Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-06-20

suing Year.
An audience of fifteen hundred per-
sons in which ther5 was decided pre-
ponderance of the fair sex, assembled
at the State Fair Grounds yesterday af-
ternoon, to see and hear the efforts Of
the class of SO in the annual COM
mencement Of the Linsly institute, The
papers and orations were very credit
able, and the military flavor in the eXer-
cises lent an additional interest. The
Cadets formed in lire at the Armory,
and marched over 10 the grounds, head
ed by the Opera House band. 1t was
nearly three o'clock when the exer-
cises commenced and the grand stand
was a sea OF bright and expectant faces
and waving fans. The orchestra rem
dered one or two selections, and the eX-
ercises were opened with a fervent in
vocation by the Rev. Jacob Britting-
ham, rector of St. Luke's p. K. Church.
The salutatorian OF the class was
George H. Wise. True Greatness" was
the theme which he discussed. He said:
NO man is born great. Environments.
though they may be favorable 10 the de-
VelOpmert Of greatness, cannot IN tnem-
selves make one truly great The son OF
the wlsest philosopher, of the braVest gen
eral, or II the Eoblest king, Is not tru!y
great, except so far as he makes hlmseI
great. Many centuries ago the bdro3rous
Britons would not confer their crown upon
deceased kings son, unless ne mad Deeu
tried and found true. They would not call
him king just because he was the king 5
son, but chose instead the brother or an
other kinsman of the deceased monarch
who had stood the test Of bravery.
Intelligent. noble and persistent action,
are the requisites OF greatness. Inc
heights by great men reached ana kept
were nOtattained by sudden fight. but they,
while their companions slept, We're tollng
upward IN the night Lincoln, with MS
honesty of purpose, hGebty and virtue
which guided the helm Of the snip OF state
during those dark days OF rebellion; and
with his true. loving heart for humanity
which emarcipated the negro from ms
bondage. was made of that Sterner stun
which cOmposes the mettle that goes TO
make up the strong and the great. Now
Napoleon, ToO was great, Dut not among
those great men whom We love ana re-
we're. Our feelings for him are those Of
"
admire his gigantic powers oil intellect, the
greatness Of his designs and the boldn6SS
with which he executed them. But when
we stop to think of his fearful sacrifice Of
human life the slaughter fields of mis- am
biuon, we cannot call him truly great, for
his was earthly glory.
But greatness, and greatness OF the truest
kind, may be won both by men and by
women. Every private in the several wars
of our country who went forth to battle.
willing 10 fight in the ranks and lay down
his life for that country If need be, was
fighting for a principle and is greater than
Cowardly king. Looking back 10 Eng
land some thirty or forty years ago we see
beautiful, refined and well educated mai
den, leaving parents, wed ones and a
home surrounded with every comfort and
luxury. TO go out on the battlefield and
care Tor the wounded soldiers. Like a min
iSterirg angel she gliEed from che low bed
10 another. binding, amounting and lmin-
lStering 10 all the thousands who were Suf-
Tering and dying from wounds. disease
and starvation and out Of confusion ari
acknowledgement she brought peace ana
quiet mingled with love and sympathy.
No wonder those dying soldiers CALLED her
blessed, for the comfort she brought them
in their last hours. So through every
country the name Of Florence Nightingale
Is loved and cherished, and surely hers
was true greatness.
Mr. President. members of the Board Of
Trustees, and friends of the school. il is
with pleasure mingled with regret that
We welcome you here to-day 70 witness the
closing exercises of the class of 90. You
have come here this afternoon TO see six
teen young men who for four or five years
have been toillng faithfully up the hill of
KNOWLEDGE When we look ba ok Il seems
but a little while since our gallant prin-
cipal returned from his foreign post of
honor. sailing over the great western
waters 70 once more take up his work in
the city or his adoption. We then were
hut little fellows. too small to carry the
regular cadet guns. but carried in their
stead light wooden ones. and 10 rs then
the graduation day seemed 50 far away
that we Thought We could never reach il:
but here we stand to-day, ready 10 be
launched upon a broader sea of knowledge,
and may the boys who turn their backs
UDon the Lirsly and 90 forward to-day.
be in the coming years a credit 10 these
who first started them In their educationa
h'e. And row, dear friends, as YOU sit
here with the beautiful sunlight Of heaven
shining about. amid the ampitheatre Of
green Mills ard the great Ohio flowing
peacefully on its course, may this not be
the last YOU viii hear Of the class of 'q6,
In . few years may the names Of the young
men who compose this class come back 70
your memories laden with honor and true
greatness; that Won may be proud of the
boys who are about 70 say farewell. but
are only starting out upon the path Of
knowledge. The guide posts have been
marked. and we hOpe ny application. dill
goal. And when the class of 'S6 has
reached such heights may it leave It's foot
prints so bold ana Rain upon the sands of
time that the futur classes when falter-
ing. seeing. may take heart again
And now- god friends. the class Of '96
extends TO You its metaphorical hand and
bids you all thrice welcome.
Leroy \. Lallance, Jr., made "Plea
for the strengthening of the Navy and
the Increasing of the Army" He ar
gued that military and naval strength
does not necessarily make a nation war
like, but eXerts powerful influence up
up other nations. The army and navy
should be strengthened to preserve and
defend the national rights and national
dignity, and to defend its commercial
interests. Modern agencies of des.ruc-
ton will have tendency to prevent,
rather than TO encourage warfare.
Influence of Competition" was the
subject Of an excellen: paper by David
D. Faris. He mentioned some of the
benefits of competition, the construc-
ton Of railroads and other commercial
highways and the establishment of lines
of ocean steamers. He also dwelt up
on the evil effects OF excessive compe-
tition. the organization of monopolies
and the formation Of giant trusts. The
paper was replete with practical
thoughts and gave evidence of broader
study than mere text books.
Charles Bates McLain read an essay
on "The Development Of the Overland
Mail Service" which was largely his
t0rical in character, and containing
many facts with which the audience
was not & generally familiar. The sequel
to this service is the present railway
mail service. which is not surpassed in
efficiency in any part Of the world.