NATIONAL UNIVERSITY BILL

A bill providing for the establishment of a National University has been introduced into the National House of Representatives by Representative McKinley of Illinois. The university is to be located at Washington and is to be under the control of a board of trustees consisting of the Commissioner of Education and twelve members appointed by the President, one to retire each year. The bill further provides for an advisory council consisting of one member from each state to be appointed by the Governor of the state, preferably the president of the state university. None of these officers are to receive any pecuniary remuneration beyond the defraying of expenses incurred in the pursuance of their duties.

The purpose of the university is to be threefold: first, to promote the advance of pure and applied science and liberal and fine arts by investigation and research; secondly, to train men and women for the public service of the state and nation in the pursuit of such callings and professions as may require a higher training; and thirdly, to co-operate with the scientific departments of the government, with the Federal colleges of agriculture and mechanic arts, with the state universities, and with other institutions of bigher learning. No degrees are to be conferred, and, according to the provision of the bill, no student may be admitted who has not secured the degree of master of arts or master of science from some institution of recognized standing, or pursued an equivalent course of study. An appropriation of $500,000 for the uses of the university is stipulated in the bill for the fiscal year 1908-09.

The bill has been referred to the Committee on Education and there is reason to believe it will become a law.