The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-06-23
A THOUGHTFUL SPEECH.


on Wednesday last Mr. Olney. Attor-
ney-General of the United States. made
an address at Brown University, in Rhode
Island. to the alumni and graduating
class. from which we make the following
extract:
The national seat Of government is not
nearly so good a place for the observation
OF the scholar In politics as you might
suppose. He is conspicuous there chiefly
by his absence-sO that his achievements
are rather the substance Of things hoped
for" than ascertained realities.
Some Of the widest, most inadmissable,
not 10 say unworthy, propositions launch
ed upon the present Congress have ema-
mated from the best educated and most
enlightened sources-so that, If the set
purpose had been 10 illustrate the use
1essness OF special training and culture, as
guarantees Of statesmanship, the object
could not have been better attained. But
unless all the signs of the times are de-
lusive the call for adequately trained
and enlightened public men was never
so loud and urgent as II is to-day. and
as It will continue 10 be In the near
future
The present perturbed condition of the
country Is not to be accounted for by
fire, or flood. or tempest
The real stimulus is a sense of wrong
conviction that they do not have fair
play-that society by its very constitu-
ton necessarily works injustice and in
equality, faVOring a few with not only
an abundance, but with a superfuity OF
blessings. while excluding the great ma
jority, not merely from the Injuries but
almost from the decent comforts OF life.
For this state Of things they are not
agreed upon the sufficient or adequate
remedy. They are but feeling their way
in the dark-iue' now they are for the
repression of individualism. and in govern
ment paternalism they are following
dim and distant glimmer which they
hope will resolve itself into the sunlight
of truth. but is only too sure to prove
the mtrest ignis fatuus. Nevertheless
they keep moving. and with accelerated
step, and In their own belief at least,
are preparing a revolution which shall
do for the emancipation Of labor what
Luther and the Reformation did for free
dom of conscience, and what the Amer
ican war Of independence aid for politi-
cal liberty But. be they right or wrong,
he their logic sound or faulty, be their
projects reasonable or fantastical. the
movement they are engaged In cannot
be ESCAPED or eVaded, but remains to be
encountered and dealt with. If II amounts
In truth 10 an industrial revolution. the
highest human wisdom will not be too
much for the task of REFRESHING II. II II
ought TO be repressed, or guiding II, II
IL ought 10 triumph, and. in either event,
OF combining IL in such peaceful and mod
crate charEels that Its results shall be
attained without those excuses and con
WILSON'S by which successful revolutions
are too often dishgured
For this great work, for these momen-
tous problems. what can be said OF the
fitness of the ordinary run OF vote-catch-
ing popularity seeking politicians? Were
doubt possible, the recollection OF the re-
cent Coxey movement on Washington and
its incidents must surely settle H. But
two things gave that movement even
brief semblance or vitahty-the schSa-
tional proclivities of the public press
and the attitude almost universally as
sumed by public men. How many or the
latter dared to speak Out tne ruin ABOUT
10 exnoSe its obvious futility, Its wanton
waste OF effort and OF energy, It's peril
Gus proximity to sheer iawlessneSs, the
certainty that II nothing worse followed,
its deluded participators must ultimately
Cisperse, a baffied. disappointed. democrat
ized throng. whose last state would be In
finitely worse than their ilrsti dhey can ,aa
fingers OF one hand. while at least an
equal number openly seized upon sup
posed opportunity TO pass themselves OF
as friends of the people, and virtually
harked on the misguided Commonwealers
by artful harangues upon their right 10
assemble and petition for redress OF
grievances. In this, II there was some
wickedness. some seliishness some pur-
pose to promote personal ambition re-
gardless OF consequences, there was, l
believe. even more-nf ignorance.
But. by as much as II is manifest that
we stand In the shadow OF great social
changes, and that we and our children
are about TO grapple with new and vast
social problems. by Just so much is also
manifest the crying political need of the
day Ii is that men In public life shall be
there not hap-hazard; not adventitously;
not as a sort OF roundup 10 some other
career. but because they have fitted
themselves for il by appropriate educa-
tion and training, and by that concen-
tration OF thought and purpose which
every man devotes TO his chosen career
OF life Except this be brought about. II
Is difficult TO conceive how cur instltu-
lions are 10 survive the stress and strain
the future surely has In store for them.
a
political conditions Is 10 tax the hopeful
ness Of human nature beyond Its utmost
capacity and can be justified. II at ALL
only by a blind faith upon an everything
Providence from seeming evil still
educing good.
This is very thoughtful address. and
shows that Mr. Olney views public ques-
lions from a plane far above that occu-
pied by the professional politician. Is he
right In what he says about the causes
that gave Coxey's movement its tenn
porary attention? Was that due TO the
sensational tendency Of the press and 10
the cowardIce OF public men? In our
opinion he is right. 1t is unquestionably
ana unfortunately true that the whole
trend OF American Journalism is towards
sensationalsm. The average newspaper
worker will hunt more industriously for
one Ink In the denouemen; OF scandal
fhan for one hundred important facts
that may have lasting influence upon
progress and civilization. Nor are we
eensurlng the journalist for this being the
case, lie knows his market and is adapt
'hs Dis wares to IT, He hunts up the
sensational because the sensational is
what MS readers desire. The vice in the
esss' therefore II IT be \ vice. lies not