The University daily. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 18??-????, 1888-06-12
AMERICAN CIVILIZATION
A Great Speech BY Our Eminent West
Yirginian.
The Annual Address before the Liter
arY Societies By Hon. s. B.
Elkins.

many wraps and overcoats could
be seen sprinkled through the crowd.
Commencement Hall began to fill
early and at s o'clock the people
were thronging in. As the strains
of Mestrezatt' s orchestra burst forth,
President Turner escorted Mr. FL
kins up theaisle, preceded by Messrs.
Roemer and Mann, the Presidents
Of the Literary Societies. t#z
As the people were still 5.crowding
/ into the hall, the orchestra rendered
two or three selections which de-
lighted the audience. By the time
the orchestra ceased playing, the
hall was crowded. Mrs. Elkins oc-
cupied d seat in the audience, &C
companied by Prof. White.
President Turner introduced the
speaker in the following words: /:
eve can congratulate ourselves
that the gentlemen Of the Literary
Societies have secured to address us
gentleman Of national reputation
whose name is a household
word in the State of Ohio, where
he was born; and who is equally as
well known in Missouri where he
was educated; in the far-of territory
of New Me-tico, where be made his
early h rome; in the Congress Of the
United States, where he served with
distinction; in that great metropolis
the city ofGNew York, where he has
resided more lately; and in our little
mountain State of West Virginia,
where he has, at last settled down af-
ter traversing the whole count try
Ladies and gentlemen, I take pleas
ure in introducing Hon. Stephen B.
Elkins.''s ~ '"l- r. e..
Mr.. Elkins rose and came toward
He is tall, large and fine looking; and
was dressed in black suit, with
Prince Albert coat. He spoke IL
follows, in a deep, resonant tone that
was heard II every part Of The hall:
After Six thousand years of re-
corded effort, fertilization, in It's
Journey with the SUM-" has encir-
lcled the globe. It's me1es and
bounds are fixed. The future holds
for it no more territorial conquests.
1t cannot find relief, as in times
past, from the dangers that grow
with it's growth and constantly
threatened It's existence, by the dis
covery Of new worlds. In America,
civilization, TO insure its own pro-
gress and preservation, must meet
these dangers and confront the on
coming problems face to face with
out chance of retreat. ...>+t
Fifty centuries age, the restless
Aryan parted company with his
Monaghan neighbor under the
shadow. Of the great Himalayas.
Leading the course Of empire, this
heroic blood, conquering all before
it, has gradually moved westward,
until it has reached the last barrier,
the Pacific Ocean. .-/. +.
Over this wide stretch of waters
the Oceident salutes the Orient, the
West clasps hands with the East,
the New speaks 10 the Old. '|:3
Western civilization, in marshall
ing its assets and recounting it's
triumphs, points with pride and en-
thusiasm to It's latest and most
promising offspring the United
States, inits early infancy the rich
est country on the globe, leading
THE world in industrial progress, and
all the things that make for the
material comfort of man; nation of
free people, happy and prosperous.
The beautiful Orient, land Of the
sun and romance source of phil
.osophies and religions, the cradle Of
the race, having resisted alike the
assaults Of change and the ravages
Of time, rejoices in a civilization
that holds over eight hundred mil
lion Of peaceable, gentle and con
tented people, constituting more
than half the worlds population.
Echoing through cycles of eSper-
fence il the concerns Of government
and the tasks Of humanity, may be
heard voices from the far-off CON
sentative East, speaking through
her literature, philosophy and re-
hgion; telling US that brute force is
not power, materialism is not endur-
ing. mere knowledge is not wisdom;
lessons that our newer and more 40.
gressiVe civilization may well heed.
Voltaire said, The discovery Of