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Caption: Book - History of the University (Powell)
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Illinois Considers Disposition of Donation 187 their present relations with the state university are most cordial and satisfactory. In the summer of 1864 the agriculturists placed no little blame upon members of the legislature for allowing themselves to be led and misled by the small college men. For this reason the farmers were exhorted to see that every candidate for the coming legislature should make public avowal as to his attitude on this great question. In July a new element of disturbance was injected into the course of affairs by Colonel Francis E. Eastman of Chicago, who proposed to Governor Richard Yates that one-half of the fund derived from the land grant act be used by the agricultural interests to establish a college centrally located, and onehalf by the mechanics to found a college in Chicago; and that the governor appoint a commission to report plans for disposing of the lands and establishing the schools to the next general assembly. The next month Governor Yates, although he refused to commit himself to any particular plan of action, appointed a commission as suggested.17 This act brought down upon the governor the wrath of the agriculturists who considered that they had been insulted, since the governor, by following the advice of Colonel Eastman, had sanctioned a division of the fund and had ignored the committee already appointed. The agriculturists attacked also the personnel of the governor's commission—not as men but as representatives of interests inimical to the cause of the industrial classes. The following characterization was given by a writer: " I . W. W. Everetts, Baptist preacher connected with Chicago University, 2. Hon. J. H. Mulke, Chicago,— dry-goods merchant, 3. Judge C. B. Lawrence, Galesburg—is he not connected with the Galesburg colleges? 4. Kersey Fell, he will do, if you have others of right stripe with him, 5. Prof. J. M. Sturtevant, of Illinois College. 6. Cyrus Edwards, Alton— Trustee (?) of Shurtleff College. 7. Judge Harris of Cairo." Another writer said: " I am sick of this damnable trifling with every interest of the farmer, making him only the hewer of wood and the drawer of water for the miserable ccusses' who manage by chicanery and dishonesty to usurp all places of trust and "Prairie Farmer, August 6, 13, 1864.
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