A LABOR FUND. 31 



There is one other subject on which I wish to say a single 

 word, and that is in regard to the importance of a fund. All 

 our institutions of learning get money, and there are men 

 thinking about giving this college money. Some individuals, 

 if I remember rightly, have given it money, and I only wish 

 there might be a great many more of the same sort. Now, I 

 know that the first step towards getting money is to put before 

 men of wealth and liberality a genuine good object. People do 

 not go round this world looking for objects to give their money 

 to ; they must be thrust upon their notice, so that they cannot 

 help seeing them. Now, I propose to name an object of the 

 utmost importance, and one well worthy the consideration of 

 any wealthy and generous man, and that is this : Here are 

 students seeking an education, who are poor. They want a 

 chance to earn money. They do not ask you to give them a 

 dollar, but they say, " Let me work for you ; pay me what you 

 can afford to, and I will secure an education." Now, gentle- 

 men, those are just the young men I like to educate. They 

 always study well and behave well, and it always pays to 

 instruct them. I have been one of them myself, and I feel a 

 sympathy for them, and I desire somebody to give this college 

 a fund of $100,000, to be called, if you please, " The Labor 

 Fund," and which shall serve three most important purposes. 

 Amherst College has $100,000, called " The Cliarity Fund." I 

 do not want this a charity fund ; I want it a labor fund. 

 Amherst College students receive as a free gift the income of 

 that money ; I want these students to receive it for services 

 rendered ; that is all they ask. They do not ask for charity ; 

 but if you will give them fair Avages for work done, and give 

 them the work to do, they will be thankful. 



Now, what would such a fund enable us to do ? In the first 

 place, to educate these students, who are so well worth educat- 

 ing. In the second place, it would keep the college full ; there 

 would be always students enough. That is desirable. And, 

 finally, it would enable the Superintendent and President to 

 keep things all in fine order. We cannot pay these students 

 a dollar now, except for something that will come back in the 

 shape of money. If we can get them to husk the corn, and then 

 sell the corn, we can pay them money. But we want some 

 gardening and farming done that will not pay in money. Tliere 



