Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1886-06-09

AT THE recent commencement OF the Col
lege OF Colorado, at Colorado Springs, the
Hon. E. 0. Wolcott delivered the annual
address to the students. MIR. Wolcott is
by all odds jhe ablest and most eloquent
man in Colorado and though a very young
man, has, by virtue OF superior attachments
taken a high position at the bar of that State
and stands mead and shoulder over any OF
his associates. He is a Republican in poll
tics, but has the courage to give expression
to his convictions, even though against the
principles enumerated by his party. In
his address he made the following refer
ence to the labor troubles, which is worthy
of reproduction: "And would it not be
wise for those who believe in evolution to
study little the doctrine OF the survival OF
the fittest before seeking to divide other
peoples property and to hold all men back
on common ground You will always
notice that the man who clamors loudest
for a division will have something coming
to him when it is all distributed. Most in
t~elligent men believe in the right and pro-
priety OF organizations of laboring men,
and hat thereby their condition, and that
OF the whole country are benefited, and
/ think we all hope that out of the present
agitation a better understanding will be
arrived as between employer and emplo e.
The whole subject is at this juncture some
what clouded, and the murkiness is inten-
sifed by the fact that the laboring man
has a vote, and that politicians OF both
parties, and, l regret to say, a few dema-
gogues of the pulpit, are clamoring over
each other and over the laboring nan too,
in their efforts to convince him they are the
only Moses who can bring him to the prom
Used land. After a time, however, the at
mosphere will clear q little, and think
that then, perhaps, somewhere, possibly
with bated breath and before a timid au-
dience. somebody will venture to suggest
that the true interests OF labor lie in the
conservation of capital; that even a man
who has by superior industry and intelli-
eence been able to amass a certain amount
OF capital, is entitled to some little pro
lection, under the broad canopy
OF this Republic; that if one hum
dred men are at work together
in the shop, ninety-nine OF them may
quit if they want to, but that, If it
takes the whole armies OF this Nation, the
hundredth man should be secured in his
right to labor if he so wishes. Fair men
and brave men demand liberty, human
institutions can bestow it. Superiority.
pre-eminence come through industry, skill,
intelligence, heredlty and talent, and not
otherwise. Equality as agitators define it
cannot be conferred by legislation, and the
men who clamor for it are the towards and
the laggards. These questions, l say, you
will some day be called upon to consider,
and l know you will pardon me if l urge
you to live upon our honest convictions
in these as in all things, and not to permit
the chimera of political expediency to in
duce you to keep silence when it is your
duty to speak, or to close o II ears to the
voice OF truth.
Remember always that you live under a
free Republic where the right of suffrage
has, wisely or unwisely, been entrusted to
all it's citizens alike, without either educa-
tional or property qualification. Ii this
Nation is to live, it will be because intelli-
gence is widely diffused among the people,
and because men OF education shrink not
from bearing their share in controlling its
destinies. Your fathers fought SO establish
and to perpetuate free institutions; be-
cause of them: liberty and the opportun-
tiles for education and culture, which you
now enjoy, are made. possible to you. Do
not forget that you are to hold this glorious
heritage as a sacred trust, ever to be de-
Tended by the most exalted patriotism.
And beyond and above even the sacred du-
ties you 1--WE to our common country, to
your own selves be true. Whatever there
is in life worth..having, can come to us only
as we are faithful to our honest convic-
TONS. Investigate and penetrate and de-
terrnine, and when the truth has once
cone to you, cherish it as you would the
ark OF your covenant.
"Great truths are portions of the soul of man;
Great souls are portions Ofeternity.'"