The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-06-24
lunar CLARK AND NIX. PA9E.


JUDGE CLARK AND NIX. PAGE.
The annual commencement PERIOD
OF the colleges has come and gone. At
.varv one of these occasions one or
more speakers OF state or national re-
mutation has been present TO denver
the annual Oration. In fact, IT seems
To be n settled practice that such a
speech shall be n leading feature on |
these occasions; and, In fact, on every |
occasion where n multitude OF people
assemble for any purpose. The speeches
made as n rule, do not contain any
new thought, nor, indeed, any ola
thought presented in new way or
with new application. As rule, the
speeches on such occasions are words
words arranged in smooth, easy, grace
full sentences. The speaker on such
occasions, as a rule, does not seem to
think that it is at all material that his
speech should be expressive OF any
great, earnest, forceful or timely
thought. In fact, the speaker is aptto
be considered the most popular orator
who can use a great many fine words
with very few thoughts. II he can
send his hearers away laughing, if he
can amuse them with anecdotes or
wItticisms, or if he can give them
spectacular display of glittering gen
eralties, rs a rule, he gets the general
verdict Of being eloquent, of having
delivered great speech, and gets COM
plimentary pulls from all the news
papers, yet nobody knows what he has
said, or cares. Nothing is left behind
him. No seed have been sOwn. He
furnished no ideas of himself, and
therefore, did not put others to think
ing.
Two college orations this year, how
ever, have been notable exceptions TO
this rule. one was the address deliv-
cred by Hon. Walter Page, the bril-
liant young journalist, at the COM
mencement exercises of the Normal
and Indus rial school for girls al
Greensboro. Instead of making a
speech full of glitteripg nOthings and
fulsome praise OF the state, or rather
for that class who consider themselves
the state, he told some plain truths.
In making his powerful plea for the
forgotten man," and in showing that
the Normal school for girls was one of
the recent recognitiOns by the State of
the forgotten woman as well as the
forgotten man, he pointed out how the
old aristocratic educational system in
the past had retarded progress, driven
thousands of young and vigorous men
to other states, and caused our great
commonwealth to suffer with a species
Of stagnation and dryrot. He asked
why two hundred and ninety-three
thousand native born citizens should
have left the state to seek homes In
other States, while all of our advertis-
ing and organized efforts to induce
immigration had brought only fifty
two thousand, born in other States, tC
take their places. lie said that in olden
time we considered the average value
Of a slave to be one thousand dollars
and that il We valued the young and
vigorous man who left North Carolins
to go to other States at no higher price
that then the State had lost two hund
red and for millions of dollars by this
loss of its native born citizens, who
were mostly young and vigorous men
He pointed to the recent establishment
of the "A. 81 M. College,tO the rapid ex.
tension Of the public school system OF
the State, and other recent evidences
of progress to show that we have re.
Gently been rapidly correcting the
false and evil system under which VIZ
had suffered so long.
This speech, which should have beer
praised for containing a great truth
and teaching a great lesson, has on the
other hand, been criticised and de-
nonced by all of the old fogies, especial
ly by that class who are responsible fol
the old system against which Mr.. Pag,
brought such true and strong indict
ment. But Mr.. Pages speech has don,
good. 1t has aroused thought, it ha.
started discussion, which will prov,
that Mr.. Pages position is correct
and the beneficial results will be hi
reward.
The other speech was made by Judg
Walter Clark to the law class of th
Wake Forest College. Speaking t.
young men about to embark in tn
legal profession, he chose live subiec
that vitality concerns the welfare O
all the people. In an able and master
ly argument he showed that the Stat
not only has legal right to regulat
freight and passenger rates and to con
troll and regulate all corporations per
forming a public service, but he ais
in . most convincing manner shove,
that 1T was the highest duty of tn
State to take such action at this tim
to do equity between the people an,
these public corporations operated b.
privaSc individuals. OF course thi
speech was>too true to escape criticism
and denunciation. It was live wire
\and therefore shocked the fogies an
the organs Of monopoly.
wa wish to congratulate Judg
Clark 1pd Mr.. Page for speaking grea
truths eH>luch live and important sub
jscts. They bevs spoken so as to arous
the public ooAacisnce and to put tn
oitissns 70 ssarohkng for the truth II
order that justice and equity may b
done. In short, they have added {,
the worlds fund Of truth. II ever,
! man who speaks IN this country dur
Ing year would give expressN9n to a
least one earnest, forceful, overmA etsr