The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-06-19
DIR. DEpEw,s ADDRESS.
Interesting Talk to students ON Ed.
ucation and Patrfotfsm.


ucatiOn and Patriotism.
NASHVILLE. Tenn, June B.-The event
of Vanderbilt commencement the ad-
dress Of DR.. Chauncey NJ. Depew at the
Tabernacle tonight, delivered before an i'm
mense audience. The address was to have
been delivered at the Mendone Theater, the
largest in the city, but its capacity was not
equal TO the demand for seats, and the Tab
ernacle was selected. On the platform was
assembled the university faculty and promi-
nent citizens and the audience was a mag
nificent one. ON being introduced. DR.. De-
pew was received with overwhelming ap-
plause, and during his address was freely
and spontaneously greeted with applause.
Following are excerpts from the address:
':rhe popularlzlng OF liberal education Is
the feature OF our period. Ii Is the work.
ing of the law OF compensation by which
the larger demands OF the era 10 be
easily met. Patriotism in a republic has
its best support and strongest hope in the
colleges. Wherever else liberty has been
crushed by the powers OF tyranny, super
stition and bigotry they have never been
of liberal learning. In the mighty political
upheaYals of modern times IL is the stud
ent who has led the way.
We contemptuously brush aside the IL
lusions of the past, which were also its
William Tell shooting the apple from the
head OF his son and refusing To bow 10 the
hat of the tyrant Gessler. and Arnold
Winkelried, gathering the enemy's spears
10 his breast 10 open the way for his
countrymen TO the heart of the Austrian
phalanx, and Pocohontas, shielding with
her own life frcm her savge kinsman the
brave Captain Smith, to tests which de-
stroy the best literature OF. childhood and
the noblest suggestions Of the school,
books. j confess 10 a hearty hatred of the
whole business. If these be children's
toys they are as capable OF making the
children of the. present and the. future
children OF the past patriots, knights,
philanthropists and heroes. You and 4,
stay the knife of the surgeon Already in
twenty-five years they have created and
destroyed half a dozen Napoleons and are
craze 10 construct a new one These
merciess explorers have shattered the
divinity of most of our idols and dispelled
the glamour which surrounded most of our
heroes.
1.-The student OF to-day as he studies
the great issues Of the past, and the stir
ring story Of conflicts In Congress and IN
the field, is apt 10 believe that the oppor-
tunities for patriotic work no longer exist.
1t is not for all of US TO be legislators. or
Governors, or Cabinet ministers Presi-
dents, but IL Is for all OF US in the sphere
in which we move 10 take that interest
in public affairs which voices the opinion
that guides legislatures, Congresses and
Presidents. man can serve his country
more effectively, and with greater practical
noting the building OF good roads than
in spending his time in spouting currency
fallacies. Public service is not alone in
the holding OF office. In the hot compe-
titions of our American life, i'm the opli-
cations which a man owes to those about
him and dependent upon him, In the duties
and happiness which come from marriage
and domesticlty, no man, until he is as
sured in some way OF independence from
the emolurnents OF Office, can afford TO
enter public life.
.'The most lamentable wrecks which I
have seen in the thirty odd years since
| was graduated have been the men who
have abandoned everything for the public
service, only 10 be thrown out by the
changes of politics and to find that their
places in the professional and business
world had been occupied by younger men.
leaving them helpless and stranded. But
every town caucus, every village primary.
opportunity and the duty of the educated
man. He must belong TO one or the other
of the great parties. because In repre-
sentative government IL is only by such
organizations that wise policies can event.
uate in wise measures. We hear much
too much-of rings and bosses. They are
the natural result of the neglect OF the
primaries by the citizens. The boss and the
ring on one side, in secret partnership
with the ring and the boss on the other,
present tickets made up of thieves or
tools and then shout for US TO vote for
the one or the other IN the name OF
protection or free trade, in the name or
rnonometallism or free coinage of silver
according To our party affiliations.
IF the educated men OF the country VINO
are ministers, lawyers. doctors. journal
lists business men or farmers would per-
form their duties I'm the primary school
OF the caucus never would experience
that despotism OF "A machine which blights
ambition destroys honest effort for good
government and plumbers impartially parti-
sans and antagonists. III we have neg
lected our duty to the community. TO the
state and to the Nation by neglecting the
beginnings Of government we are not
without remedy. Then Is the time for
those and they exist In every community,
who have been trained in the schools TO
formulate their ideas and TO express them
upon the platform. through the press
or by the pamphlet, 10 say to the people
protection. and free trade can wait; they
have waited and wavered for century.
All other questions can wait as they have
waited and wavered for generation.
Thieves in possession or the State
house, robbers are intrenched in the City
Hall. Unite. discard party. disregard
cries. shibooleths and phrases, and so
rescue the State and the city The efii-
cacy of this method. though late one,
and an unnecessary one n the educated
brains of the country attended 10 their
duties. has been seen within a year
ent citizens In New York. one hundred
independent citizens in fSrooklyn. the
triumph OF civil service in Chicago by the
popular vote and other equally significant
manifestations OF the resistless power OF