The record-union., 1896-10-23
Highest Leavening Strengh-Latest Govt Report
R3H:a'!!!l! g! RRaklHg Rs%asgl
ABSOLUTELY PURE

ton as the distributors of official places
and preferment. Those who. in uni
versity or college, have had an oppor-
tunity to study the mission OF our IN
stitutions, and who in the light OF MS
tory have learned the danger to the
people of their neglect of the patriotic
care they owe the national life intrust-
ed to their keeping, should be Well
fitted constantly to admonlsh their TEL
low citizens that the usefulness ana
beneficence of their plan of government
can only be preserved through their un-
selfish and loving support and their
contented Willingness to accept in full
the return of peace, protection and op-
portunity which it impartially bestows.
Not more surely do the rules or
honesty and good faith fix the standard
of individual character in a commu-
nifty than do these same rules determine
the character and standing of nation
in the world Of civilization. Neither
the glitter Of it's power, nor the tinsel of
its commercial prosperity, nor the
gaudy show of it's peoples wealth can,
conceal the cankering rust of national
dishonesty and cover the meanness of
national bad faith. A constant stream
come from our universities and colleges,
preaching national honor and integrity
and teaching that belief. 1 do not dis
pute the necessity Of political parties,
nor do deny their desirability. recog-
| nize that wholesome differences OF
opinion touching legitimate govern
mental policies, and would by no means
control or limit the utmost freedom in
IL !. l,x .lxy~ %A<,.1
! to suggest the important patriotic Serv-
! ices which our institutions of higher ed
ucation and their graduates are fitted
| to render our people, the enforcement of
| those immutable truths and funda-
| mental principles which are related to
| our national condition, but which
| should never be dragged into the field of
| political strife nor impressed into the
/ service of partisan contention. When
| the excitement of warfare presses dam
gerously near our national safeguards,
1 would have the intelligent conserva-
| tism of our universities and colleges
| warn the contestants in impressive
| tones against the perils of breach i'm
| possible of repair.
| When popular discomfort and pas
| sion are stimulated by designing par
| tisans to pitch perilously near class
| hatred or sectional anger would have
| our universities and colleges sound the
alarm in the name of American brother
hood and fraternal dependence. When
| an attempt is made to delude people
| into the belief that their suffrages can
| change the operation of natural laws, l
| would have our universities and coll
| leges proclaim that those laws are in
| exorable and far removed from poIiti-
| cal control. When selfish interest seeks
| undue private benefit through govern
| mental aid, and public places are
| claimed as the reward of party service
| would have our universities and col
| leges persuade the people to the relin-
| Quishment of the demand for party
| spoils and exhort them to dsinterested
| and patriotic love of their Government
| for its own sake, and because in it's
true adjustment and unperverted oper-
| alton 1t secures to every citizen his just
| share of the safety and prosperity it
| holds in store for all. When the de-
! sign is to allure people from honest
| thoughts and blind their eyes to the
| sad plight of national dishonor and bad
| faith, l would have Princeton Univer-
sity panoplied in her patriotic traditions
| and glorious memories and Joined by
| all the other universities and colleges
of our land, cry out against the inf1ic-
| tiOn of this treacherous and fatal
| wound. l would have the influence of
these institutions on the side of religion
and morality. I would have those they
send out among the people not ashamed
to acknowledge God and proclaim his
| interposition in the affairs Of men, en-
| joining such obedience of His law as
makes manifest the path of national
| perpetuity and prosperity.
Il hasten to concede the good already
accomplished by our educated men in
| purifying and steadyinS political senti-
ment, but 1 hope l may be allowed to
intimate my belief that their work liz
| these directions would be easier and
| more useful if it was less spasmoIic and
| occasional The disposition of our peo-
PIE is such that while they may be in
| clined to distruSt those who only ON
rare occasions come among them from
| exclusiveness savoring of assumed su-
periority, they readily listen to those
who exhibit real fellowship and friendly
and habitual interest in all that con-
Germs the common welfare. Such a con-
dition of intimacy would, / believe, not
only improve the general political at
plosphere, but would vastly increase the
| influence of our universities and col
leges in their efforts to prevent popular
deluSions or correct them before they
| re ach the acute and dangerous point
| Il am certain, therefore, that more
constant and active participation in po-
ltical affairs on the part of our men of
education would be of the greatest pos.
| sible value to our country. 1t is ex-
ceedingly unfortunate that politics
| should be regarded in any quarter as
an unclean thing, to be avoided by
those claiming to be educated or re ;
spectacle. 1t would be strange indeed
if anything related to the administra-
ton of our Government or the welfare
of our nation should be essentially de-
| grading. / believe it is not super
stitious sentiment that leads to the con-
viction that God has watched over our
national life from it's beginning. Who
will say that things worthy of Gods
regard and fostering care are unworthy
of the touch of the wiSest and best of
| men?
universities and colleges not only coun-
selors of their fellow countrynen, but
the tribunes of the people-fully appre-
ciating every condition that presses
upon their daily life, sympathetic in
every untoward situation, quick and
earnest in every effort to advance their
happiness and welfare and prompt and
sturdy in defense of all their rights.
Il have but imperfectly expressed the
thoughts to which ! have been unable
=