty schools for the practical training of the laboring classes.
Are not our German citizens the most industrious of any we have? Can you assign a better reason for this than that, while pursuing that course of study which was to be of the most practical benefit to them in after life, they were compelled to labor so many hours per day, thus developing the physical man along with the mental, preserving and fixing habits of industry, taught at home, cultivating the tastes for the beautiful in nature, inspiring additional respect for manly toil, and infusing a new zeal and enthusiasm in that most honorable and noble of all pursuits of life.
"Oh, but," says one, "not one in twenty of all these Germans ever attended such an institution." Did he not? Well, then, he lived, or his father lived, in one of these little German States, where existed one or two. or three of these Agricultural Colleges, with their model farms, where could be seen the result of experiments in the adaptation of the various seeds and plants to the different soils; experiments in the application of different fertilizers to the various soils; experiments in crosses in the various breeds of stocks; experiments too costly to be indulged in by the individual, but the results of which could there be learned without expense, and turned to advantage, not by the observer alone, but also by his neighbors, and all who had an opportunity of observing his operations.
But, say the opposers of this plan, it has been tried in the United States, and proven a decided failure. I take issue with them on this also, Kentucky though uniting hers with the State University, maintains a separate distinct department for the teaching of Agriculture and requires her students to perform manual labor four hours per day each working day in the week; Wisconsin and Iowa have provided farms, and have determined to carry out the design of Congress; Maryland has her Industrial College in operation, manual labor being required as a part of the College discipline, and she claims that it is a success.
Michigan has a farm of six hundred and seventy-six acres; has had her College open to students for several years. The students are required to perform manual labor on the farm and in the gardens. The plan is working admirably. In 1867, one hundred and eight students were in attendance. In 1868, ninety seven. The students are paid for a part of their labor, thus enabling an energetic and economical youth to defray his own expenses. So far from the institution being a failure, it is attracting to it students from our own State.
Just a few days since, a prominent citizen of one of our adjoining counties took his son all the way to Lansing to get him admission to the Agricultural school--a splendid commentary on Indiana's educational status, and an argument in favor of the establishment of such an institution here, which ought to silence all opposition.
Massachusetts opened her Agricultural College to the reception of students in October, 1867, and already they are crowded to the utmost capacity of the buildings, and the Trustees are daily in receipt of applications for admission. They have petitioned their General Assembly for an appropriation to enable them to enlarge their buildings so as to accommodate a larger number. That looks like a failure, don't it? I tell you, gentlemen, if you fritter away this splendid donation made by your Government for the benefit of the laboring and industrial classes of this State; if you rob them of it, and, in violation of the very conditions on which you accepted it, apply it to another purpose, for the promotion of the interests of other classes, your constituents will make you repent this breach of trust but once, and that will be during the remainder of your stay in their midst. Then, when you see your neighboring States building up monuments to page: 567[View Page 567] their generosity, monuments to their sagacity, monuments to their liberal ideas and advanced civilization of their people, monuments in the shape of institutions of learning, gathering within their walls the youth, the vigor, and the virtue of the land to abide there a time, and then go forth to become a blessing to the community which sent them, a credit to the institution which educated them, and an honor to the State which fostered and protected them; when you see this, I say, you need not be surprised to see the youth of your own State,as you now see them, going to another State to obtain that which their own State ought to afford, but does not; going to other communities to spend the money which should be circulated in your own midst, building up the business interests of other marts than your own, enriching other communities from the hard earned accumulations of yours; and when you see this tide of emigration, bearing with it capital, skill and muscle flowing into other States, and not into yours; you may console yourselves with the knowledge that it might have been otherwise, and you might have made it otherwise.
I do not now propose to speak of the advantages afforded by some localities over those of others, but in conclusion will urge you to weigh well this subject. Lay aside any false notions of economy and give your vote in the interest of three-fourths of the people of your State; a class too, which, of all others, have been most neglected. Vote in such a way as that you and your children after you may never have cause of regret; in such a way that the children of the laboring masses will rise up and call you blessed; and in such a way as will redound to the glory of the noble State of Indiana.
Mr. Speaker STANTON presented the advantages of the Marion county location. He alleged that the location ought to be central, and this requirement was met here. It ought to be accessible, and the numerous railroads pointed out Indianapolis as the place. On these accounts Indianapolis was the place for all conventions and convocations of the State. Here also were brought together the important manufactories of the State, and on these accounts as well as many others was it pointed out to us as the proper place for this practical school of Agriculture and the arts.--He then looked at the value of the Marion county proposition. The grounds proposed by the Fletcher heirs, and the proposition of Mr. Butler, the President of the Board of Directors of the North Western Christian University tendering the use of the present building of that institution for the accommodation of the College of Agriculture and the Arts, either in connection with the University, or a separate and distinct institution. And the location of the College in that building or in a separate building on the University grounds of twenty-five acres, would be in close proximity to the Fletcher donation of twenty-seven acres. He spoke at length giving various considerations that should constrain the House to favor the location at Indianapolis; the great State center of our manufacturing, mercantile, literary, religious and political interests.
Mr. NEFF spoke in favor of the location of this Agricultural College at Greencastle. With respect to the claims of Indianapolis, he could not but remember them in connection with the denial with which his proposed application was received here four years ago, for only a baggage room to repose the remains of his encoffined brother [Colonel Neff] who fell at Mission Ridge, while he waited for the railroad connection; and with those guns in the Arsenal which were brought into position and range against a Democratic State Convention in the grounds of this Capitol in 1864. He detailed with some particularity the advantages that would result from the location of the Agricultural College at Greencastle. When he had concluded
Mr. CORY presented the formal proposition from the Commissioners of Hancock county, viz: one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars in cash, and one hundred and seventy-five acres of land.
Mr. CHITTENDEN gave intimation of the previous question.
Mr. DUNN. Mr. Speaker: Like almost every member of this House, judging from the usual preliminary remarks of members upon taking the floor, I have trespassed but little upon the time of the House, but I cannot sit idly in my seat and see the probability of this Agricultural College being located at a point where in the future, or from whence, if located there, must come up year after year, demands for new grants and new appropriations, without raising my voice in warning. I ask gentlemen to look over the past history of the State, and look at the present demands upon this General Assembly. You established a State Normal School four years ago, and the cry now is "more funds" for that institution. And if some of us are so unfortunate as to come here two years hence, or if our constituents shall be so unfortunate as to have us for their Representatives, the cry will again come up for "more money." Why so? If the Legislature had located the Normal School at Bloomington, in connection with the State University, we would have had one hundred thousand dollars more than we now have to apply to the educational interests of the State. Your Common School Fund is among the largest in the Union.
You have money in your coffers now, more than could be desired. What do you propose to do with it? Do you propose to be beguiled page: 568[View Page 568] into the belief that because Indianapolis, that because Hancock county, or because Tippecanoe county comes in here and says we are willing to grant so many acres of land and so much money for building you are to be beguiled into the belief that it is the end of it? No sir My word for it, based upon the experience of the past, if we locate it at either of these points, ere the ink be dry with which the deed is signed, transferring rights from grantor to grantee--from individual to State, there will be a demand made for an appropriation. For what kind of an appropriation gentlemen say? We will have the buildings, we will have the lands. For what kind of an appropriation will they ask? Have you examined the act of Congress? Do you know the statements therein contained? This is not to be simply an Agricultural School. Accept these propositions and the demand will come, and you will be required to established a chair of literature; you will be required to establish a chair of belle lettres; to establish a chair of chemistry; to establish a geological chair; to establish an astronomical chair; and you will be required to provide observatories, labratories, libraries, telescopes, lenses, retorts, crucibles and encyclopedias. In this way alone can you comply with the act of Congress. And unless you comply with that act you prove false to the pledges you made to the General Government when you accepted the grant,, because you bound yourselves by the contract in that bond. You accepted its terms, and are bound by its requirements. Thus says the act: [Reads from the act of Congress.]
The fund shall be for the "endowment, support and maintenance of at least one College, where the leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, in such a manner as the Legislature of the States may respectively prescribe, in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several professions in life." This, sir, is the language of the compact between the States and the General Government. The Nation benificently gives and the States having accepted are morally obligated to fulfill. There is but one code of morals and good faith--it binds equally individual and State. You accepted it, and you pledged yourself to have these branches taught, which the act requires to be taught. What are they? Not simply chemistry, geology and astronomy, but all that tends to give development and perfection, mentally and physically, to man--to bring him nearer that high goal which I trust we are all seeking to attain.
You are to establish chairs where the liberal arts are to be taught. Where the laboring man is to extend the foundations and widen the basis of his knowledge. Where the student is to seek that wisdom which the advancement of higher civilization demands.
Accept the propositions referred to, and what do you do? You have buildings, you have lands and you have funds. Out of that fund you establish your chairs. And I ask any gentleman if it is not cheaper to employ two professors than to employ ten. No one man is competent to teach all the branches necessary in such an institution. I ask you to look over the intellectual men of the land, and see if the men who stand highest are not men who have concentrated their minds on one point? An excellent geologist is not a good linguist, and a good mathematician is not a excellent geologist.
But you must establish other chairs for general culture, and you must have men of the proper culture to fill these chairs. One man must fill the chair of geology, another mineralogy, another philosophy; another modern languages, another the dead languages. Now I ask gentlemen upon this floor--members who are great sticklers for economy--I ask you if it is not better to locate this Agricultural College in Monroe county in connection with the State University? It is not for Bloomington I ask this, but for the State of Indiana. You ask for Indianapolis, and we come in and demand that you substitute, as it were, the people of the whole State. You are crying out for Hancock county, for Tippecanoe county, and we ask for the people of the whole State. I ask gentlemen to tell this assembly of one hundred, whether it is not better to establish this Agricultural College where you have three clauses of this act of Congress already complied with; where you have the building, already furnished; where all is already secured except what is required under two clauses or sections of the act; whether it is not more consistent with the general interests of the people of the whole State, to place it there for the benefit of the entire State, than at Indianapolis, or at the Battle Ground, or at Greenfield, where you will have to make appropriation after appropriation for the benefit of the particular locality?
I believe it should be the duty of this Assembly that we should settle this question to-night, and for all time. You have accepted this Congressional grant, and two years ago, had this question of location been settled, as it was the duty of that Legislation to do, hundreds of thousands of dollars might have been saved this State, because it has been a quibble and a squabble ever since; and unless we settle this question to-night, the time of a future Legislature will be spent upon it. Then as a matter of economy, let us settle it to-night, and as a matter of economy, let us locate this Agri page: 569[View Page 569] cultural College at the State University, where instead of establishing five different chairs, you will have, supposing, for example, the whole fund not to exceed three thousand dollars, to lay out in the purchase of a farmer's library and a geological cabinet, and two thousand dollars remaining after complying with this act to be invested in such apparatus or articles as the professors of chemistry or geology may ask for. But what is Bloomington? It stands there upon its hills adjacent to rich coal and iron mines of Green and Daveiss, and not far from the stone quarries of Lawrence, her soil of almost every chemical variety--the rich loam of the valleys--the productive wheat soil on the table lands.
But some gentlemen propose to locate this College upon the broad fields north of Tippecanoe, and some propose Indianapolis. Indianapolis has already all the State of Indiana ever had to give. The State University stands alone, because members here will not do as the interests of the people of the State demand they should do; make that institution whose doors are open to all--according to the provisions of its charter--an institution equal to the first the institution of the kind in the West. You would however, make it a collegiate bantling--a mere runt!
Concentration of intellectual forces is the only true philosopy of an advanced educational system!
Divide this fund as has been proposed, at Bloomington, at Terre Haute, and here at Indianapolis, and what have you? Three wards of the State. It is easier to support one ward than three. Separate in this way and what do you do? You divide the interests and affections of the people. One portion gravitates towards the Normal School, another towards the Agricultural College, and another towards the State University. They are all your children, and they all should be protected with the same care and with the same guardian love. Do you seek to establish an institution unsurpassed by any institution of the kind--Eastern or Western? How do you it? By placing one school building here, and another there, and another there? Look at the history of the old world. Look at Oxford and Cambridge in England.
Look at Heidelburg in Southern Germany, at Gottengen and Halle in Central Germany, and at the higher educational interests concentrated at Berlin, toward which the Persian school boy longfully looks.
When Indiana divides, she weakens and destroys. In an intellectual point of view, as in social and political life, "in union there is strength."
Why does the University of Michigan equal the Harvard or Yale of the East? Because Michigan (though a younger State than Indiana,) has thrown her whole influence in favor of one University.
We can carry on this Agricultural College at the least expense at Bloomington, for in addition to what this fund will give and the advantages in an agricultural, chemical and geological point of view, we have the advantage of a law school and a literary department; the advantages secured by interchange of thought with those who have preferred the more pleasant paths of literature and poesy to the colder facts of science.
Our civilization is broadening, and our ideas of intellectual culture are growing wider every day. The question is, will you support this ward of the State or let it die a slow, long, dragged out, ignominious death? Whose interests were you sent here to represent? The interests of Marion county; the interests of Hancock county; the interests of Monroe county, or the interests of Tippecanoe county? No, gentlemen; you were sent here to represent the interests of the people of the whole State, and when you vote to locate the Agricultural College in connection with the State University, you vote for Indiana and not for Bloomington, because you vote to support and build up an institution that belongs to you and to me and to the people of every portion of the State in whatever part or portion thereof they may live. If located at Bloomington it benefits Floyd and St. Joseph counties alike, as much as it benefits the counties along the Ohio; it benefits the counties on the north on the Michigan line; it benefits the counties on the east as much as it benefits the counties adjacent to our limits on the west towards Illinois.
Mr. Speaker: As a matter of economy, it is our duty to settle this question now, to-night, and to settle it in favor of the State University, because you thereby save a portion of the fund which would otherwise necessarily be taken out of the fund itself, in order to establish certain chairs which already exist in the University, or it would require that money sufficient to establish those chairs shall be appropriated out of the State Treasury. Are you economists in truth, or is it mere stickling in order to secure popular favor--a mere lip love? If economica--lif economists indeed, say if it is not true that you have in the State University, three-fifths of what the Agricultural College requires under the act of Congress, already in operation. If so, then you save three-fifths of the expense. What can you do in the future? What are you doing to-day with the Normal School? Gentlemen reason that we must either proceed to appropriate money sufficient to carry on the institution out of the common fund, or abandon it and lose that already appropriated. And the same argument will apply to the agricultural College, unless it is located in connection with some University in page: 570[View Page 570] the State. Is it our duty to sustain a sectarian institution? Choosing as between what might be called an absolute sectarian institution and an institution carried on by the State of Indiana--which are we to choose? I have no hesitation in saying it is our bounden duty to select the institution that belongs to the State. Justice to ourselves and to our constituents demands that we locate this institution at once. Justice to the nation demands that we locate it in such a manner as to comply with the provisions of the Congressional grant. Justice to the financial interests of the State demands that we locate it where those provisions can be most economically carried out--at Bloomington, in Monroe county.
Mr. VATER took the floor, but gave way for a motion to adjourn.
And then--
The House adjourned till nine o'cl to-morrow.
