The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-06-05

and guides, started overland for the
Pacific ocean. So far as is known, they
were the first white men to cross the
plains The greater part of their Jour
ney was GA mules, and then descend
ed in canoes a tributary of the Mis-
souri, and the latter river to the bor-
der. No tifings came from them the
little band, and they had long been
given up fos. dead, when three years
fran the time of their departure they
returned with stirring accounts OF
hair-breadth escapes, and of the Won
dertul countries they had discovered
Now the travei Ter from the same start
ing point, with little of peril and
fatigue, can, by means of the great
transeontinental railways, reach the
Pacific coast, and return with safety.
having travelled rs far and beheld won
ders even greater within a score of
days, than did Lewis and Clark in the
famous expedition which made their
Hames imanortal.
In science, by the discovery and app
pljcation of anaestlpat ties, pain has
been alleviaGed, the torture of the sur
geon's knife annihilated, human life
prolonged.
All this, and more, it is ours to see;
but low glorious the prospect to
those just upon the threshold, when
in the noon of the twentieth century
their eyes behold the added achieve
ments III every pathway of thought,
Of experiment. of endeavOr.
what msr1e els are bound up in the
fifty years lying just before us. 1t will,
indeed, be worth while to live at such
a time. to be factors in such great at
fairs.
In all this, the man Of letters, of OPP
rOrtunity, will play no mean part. 1t
will be his to move in the van. TO the
end that he acquit himself well, need
he be reminded of the imperative neces-
Sity for thorough training, for YET
higher culture for the task that awaits
him.
Recalling the words of Bastiat that
the ogre war costs as much for his
digestion as for his meals" is it too
mlicl, to believe that i'm the coming
centuries the. potent voice will be that
from university and study. rather than
from camp and field. Intellect. not
force, will govern.
An eminent writer has said: "TelI
me what the student is thinking i'm
his closet. and / will tell you what
his counlrymen will be doing in the
next generation"
As has been said by one whose words
are worthy of remembrance. Faith
fulness in the past has given you
times in which to live. The
work is to go on. The triumph of
truth and righteousness are to be ear
ried forward down the course of years
We know not what God
From out whose nand
The centuries fall like grains of sand, -
may bring to the realization of those
who shall live fifty years TO come. But
we know that if you act your part
well, your life will bear it's contribu-
ton to human welfare, and help 10
ripen some fruit to human taste, and
lovely in the eyes of God. Duty done
reaches in it's effects down the ages
and into eternity. You can live your
life but once, and God has given YOU
the privilege of going forth into il,
in these earnest days. that YOU may
receive and be blessed by the affiuent
results which, under his providence,
have come out of past endeavor; and
in nobly doing your duty, may add
some strength to the holy movements
that are working out the divine de-
signs on EARTH"
The century now nearing its close
has witnessed the discussion of dues-
tons of vast importance to our repub-
lict-questions involving the issues of
material progress, of diplomacy,of war:
nay, involving human freedom and the
maintenance of our national life.
Happily these have been solved; but it
were idle to doubt that in the path