The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-09-20

Sllldll part Oh Tile rs success. lUS ue
velepment must be the result u the united
efforts of the people of Texas, of the STAFF Eo-
eminent of the board of regents, of the faculty
and above all ,Of the students of the university
[Applausel
KEHtARKs OF GOV. IRELAND.
Gov. Ireland was introduced by Col
Smith and spoke as follows!
To est@bl.sb two universities or colleges, wa.
the dream of the faliietS &c the republic.
BY the act of congress of ,Januatv s6, 1889
fifty leagues of land was set apart for the PIT
pose OF establishing 1.-Two Colleges or Unfver
stiles. Tie NEST liberal measures were alst
taken at that time u establish free education
FAINT nation. These two measures will De f5-rIs
embodied in the new laws, and were undoubt
edly understood by the men of that day as on,
and lie ss1ns system. This will be demon
strated by refereRcB ~ the act Just referred to
The system was to be UhisetsttstS., embracing
all that could be learned through al tie etada
tons OF an education. When Hyram WaIe'
the past, selected the site of this city as the
capital of an Independent sovereignty, they
also ssIsc!et This spot standing, at the head q
and called it college Hill" VILE 2 prophet
ic ken, they saw clearly the future grande,ti
and actual greatness of the nation, whose ser
wants they were. This meeting to-day is the
beginning epoch then outlined by those patri
OTIS and father
Do We; the Feopie of Texas, realize the i'm
portance of the trust SeQuSatted to us9
Gentlemen OF the board uf reseFts. DO yor
earnestly and fully realize the Responsibility
resting upon you? Yours is not naked trust
It is high trust coupled with an interest, and
the people of Texas expect you to fulfil the
GentleIiietf Of the. faculty. no more sacred
field was ever enteied Fy Wan than the one
you occupy. You, gentlemen OF titc literary
know that if you sustain the splendid repu.
tatlonS that have preceded you, your labOrs
Will be arduous. To you is entrusted the high
and sacred duty OF moulding these young
mtellesbs for the battle of life. A false step, q
neglect IT q sntali duty On your part may prove
the ruin OF ole St these young men and
women. Your regulations and the action Of
the board of regents in selecting you, are
guarantees 10 the people Of Texas that ON
children are in safe hanrS.
=, 10 the people of Austin have to say, that
me hopes OF the people Of this state has been
benefits and blessings were 10 be eX-
tended, not to favored classes or 10
the wealthy, but that like the air we
breath, its benefits should fall on all alike, and
that the humbleSt in the land could provide
himself with a collegiate course and was pos
sessed OF the moral qualificat Ons, could enter
these doors on equal terms with wealth. If
however, (and impute no such motives to her
people, the citizens of Austin shall establish
such rates of board and otherwise attempt to
aniass wealth through this institution, then the
poor boy ana girl will be practically excluded
from the university.
TO the students PROFOUND this Question
Are you here with that Spartan determination
that IS the handspring OF life? to give to ma
lures erdoWmentS all the aid of which YOU
manhood is capable? or are you here simply tC
have it said that you have been through an
university or to get away from home, or 'to
spend pas money!" ] have no reason to sup
pose that you are here for any other purpose
than to acquire IN education and to utilize the
splendid opportunity offered you by your state
government:
Son,h r,ioe,+;or hos Joo,, W.; so oi,o,,f
students here who are citizens of other states
In the infancy of this school and while the fac
ulty have but little to do, there can be no valid
objection to receiving such students, upon
their paying fair tuition and other fees. But
this, even, would not be advisable if Texas
could fill the university with her own children
Texas and Texans, are liberal; they are mu
nifcent to our OWL people aud reasonably lib
eral to the people of other countries, but by nc
theory or reasoning can any one who is a citi
zen of some other state claim the right t.
enter here on the same terms with our owl
people. No reasonable person will so contend
for moment. We propose to tax ourselves
to educate our own boys and girls On this
point; however, our people are by no means al
unit; but none are so visionary as to contend
that we must give to citizens of other state:
free education. We are now entering upon al
era the results of which can scarcely be est
mated 1t was and is, my opinion that i
would have been better to have postponed thi'
ceremony for another year in order that oul
available fund could have accumulated; tt
nave advanced our buildings ana 1llauRuTdUe(
the medical department. The policy now be
ing carried out had been agreed upon, or I'm
derstOod, prior to my taking the oath of Office
and determined to let it alone.
What shall be said of the Law Depart
dent? Here is its dual head. Thi
head is part of the history of the state. The.
cannot make lawyers out of these young men
work, can make lawyer; first it requires
good brain, and second pluck, energy and de
Termination to make lawyer. The diplomas
issued here will not make lawyers. Here i:
the fatal rock. Your diplomas are not worth
baubee. If you have the man about yon; i
you deserve patronage, the people will find i
out, and If you do not deserve it your diplo
mas will not secure you business.
Ladies and Gentlemen congratulate yol
and all the people of Texas ON the cOnsumma
ton OF the event looked to by the congress o
the Repub1ic-44 years ago. And if those o
our descendants who may stand here Al years
hence shall feel that we have done as mitch fO
them as our fathers did for us, cOntempla
ton of such future should cause us to rise t.
the full measure of our manhood in this enter
prise. So far as the present executive o
the state is concerned, the university Shal
have his earnest support, and he here nov
pledges to the faculty and the board of re
/ gents, and te, theSe- young ladies and gentle
men, the discharge of every duty that his truS
| imposes OH him, hoping at he same time Iha
the multitude of children in this state to whom
we owe an education, may have no jus
grounds of complaint against those who con
| troll the destinies of this institution.
A fine bust of ex-Gov. Roberts, exc
cuted by Miss Ney. was presented tt
the university through d. G. Wooten
Esq, who paid glowing tribute t
the artist and the distinguished jHrist
1t was received in a few appropriate
remarks by Col. Shepard, on the par
of the regents.
Gov. Roberts was also called upon
and acknowledged the compliment
paid him in very happy terms.
Thus closed the exercises of the da,
in an suspicious manner. Altogether
taking into consideration the event
of the Inauguration, and the impor
tant ruling made by the comptroller
elsewhere noticed, yesterday was
big day for the university and for tn
people of Texas.