GENERAL APPROPRIATION BILL.
Mr. SPANN desired to express reasons influencing him in sustaining the recommendation of the Committee. Shall we believe the statements of the Trustees and Superintendent and the report of this Committee, or shall we overturn all these and adopt the view suggested by some Senator on this floor? He desired this Institution placed in a condition to reflect credit on the State as it has done, occupying as it does a position second to none in the world. The appropriation is short compared to what it ought to be for the maintenance of this Institution. He would vote for the highest appropriation proposed, and should vote for more if necessary.
Mr. VAN VORHIS insisted the amendment proposed by the Senator from Morgan (Mr. Grubbs) gives this Institution all and a little more than the management has asked for. It is not wisdom to make an appropriation of $30,000, $40,000 or $50,000 more than there is an immediate demand for, while no appropriation is proposed for the improvements on the Deaf and Dumb Institution, so much needed and so much desired by all connected with it.
Mr. WILSON--The basis upon which the Committee are asking appropriations is the year 1879--the most prosperous year in the history of the Institution. He expected to vote for money to complete that Institution, as a separate item to the specific appropriation bill, for if such an item is not sent here from the House, the Senate Committee on Finance will so amend the House bill, and Senators will have a chance to vote upon it. One-half of the female department of that Institution is still in an unfinished condition.
The substitute [Mr. Grubbs'] was rejected by yeas, 12; nays, 26.
Mr. VAN VORHIS offered a substitute, appropriating for maintenance and repairs, $272,000.
It was rejected.
The report of the Committee was concurred in--$245,000 for maintenance; repairs, $15,000; clothing, $12,000.
The Lieutenant Governor called up the amendment offered by Mr. Comstock yesterday to increase the salary of Prosecuting Attorneys from $500 to $700.
Mr. GRAHAM indicated his opposition.
Mr. COMSTOCK would feel different about this matter if these gentlemen had no responsibility, or if their duties did not require large legal ability and skill. They represent, or should represent, the peace and dignity of the State.
Mr. GRUBBS insisted Prosecuting Attorneys were amply compensated under existing laws paying them salaries of $500 and fees. He knew of Prosecutors who make more money than the best lawyers in the Circuit.
Mr. BROWN counseled Senators to take a large and comprehensive view of this case.
The amendment making the salary $700 was agreed to by yeas, 21; nays, 16.
The Committee report recommending $3,000 instead of $5,000 for the Normal School at Terre Haute being read--
Mr. WHITE moved to make it $10,000.
Mr. OWEN said the Committee's allowance embraces all asked for as a general appropriation by the management of the State Normal. The other items they want, amounting to some $7,000, if page: 106[View Page 106] allowed at all, properly belong in the specific appropriation bill.
The motion (Mr. White's] was rejected.
Mr. HOSTETTER moved to strike out $3,000 and insert $2,000 as the appropriation to Purdue University.
Mr. SPANN moved to make it $10,000.
Mr. LANGDON relied upon the good judgment of the Senate to make proper appropriations for this ward of the State. He was not surprised at these motions to reduce the appropriations, for it has been the fortune or misfortune of this University to meet with such treatment from some member of every Legislature. He declared that University possessed the finest buildings of the kind to be found anywhere in the West, and the sum appropriated by the House in this bill is not too great for such an Institution. It ill becomes a Legislature to discriminate against those who desire an agricultural education--against the brightest lads of the State who desire schooling in this Institution, founded by the munificent hand of Congress, aided by a distinguished philanthropist of this State. The great State of Indiana ought to plant herself decidedly on the side of an Institution which gives to the youth of the country an education qualfying them to aid in the better development of the greatest resource in the State--the agricultural interest.
Mr. OWEN believed the future of this Institution is largely involved in the decision of the Senate to-day upon what appropriation shall be made to this University. He should think after the experience the State has had with the management of the Bloomington University, by this time there would be no question about how the General Assembly ought to deal with Purdue University. It has an excellent start, and we have an opportunity to make it, with reasonable liberality, the greatest Institution of its kind in the West. He did not believe the people of the State would ask us to appropriate any less than the amount agreed upon in the House of Representatives. If we can't have a literary Institution in the State to be proud of in comparison with some others, let us build up an Industrial College that will command the respect of the country. It is a State Institution, and as such deserves the support of every liberal-minded man on this floor.
Mr. WOOLLEN hoped the appropriation asked for would be voted. Two years ago he favored the $9,000 appropriation to Purdue. Since then he has made some study of the Institution, and now believed the graduates of the University will exert an influence greater than that of the graduates of any other school in the State. It is yet in its infancy, and what we see now is only a glimpse of what it will be if proper appropriations are voted.
Mr. SPANN was not opposed to the education of children of the State as wards of the State, but the question is, simply, shall we vote appropriations to do the business of these Institutions, taking into consideration the number of students, from whence they came, present needs etc. It should not be a drain upon the public treasury when it does not do the work of private Institutions carried on without aid from the State. The State Educational Institutions should be consolidated, and the expenses thereby cut down. Asbury, Wabash, Hanover and Butler University, kept up by three of the largest religious denominations in the State, send out graduates at a cost of 95 per cent. less than the State Institutions. These four private Institutions have graduated over 700 in the past ten years, while the State has but forty-two, at a cost of $1,500 each. There has only been an average of twenty-one students to the Professors and teachers in the State Institutions of learning in the past eight or ten years.
Mr. BENZ said: I don't understand the Senator from the Sixth District [Mr. Spann]. There are forty-three Prosecutors in our State, and he voted to increase the salary of each of them $200, which makes $86,00. Now he thinks, "I must get that money back." So he strikes at this school in Tippecanoe County. And he says to his constituents, "I do a great work--I cut that school down." I honestly was surprised at the Senator from the Sixth District when he voted that money to the Prosecutors. I thought he was a better economist. I was there this winter and saw this Purdue University. I was in the Legislature four years ago, and I was here two years ago, and I voted an appropriation to it, and I am willing to do the same thing over. I am not afraid to go to my constituents and say I voted $20,000 to it. Senators voting against that proposition can't say they are doing the fair thing. Schools are the upholders of our country. I didn't have an opportunity in my life to go to these schools--if I had I would be another man. I had to go to my work. We ought to support these schools. You voted $40,000 for drainage from the State Asylums yesterday, and here comes a school asking for $20,000. I say give it. If the Senator from the Sixth District wants economy that way, I don't want it. Not a Prosecutor wrote up here and says, "I want this increase," but he got it.
Mr. OWEN thought, it a shame to talk about a less appropriation to this Institution than is named in this bill. It has greatly aided the elevation of the standard of education in the other Institutions.
Mr. MARVIN was one of the few agricultural Senators on this floor, and why are they so few and the members of the legal fraternity so large here? Because these gentlemen are more generally learned and fitted to represent the people of this great State. He favored voting appropriations to Purdue in order that farmers' sons may be educated to cultivate the soil so as to make farming more profitable; that they may not be going off the farms to learn to be lawyers or doctors or some other profession that is more profitable. We have got to do something to bring back the fruitfulness of the virgin soil.
Mr. GRAHAM should vote cheerfully for this appropriation to Purdue University. He desired to encourage the youth of the land to engage in industrial pursuits. He favored liberal appropriations to educational Institutions, but opposed large salaries to officers.
Mr. CHAPMAN agreed with the importance of educating the youth of this country, but disagreed with the idea of furnishing by the State means of education that can not be reached by all the youth of the country. All the people of the country can afford to spare their children for a period of seven years in order that they may acquire an education. The State drew a white elephant when it drew Purdue University, and he ventured the assertion that the State has appropriated more money to the State University than would sustain Harvard University, and yet Bloomington University is not so well known to-day, comparatively speaking, as it was twenty years ago. He was willing to jump from $9,000, heretofore annually appropriated, to $10,000, for he believed that to be a fair jump, but he was not willing to vote for the $20,000 appropriation.
Mr. WILSON could not believe any Senator desired to vote a penurious or insufficient sum to any of the State Institutions. He was opposed to vote for the appropriation named in this bill. He believed the State should never carry out any enterprise that would be carried out by individual effort. Four or five little dwindling educational institutions will not give credit to the State. He desired to see Purdue University flourish because she turns out boys who become producers instead of consumers in the land. He hoped this discussion will develop a thinking among the people which may be productive of good results two years hence.
Mr. HOSTETTER had intended to give reasons for his motion, but, believing members are tired of speaking, he would be content with accepting page: 107[View Page 107] the amendment proposed by the Senator from Rush (Mr. Spann), and withdrawing his amendment--
The $10,000 amendmend was rejected--yeas, 11; nays, 30.
Mr. SPANN moved to make the appropriation $15,000 insetead of $20,000 to Purdue University.
This motion was also rejected--yeas, 11; nays, 29.
The section was permitted to stand as adopted by the House, viz., $20,000.
A recommendation by the Finance Committee that the appropriation of $40,000 for the House of Refuge be increased $5,000 was concurred in.
The Senate amendments to this bill were ordered engrossed.
And then came an adjournment.
