The Portland daily press., 1896-06-22
MANY BlCCALAUREATES.
Sermons Preached to Seniors Of Va
rious Colleges.
INTERESTING DISCOURSE BY
PRESIDENT HYDE OF BOWDOIN.


True Definition of Treason-Pres-
ident Chase Says ol1ege is Coming
Into Closer Connection With the World.
Brunswick, June 21-President Hyde
delivered the baocalaureate sermon to
the graduating class of Bowdoin College
in the Congregational church this after
noon. There was a large attendance. He
spoke in part as follows:
President Hyde took as his text,
Samuel VIII. 1920. He said;
Patriotism sees that the country's real
foe today is corruption within its own
household, and fights 1t. Pseudo
patriotism tries to pick quarrel with a
foreign nation; to annex All alien
province; to revive a threadbare contro-
g.. Current pseudo patriotism presents
two types; the Jingo, and the A. 2. A.
There are doubtless honest and we'll
meaning men il both.s
fhe Jingo clamors for extra fleets and
extravagant armaments; insolent
diplomacy and clustering resolutions; /;
not because either our geographical
position or our true foreign policy re-
quires these things; but because less for
tunate European nations have to main
tain them and we want to feel as big as
they.
The A. P. A. fans the dying embers of
religious strife into the flickering
semblance Of the fame of prosecution
and calls the resulting glow patriotism.
N,H ,oIs. - ~ AZ ,.sA <,f
Jesuitism; proposes to protect" free in
stitutions 10y tyranny's worst engine Of
oppression. the secret conclave; pretends
to purify American politics by infusing
into them the worse than Machivelian
poison of prescription of candidates for
political office on grounds of religious
faith.
Patriotism has work enough without
lighting England, OF prosecuting the
Catholics. The real danger of a republic
is that individuals and Glasses will use
political power for private ends. The
modern form of treason is the seeking
personal gain, by political means, at the
public expense. 1t manifests itself chiefly
at four points.
Birst, the currency The traitor is the
man who, as owner of gold mine or as
creditor, votes to appreciate the
standard of value; or as owner of a
silver mine, or as a debtor votes to deprc-
oiate the standard of value, in order in
the one way or the other to increase his
private wealth at the public expense. The
patriot, whatever his private interests
may chance to be, votes that stable uni
yersally acceptable currency which public
prosperity requires.
Second, taxation. The traitor is tba
man who, as importer votes for low
tariff or as manufacturer votes for high
tariff. regardless of the interest of the
country as a whole: but merely because
the one policy or the other will secure
extra profits for himself and increased
dividends for his corporation. The man
who votes for either policy on these prin-
oiples is made Of such stuff as Benedict
Arnold was made of. The patriot is the
man who votes not for the profits of his
business, nor the creed of his party, nor
the prejudice of his locality, but for
justice, equality, and the general good.
Third, the pensions. The roll of
pensioners in this country has risen from
345, 1876 in 1885, to $40, 524 in 1895. Dis
bursements have increased within These
ten years from $65, 695, 706 to $40, 959, 361.
In SO far as this represents the country's
gratitude for disa bilities incurred in its
service, no expenditure is more wisely
bestowed or cordially approved. In so far
as this enormous increase represents un-
lnerited pensions, extorted through
IdlquItCu5 loSloldUlOif ILL uOSoO Uu
political parties by the pernioious
activity of pension attorneys, and
pensioners themselves, it is treason.
Fourth, civil service. After thirty years
of agitation s5, 200 places or practically
the entire national service is brought un-
der the merit system. This is the greatest
triumph of true patriotism accomplished
in one our day.
Members of the graduating class: II
you had graduted in 1917, you might
have found worthy soareer in fighting
the Pope of Rome; if in 1776, in fighting
the King of England. Graduating in
1896, attack the concrete corruption of
to-day. Stand for sound money, and
equitable taxes, and honorable pensions,
and unprivileged civil service. Treat as
a traitor and a public enemy every man
and every class who try to manipulate
legislation and influence officials, and
mislsad the people in order that out OF
public folly, or public privilege, or public
plunder they may make private gain.
Stand as representatives and defenders Of
the rights and interests of the nation as
a whole against all efforts to betray the
public interest for private profit; and
you will be true patriots. And
patriotism, or love of country, is large
part, though by no means the whole of
that devotion of the individual will to
universal ends or love of God, which Is
the Rrandest quality Of character, and
the essence of genuine rel igion.