The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-19
LESSONS IN PATRIOTISM.
A Republic Has Its Best Sup
port and Hope in the
Colleges.
COMPLIMENTS FOR THE SOUTH
Never Does the Great Post-Prandial
Speaker Overlook Tell
ing Point.

NASHVILLE, Tenn, June IS. - The
event OF Vanderbilt commencement was
the address of Chauncey M. Depew at the
Tabernacle tonight, delivered before an
immense audience. The address was to
have been delivered at the Vendome The
alter, the largest in the city, but its capac-
ity was not equal to the demand for seats
and the Tabernacle was selected.
On the platform were assembled the
university faculty and prominent citizens,
and the audience was magnificent one.
Upon being introduced Mr.. Depew was re-
ceived with great applause and during his
address was freely and spontaneously
greeted with cheers. He said in part:
Ladies and Gentlemen: The nearest approach
to the complete realization of ideal pleasure
comes with commencement day for the college
man. To the alumni, coming back from the
cares and duties of their distant homes, it re-
calls the best days of their lives. For the grad
uate it is the supreme moment of his existence.
We, the veterans from American universities,
cordially and enthusiastically welcome these
young knights to the order of higher educa-
ton. Patriotism in republic has its best sup
port and strongest hope in the colleges-wher-
ever else liberty has been crushed by the pow
ers of tyranny, superstition and bigotry, they
have never been able to cxtinguish its light in
the halls of learning.
The finest example of the patriotic power of
higher education is the German Empire of to-
day. which is the outgrowth OF the founding of
the University OF Berlin. Harvard and Yale,
Princeton. Columbia and William and Mary,
institutions of learning, were the architects of
the declaration of independence.
No one can measure what might have been
the effect in 1860 of university fifty years old
at Washington, like that of Berlin with its
thousands OF students and national inspiration.
The people had to become acquain ted with each
other. The Union and Confederate veterans
shot sectionalism to pieces with their cannon
and their rifles. When they were convinced OF
each others equal worth and valor they could
clasp hands over the graves of their comrades
in the utterance of common oath of LOYALTY
to the flag which was the common protector
and common glory OF them all. The student
must remember that every period has its prob
lens to be solved. Anarchy, socialism, taxa
ton, currency and the relation of labor and
capital are questions as different and requiring
as much patriotic consideration of the college
men of the country as any which have agitated
the nation since the formation of the Govern
ment. man can serve his country more eff
fectively in preaching and promoting the
building of good roads than in spending his
time in spouting currency fallacies.
If the educated men of the country would
perform their duties in the primary school OF
the caucus, we would never experience that
despotism OF a machine which plumbers i'm
partially partisans and antagonists. The
great opportunities of our country are in the
South. The flood of immigration for fifty years
has sought the West. Northwest and Pacific
Coast. In the South VIC find, as nowhere else,
the original stock which fought at Cowpens,
Kings Mountain and Yorktown. The inteIli-
gent patriotism of the Southern people in the
last quarter of century has overcome difficult
ties which seemed insurmountable. The young
men of the South have no call to tempt for
tune in the crowded cities of the North and
East. At their own doors and within their
own States are their missions and their careers.
Be not deceived by the glitter of wealth as
the sole measure of success in life. The mo-
ment that in your chosen vocation you are
sure of an income beyond the requirements
of a modest living, you are success. All the
rest is accumulative.