The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-07-01

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, June 3D.
[Speciall-The meeting of the Society
OIL the Alumni was held at the Uniyer-
slty OF Virginia at 10 o'clock this morn
ing. At1i o'clock Hon. Henry Waiter
son, editor of the Louisville Courier
journal, addressed the literary societies,
making forcible address on "Our
Whole Country, Its Grandeur, Lights
and Shadows" A gold medal was
awarded to Stuard Montoth Bears for
the bt st original article in the Virginia
University Magazine during the past
session.
Mr. Watterson, when he appeared, was
greeted with tremendous applause: II
ala afraid, he said, that you will con-
slider me heterodoX VIXEN tell you that
am not going to speak on this coca
sion about Virginia. the mother of
States; nor yet OF Kentucky, Virrinia's.
hrSt born; nor even OF the fair and
Sunny South we all love SO we'll. Iwish
to talk about our whole country it's
grandeur, its lights and shadows, seek
ing 10 SHOW you young sailors some of
the shoals to avoid and breakers to be
gotten over
Mr. Watterson first paid glowing
tribute to America, which had nothing
10 darken or mar its prospect but Canada
and Mexico, Canada, the retreat of tho
man with money and no morals, and
Mexico, the home of those destitute Of
both morals and money. lIc did not
mean this as an otfense or reproach to-
these sections. They were destined to
knock for admission TO this country.
This was material age, all things turn
to money.
He deplored tho bad use to which it
was often put, but gave credit to it for
the good it can do. He gave excellent
advice to men to avoid the Short cuts to
wealth.
Money, however, was tho piston rod
OF the engine of this great system Of
business. Bacon may call it the bag
gage of virtue" but it is very ncces-
sary baggage. lie showed how mislead-
ing were some Of tho maxims of tho
day, which often proved ashes of tho
Dead Sea fruit.
Find out, he said, q nations sin and
you will know that nations danger.
1t is not with us the race question of
the South That was question about
which he had no theory. | once hoped
for speedy elevation of the negro race.
! am now content to leave to God the
question of race. 1t is not question
of free and fair elections. These arc
problems which will adjust themselves.
With smile Mr. Wattcrson said it
was not the tariff question alone. That
had lost much of its former Importance.
AT lection time it may burst forth on
the hustings but its sizo is rapidly
diminishing. He was afraid Of no single
issue dividing the people. There never
was time when there was so little
danger rs now.
The issues which divide the parties
are trifcs as light as the air compared
with those which the past quarter of n
century has seen. Our government, he
said, has stood the test of civil war.
The constitution has survived this and
the period of reconstruction of tho
electoral count, Of change Of govern
mcnt from the hands of one party who
had held it for quarter Of u century to
other hands without causing even
bloody nose in this land.
lie pleaded for honesty and economy
in national affairs and appropria tions.
Closing he said: ''ilcar Wolsey as he
said to Cromwell: Cromwell, i charge
thee to cast away ambition, for by that
sin fell the angels. Personal charac-
ter" he said, lis the chief thing in life
Prize it, all else is secondary. May
your lives, young men, be purified in tho
light of new and perfect day
The closing exercises of the Univer-
sity take place to morrow, when the
University degrees will be conferred, to
close with an address before the society
of the alumni by VIM. l. " ison, of West
Virginia.