Repository: UIHistories Project: Book - History of the University (Powell) [PAGE 596]

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Bills and Acts to Establish cm Educational Institution

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uniformly, successful and efficient, viz: The alliance of state patronage, encouragement and control with private enterprise, interest and skill. 3rd. The control given to the state is in the broadest sense republican and democratic, that is, it rests wholly with the people, who have equal power to check or direct its action. 1st. Through the trustees they elect. 2nd. By refusing to subscribe to its funds, and thus stopping at once, all further drafts upon the public funds. 3rd. By civil process in the courts of law, open to any citizen. The demand of the bill so far as the state is concerned, is simply that the college and seminary fund of the state shall be restored to the original and lawful use, to which the wisdom of congress, the donors, assigned it, and to which the teachers and more advanced pupils of the state, as the cestui que trust have an equitable right to demand its application, leaving the common school and all other funds to remain as they are. As an inducement to such a restoration they propose to raise by private subscription, equal amounts of ten thousand dollars each, before each installment of ten thousand dollars is paid over by the state, thus preventing the probability if not the possibility of any needless waste or extravagance in the use of the funds of the state. From the brief consideration which your committee have been able to give this subject, they feel that it is well worthy of the most grave and serious attention of the legislature and of the people, both in its relations to the future well being of our common and other schools, and all the educational, industrial, and vital interests of our state. Were it at an earlier stage of the session, your committee would unhesitatingly recommend the adoption of this bill in all its essential features, but the absolute want of the time which would be necessary to discuss and perfect so important a measure, constrains us to recommend that this bill and report be printed for the use of the senate and distribution among the people, and that the consideration of the bill itself should be postponed to another session. GEORGE GAGE JOHN D. ARNOLD JOSEPH MORTON.