The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-09-29
CURRENT COMMENT.
TaE YALE STUDENTS AND BRYAN.
New York Suu,)

GHE YALE STUDENTS AND BRYAN.
(New York SUM-
Gen. Alexander S. Webb, the President
Of our free city college. says, in letter
to Reputation newspaper, that il the
students, when Bryan spoke on the New
haven Green, are accurate, "the affair is
disgrace to the whole nation" Il
cannot belieye,' he adds, THAT Ameri-
can gentlemen's SONS would be guilty of
such dastardiy and outrageous conduct :"
We have read carefully all the reports
of the proceedings of the Yale stuuents
which were published in reputable news
papers OF New York, and We cannot find
10 them any justification whatever for
this language of Gen. Webb. They
agree In their statements of the main
facts, and therefore it may be assumed
that they are accurate. In Gen. Webb's
opinion, accordingly, they afford just
ground for denouncing the conduct OF
these young men as disgraceful to them
selves and the nation.
What did these students really do?
On the day that Yale University opened
rs new college year, Bryan came to
New Haven and prepared to address
great crowd at the Green, adjacent to
which arc the college buildings, or the
centrs of the university life, in town
of which the university is the great and
Distinguishing feature. The students
gathered in strong force, as WAS natural.
Practically, they were on their own
ground. They expressed their feelings
against reputation with the vlgor and
righteousness of youth; and they had
right to do 1t. They ought to have done
II; and the sentiment to which they
gave utterance was honorable to them.
The boys made a great noise, cheering
for Mckinley aud yelling and Jeering at
Republication, SO that Mir. Bryan could not
be heard for several minutes. If they
had epplauded him necessarily tor even
full half hour, would there have been
any complaint Of their preventing him
from starting out in his speech? Has
not crowd in the open air as much
right to hiss as to cheer? AT what peri
cd in our history was that privilege
taken from Americans?
These dissenting students, the reports
agree, did not offer any personal violence
to Mr.. Bryan or anybody else. They diu
not throw rotten eggs at him or other
wise assail this dignity; but merely
shouted their college cry and yelled de-
risively. They did not like the cause the
speaker represented. They detested and
despised both it and him; and they
made known their feeling noisily. Gen.
Webb says that "the position of nomi-
udbEQ GHuulQdb6 lUE bu6 1TGSlu6uCY OIL
this great republic carries with it the
right TO respect from all citizens, no
matter to what party the candidate may
belong, or what may be his political
creed But it carries with it no such
right. No one, candidate for President
or anybody else, is entitled to respect
unless he deserves 1t, and tile same Is
true of political creed. Would free
love or an out-and-out Anarchist candi-
Int
date on platform Of rank and frank
treason to American freedom, be re-
ceiyed with honor simply because he is
a candidate? Gen. Webb talks arrant
nonsense; yet he is the President of an
American college and an instructor of
American youth
When Mr.. Bryan began his speech be
sulting their fathers. Would they not
have been contemptible fellows If they
had not resented his words with all the
force of expression in language Of which
they were capable? Treat such a man
with respect 1t would have been dis
graceful to them if they had kept
silence. If he had a right to talk had
they not an equal right to respond?
There was no obligation Of courtesy pre-
venting them from uttering their indig
nant and derisive dissent. He offered
himself for criticism and he has no rea-
son to complain because he got 1t.
The Yale students did right. They may
have been boisterous beyond the measure
of necessity, after the fashion of college
boys; but the spirit animating them
was wholly honorable. wholly commend
able. Their fathers have good reason to
be proud of such sons. When Gen.
Webb calls their conduct "dastardly and
outrageous" he proves himself to be
10 an disqualified to be college presi-
dent and an exemplar for youth. He,
and not they, deserve the reproach of his
unjustifiable letter.
The Yale students detest reputation,
and all honor to them for the feeling!
When they come forth from their little
college world into the broad world OF
society, they will make good citizens.
They will fifty sustain the burden of
duty to the republic when, In the cruel
and relentless order of nature, it must be
transferred to their shoulders by their
fathers.
WHOOPING FER UP IN GREAT
SHAPE
(The Columbian.)
Congratulations, Mr.. Frank. There
were over 80, 900 "luDatics" who stood
by the old hag.-The Columbian.
What "old flag" please?-The Portland
Press.
The flag that symbolizes freedom. The
flag under which the barons wreste
Magma Charta from King JOB the 1agl
undar which the DatrfOti0 founders of