New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-22
A HlRTARD EXAMPLE.

The Harvard Seniors have fixed public at
tention upon themselves and their university
by choosing a colored student for their class
orator. The general conviction Will remain,
after due allowance FOR all the circumstances,
that it was a manly thing to do. Moreover,
the majority apparently have not taken fool
ish means of expressing a highly commendable
independence of prejudices, since it is declared
that Young Morgan is first rate speaker, and
that he is sure TO do the class credit next June.
1t is not necessary to go behind the returns in
search of a hidden motive, though it must be
admitted that there is often as much politics
10 the square inch in college elections as any
where else. The vote was very close, and con-
siderable disappointment must be an immedi-
ate result, but it will probably disappear long
before Commencement, Even If. furthermore,
il should turn out that the successful campaign
was a sort of citizens movement" and that
some Of those who rebelled against the dicta-
ton Of the satemakers felt that the election
Of their coloIed brother would give an added
zcst to victory, that discovery will not perma-
nently vex anybody. College students, as a
rule don't quarrel long with accomplished
facts.
The mere enrolment Of students Of African
descent at Eastern universities is no longer u
matter of wide comment, though they are not
numerous at any single institution or in the
aggregate. Fortunately for them and for
all. they are not hampercd by the notOriety
which was once thrust upon every one of their
race who entered college. Very few persons
knew there was colored youth in the senior
class at Harvard until he was chosen class
L. hot. .cl,s Hctt1
dent can lead an industrious and inconSpicuOuS
life at an American college, as the vast ma
iority Of his fellows do. More than one hope
full career has ended In disappointment because
a student who might otherwise have had IN
eoual chance with those about him was made
an issue or an advertisement or used to point
moral or teach lesson. We recall, in par
fcular, the case Of one young man OF negro
blood who was confidently expected to be the
pjoneer of new era, and was made the sub
iect and victim Of much llatteIy and floods Of
commencement clOquence, and who lmmcdl-
ately after graduation relapsed with entire
compacency and dissatisfaction into pur-
suit for which, to say the least liberal ed
ueation is no qualification at all. His pane
gyrists had made fool Of him, and he in turn
made fools Of them.
However large the infusion Of politics in the
choice Of Morgan at Harvard may have been,
the incident happily tends t. diScIedit the idea
that the colleges are losing their healthy dem
ocratic spirt-an idea, it is proper to observe,
which has been promulgated chiefly by those
who know least about college sentiment. But
! if it simply means that no sufficient prejudice
existed to prevent his being made Use Of as a
convenient agency for carrying out clever
scheme, the incident is not so important as we
should like to believe. We hope that Morgan
has been singled out by his classmates for a
notable Observation-Disclosures it is not. as it has
been aid to be- the highest purely social dis
tnctiOn in their gift-simply because a ma
ionty Of them think that he is their best
orator II they know that some other mem
Der Of the class is better they have made
a mistake. The negroes will not get all that
they are entitled 10 in this country so long as
politicians are satisfied with the compromise
! Of giving few Of them more than they are