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americanus. 

EDITORIAL. 
` EDITORS, E. D. COPE AND J. S. KINGSLEY. 
ENATOR EDMUNDS has introduced into the U. S. Senate 
a bill appropriating $500,000 for the endowment of a Na- 
tional University to be located in the city of Washington. It 
was referred to a committee. This is the outcome of a project 
which has been long entertained by some of the scientific officials 
attached to the departments of the government. A good deal 
may be said both for and contra this proposition. There is rea- 
son to doubt, in the first place, whether it is consistent with the 
character of our government to establish any central institution 
of this kind. Popular education has been one of the functions 
especially relegated to the state governments, and although the 
central government might well retain the power of compelling 
the former to attend to this important duty, so as not to imperil 
the welfare of the entire country, it can scarcely assume to create 
any system or institution of its own. But of course it is compe- 
tent to establish and sustain such a university in and for the Dis- 
trict of Columbia. : 
At one time the plan was to create the various scientific ex- 
perts in the employ of the central government professors in the 
university. We hope that this feature is not embraced in the 
present bill. The gentlemen in question do not hold office at 
