Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-07-03

VIII Harvard College confer the title Of
Ii. ID. on President johnson, during his
VISIT 10 Boston, or Will she not 2 is ques.
ton that j. said " n itAte the literary cir
81 o that city. Il is n matter that prcba-
by concerns Harvard College much more
han II concerns the President The time
has long gone by siace the bestoual Of coils
eye titles upon individuals gave them any
distinction above their fellows IN the public
es,imation. Twenty or thirty years ago
LL. ID meant something. 1t WAS the high
IS AMI tho rarsst Of college honurs, g,udg-
ngly conceded to tho few really most dis
tingulshed men in letters and philosophy
In the absence of any eminent public
body like the Royal Society Of England or
the French Academy, an election 10 which
is regarded mot always justly as MI un>
questionable testimonial of . mans high
ability, it WAS On honor greatly coveted be-
cause il was the best that could he rendered
to citizen of the United States. In those
old days The determination Of the question
upon whom, il upon anybody, shall the
great honor of Ill. ID. be conferred was
one that perplexed collegiate boards oftrus-
tees almost rs much a. the nomination Of
Governor or Senator perplexes . CAUCUS
IL wAs arrived at only after careful medita-
ton aud anx Gus debste. Tho result was
that LII. u. was IN Endorsement that com
msnted respect like the trade mark of q
first quality of goods, where the standard is
not allowed to detcriorate. As any species
OF manufacture falls into disrepute where
poorer stuii IL put into II. or poorer work
msnship Put on 1t, SO an honorary title be
comes II less value in exact ratio 10 the
"ant Of nice disciim nation with which il is
bestowed. One reasan why the title Of LII
ID. has ceased to be of CONSEQUENCE, is that
there are somany colleges in tie land which
have the chartered night to give it. In
England it can come only from the great
universities But here we have three or
four dozen colleges which can afIix it 10
mans name. IL might be inesS difficult to
OBTAIN il from Harvard or from Yale than
from some little college recently founded,
but one Lib. d 10 - good - another to the
public.
The process Of getting the degree is said
not to he iaborious or expensive. We are
not cure that any particular quantity Of reps
usation IN literature. laws or any thing else
10 necessary; though it would probably help
ones chances to have written . book or
pamphlet, or have done something which
has brought him before the public. The
main points are to procure the signatures Of
persoes TO petition recommending the
tsaeeses Of Blank Collees 70 award the title
TO thesndvidual mentioned therein; and 70
ray The necessary fees. The flsss pess Of
the task 10 not . hard one. Most people are
willing to sign paper aftse having assured
themselves tAat no pecuniasy obligation at-
taches to the instrument. A man must be
singulasly destitute Of influence IL he could
not obtain score of first class names In
this city toa paper asking some college to
give hin my title thAs b. wanted. II che
college does not Gsatify him. he has only 10
scratch out the name Of the institution,
write in anoaAss, and 70 70 the sounds. Il
becomss 0Gsly . qusssion q tine aud
travel and little money.
Undss these cifcumstaoeeu ~ suppVSs
that President JOHNSON ID not half 10 snxs
ious 10 get dOctorate Of laws from Harvard
rs he Il 10 achieve other and more substan>
tial results from his New Eogland trip
N. l. Journal II Commsrcs, 25tA sis.