CHAPTER V THE FINAL PERIOD OF THE LAND GRANT PROPOSITION The veto of the land grant bill by President Buchanan was a great disappointment to the friends of industrial education. The agricultural papers both east and west had fully endorsed the bill and the press was without doubt correct in saying that the people had looked with more real interest to the passage of this bill than that of any measure that had been introduced for many years, for to them it was no party measure despite the fact that it had been made to assume that aspect by certain politicians at Washington. The reasons offered by President Buchanan for his veto were plausible and were sustained by arguments that seemed sufficient to satisfy him of the rectitude of his course, but the people neither approved his logic nor sanctioned his deductions. Cincinnatus, edited by President F. G. Cary, of Farmers college, Ohio, strongly expressed its disapproval of the action of the chief executive. In its March, 1859 issue, prepared before the veto, the editor had predicted that President Buchanan would sign the bill because he had said only a short time before that "he should feel while he lived, as he had ever felt, the deepest interest in the success of Agriculture, because after all it was the greatest interest upon which the foundation of Nations and States must rest.''1 In its April number written after the veto the Cincinnatus admitted that it was a very uncertain procedure to draw conclusions from such sources and that an extravagantly liberal margin must be allowed for the interpretation of political principles as well as for that of political platforms. The editor asserted that the veto power, especially when it arrayed itself against the decided and deliberate decision of the people through their representatives in congress was a doubtful expediency. In saying this, he revealed, of course, his deep feeling of regret and even of resent'Cincinnatus, March, 1859. ment at the exercise of the veto on the land grant bill. He concluded a seven page article on the subject by expressing the belief that the course pursued by the chief magistrate would only add strength to the cause. The Illinois Farmer in its March, 1859 issue said: "The farmers and other industrial classes of the United States will be grievously disappointed at this act of the President. Shall they yield their claims to a portion of the public lands on account of this defeat?" Turner with other friends of the industrial educational movement throughout the country was greatly disappointed by the veto even though he had known for several months that such action was quite probable. Sympathy came to him from men prominent in affairs in other states. Mr. Suel Foster of Muscatine, Iowa, a member of the board of trustees of the newly forming agricultural college in Iowa wrote Turner under date of March 5, 1859, describing the work going on in Iowa. "We are about to inaugurate," he said, "a new era in the history of our country that which was commenced 15 or 20 years ago in Europe, where it is now very imperfectly developing itself,which was commenced some years ago by yourself. I know not how many-the light of which has been kindled from one to another." His high regard for Turner is still further evidenced by this: "I ask of you if you could not be induced to come over and help us, in the capacity of President of the Institution." Near the close, referring to the recent veto, he said: "Please excuse Jimmy Buchanan, etc.,-consider the source-We will be prepared at the next Administration.""2 In the latter part of the year 1859 and early in 1860 preparations were made in the country at large and in Illinois especially to carry the great plan of a land grant for agricultural and mechanical colleges once more before congress. The United States agricultural society at its eighth annual winter session, took up the discussion of the subject. Mr. C. B. Calvert of Maryland offered a series of resolutions one of which referred to the president's veto of the Morrill bill. He followed the introduction of the resolutions with a vigorous speech in which he pointed out Foster to Turner, March 5, 1859, Turner manuscripts, Springfield. the inconsistencies in Mr. Buchanan's actions of 1827 and 1859, and the absurdity of his constitutional argument; finally he objected to conferring upon Mr. Buchanan honorary membership in the society. Members of the society agreed with Mr. Calvert in his attitude toward agricultural education but not in his attitude toward the president and therefore his resolution was not adopted. In Illinois the state agricultural society and the state horticultural society at their annual mid-winter meetings appointed committees to act conjointly in calling a convention of the people of the state "to concert measures for the establishment of a permanent system of agricultural instruction on a practical and economical basis," and this joint committee sent forth the call for a convention to be held in Bloomington on Wednesday, June 27, 1860. The committee requested all organized agricultural, horticultural, and mechanical associations in the state to select delegates and also invited all persons interested in the subject of agricultural education to come and aid in devising measures to accomplish the ends proposed. The earnestness of the committee is shown in the fact that they sent one of their members, Mr. C. T. Chase of Chicago, on a tour of inspection of existing agricultural colleges and schools within the United States to learn what he could of their plans and operation in order that he could give a report of his findings at the coming convention. Pursuant to the call the fifth industrial convention met at Bloomington on the appointed date. Captain James N. Brown of Sangamon county was made chairman and after the selection of vice presidents and secretaries, Mr. Chase presented a report upon conditions existing at the various agricultural institutions throughout the country, and it appeared as special correspondence in the Chicago Weekly Times upon the same day: "C. T. Chase, of Chicago, stated that he had visited in person as far as time would permit the greater number of the institutions for agricultural education in this country. If a name, an organization, good professors and facilities constitute an agri 'Resolutions of the committees of the state agricultural society and state horticultural society, Prairie Farmer, June 14, 1860. 'Prairie Farmer, June 14, 1860. cultural school, then we have several. The difficulty was that at the greater part of such institutions the classical, literary branches of education absorbed the principal attention, and there was little devotion to the practical application of science to agriculture. There has been very many experiments tried, and the whole project of agricultural schools might be said to be yet. in this country, in the transition stage, the stage of experiment. Near Cincinnati there was an institution professing to give agricultural education; but agriculture was not taught, nor was there even the indispensible professorship of agricultural chemistry. Thinking that information on this subject might be obtained from the Smithsonian Institute, Mr. Chase had visited Washington, where he was treated in the kindest manner by Professors Henry and Baird, the Secretary and assistant Secretary of the Institute. Though their time was fully engaged in the prosecution of duties then weighing upon them, they conferred fully with him on the subject, and very much facilitated his subsequent inquiries by furnishing him with letters of introduction. "At Bladensburg, a few miles from Washington, was the Maryland Agricultural college, which had been in operation about eight months. A body of men subscribed for the purposes of this institution $50,000, of which sum one-half had been paid. The State had granted the sum of $6,000 annually, as an endowment. One gentleman from Louisiana had made an annual endowment of $2,800 for eight years, to endow an agricultural professorship. The professors having charge of the various departments were of high reputations. The building was a large five-story one, capable of accommodating 120 scholars-less than that number is in attendance. By the rules, the pupils were required to work in the field three hours each day. They do, in fact, work about two hours, some working very cheerfully, and some taking to it hardly, not seeing the necessity in their circumstances of working. I was informed by the officers that the work done by the boys cost all it was worth; since they had to have it all gone over again. The institution has professorships of Latin, Greek and Mathematics, and an enthusiastic Entomologist who lectures two hours each week and has infused his enthusiasm into his scholars. The entomological professor received no salary or remuneration. They also are crippled by debt, and their success has been further embarrassed by the interference of the board of trustees with the magisterial management of the school. "In the larger eastern cities, as New York, Philadelphia, and Boston, farm schools have been instituted, having for their object the reclamation of younger children who have become demoralized by association with vicious companions. These are doing well, and are being pushed forward with much energy. In many places benevolent persons are founding horticultural schools on a small scale. Near New York city one has lately been amply endowed by a lady, having for its object the instruction of females in horticulture. In most of the eastern colleges a scientific course of study has been adopted which is termed an elective course, and can be pursued instead of the regular classical course. But the scientific course has fallen into disfavor, as in the eyes of the professors, the classical course has the precedence. And while the study of science can be pursued, there is no attempt to practically apply science to agriculture. The Lawrence Scientific School at Cambridge, connected with Harvard University, has a high reputation. The Polytechnic School of Pennsylvania is now endeavoring to engraft upon its regular course an agricultural department and a commission has been appointed to examine locations for the use of an experimental farm. There is at Bolesbury, Pennsylvania, what is called a Farmer's High School but it is a school where higher branches are taught for the benefit more especially of farmers' sons. As yet but little has been done in it in the way of agricultural education. In the state of New York an effort had been made to found an agricultural college. The State has loaned a sum for twenty-one years for the purpose of carrying it on. Land has been bought at Ovid, on Seneca Lake, and buildings erected, with the expectation that it will be in successful operation next fall. This is a manual labor School. In Michigan, for the purpose of endowing an agricultural college, the legislature granted twenty-two sections of land, the avails from the sale of which were devoted to this purpose. The legislature subsequently granted $56,000 in further aid. A large farm in a dense forest |