Evening star., 1897-04-13
TALKS TO STUDENTS
William ]. Bryan Speaks Of Justice in
Government.
ALL MEN EQUAL UNDER THE LAW
Columbian University Made Reso-
nant With Class YeIIs.-
REFORMS THAT ARE NEEDED
ALL MEN EQUAL UNDER TIE LAW
REFORMS THAT ARE NEEDED

audience composed of students and their
friends. His subject was Good Govern
ment" and he laid down what he regarded
as the salient principles for introducing
greater justice in the affairs of men, leav-
ing the application of these principles to
his auditors.
The main hall at the university building
was packed to it's utmost capacity, although
admission was by ticket only. 'Throngs of
alumni visited the university, thinking
their past connection with it would secure
their admission, but they were turned away
and told that only ticket holders could en-
ter. Within the hall were assembled the
students and their friends. There were
many ladies present, and they all joined in
uproarious applause when Mr. Bryan made
his appearance and frequently during his
address when he made apt Illustrations
The college boys indulged in the familiar
yellS of their alma mater, but paid close
attention to the words of the orator. AL
though the address had been announced to
begin at 7.3O o'clock, it was half an hour
later when Mr.. Bryan arrived in the hail.
accompanied by Justices Harlan and Brew,
er OF the Supreme Court of the United
States.
A Rousfng Reception.
Mr. Bryan was given such reception as
only an audience of students could give
yell after yell was sent echoing through
the building, and while they exercised their
vocal powers to their full capacity, they
pounded the arms of their chairs with
wrl'ihs boards, stamped and clapped their
hands. Justice Harlan found it necessary
TO signal for silence time and again before
ne was enabled to introduce the speaker of
the evening. He said the hour chosen for
Mr. bryans address was the one usually
gwen to considering the subject of torts.
but he would surrender his place for the
evening to the distinguished Nebraskan.
VINO haa received over six millions of votes
oa ths american people for the highest
office in the land. When he remarked thar
ne had special claim to be called the
silVer-tongued orator" the bows again
broke out with applause which they re-
aounled as Mr. Bryan approached the
ors in the form of streamers attached tn
the lapel of his coat. He looked rather
more serious than usual and his face hore
d subdued appearance. and one of his eyes
showed traces of his recent accident
In Conversational Tone.
lie opened his remarks in conversational
tone. which he continued throughout his
address. He said he never felt like de-
Ginning an invitation to speak to students
though he felt that those Of Columbian
University had been accustomed to such a
hlSh order of excellence his words might
ulence. ne said, was apt to be rather too
cIltcai TO speak to with absolute pleasure
he said his time had been too, fully occu
pled to permit him to prepare special ad
dress for every occasion
But the subject he would occunv the an
dlehce with, he said, would naturally inter
est every one, as it concerned every one
II Was a question of government which
ne saia' was just what the people make It,
he would make no application of the prin-
ciples he would speak Of as that WouId call
out partisan feeling.
:. Il feel this subject must be of especial
interest to those who are Students he
continued, because students go out to
exercise more than ordinary interest and
influence in public affairs. l knoy that
some people have an idea that higher edu-
cation and scholarship are not beneficial
in public life. l think such an idea is not
at all well founded. The only way in which
an education may be detrimental to any
one is by having his sslf esteem eAces-
sively educated. A person who has the
right idea of education understands that
1t is intended to make him more useful and
to increase his power to do good If an
education tends 20 make him feel a super
lority over others 1t may separate him
from the people, because people do not
think well of man who does not think
well of them Your education ought to
make you better than you would have
been without it. 1t does not necessarily
make you better than Others l Will go
further and say you will rind your great
est success when You lose yourself in your
deVotion to some principle There Is
passage in the Bible which may be turned
from its original meaning. If you are all
the time trying to save your life in sell
fish sense you lose your life, whereas ii
you stand ready to lose your life in some
great purpose you find a greater advantage.
What Government Is.
Il think it is essential you should take
from college into life proper ideas of what
your government is and what it ought to
be. jackson said there are no necessary
evils in government, that its evils exist
only in it's abuses. wish could i'm
press that idea on all people. There are no
necessary evils of government and yet
when it is proposed TO correct the evils
of government, persons protiting by its
abuse, try to give the impression that those
speaking against the abuses are speaking
against the government itself. We can
show much more love of country by at
tempting to eradicate those abuses than in
the blind worship of The government just
as it is in all it's details.
But II we commence to study govern
ment we must have some rule to go BY
We must have standard. 1 believe there
is measure by which you can determine
what Is good in government and what Is
bad; by which you can determine whether
a law is good OF bad. i find that rule in the
Declaration of Independence. 1t reads that
all men are created equal. You say that is
old. 1t is, and far the Ten Command
ments, and yet we find 1t necessary to i'm
press every generation. with the force of
those Ten Commandments.
All Men Created Equal.
Mr.. Bryan continued to say that If any
person should dispute that principle Of
equality he is not In harmony with the gov
eminent under which he lives.
Il care not" he said, what he calls him
self, what his occupation, what his profess
sions may be. If he denies that principle he
is not IN harmony with 1he government un-
der which he lives Hbt do not confuse
equality before the law with equality uf
possessions or abilitiess- That mistake is
often made When a,psreon speaks of be-
ing equal before the law some assume he
means to level society, that all shall nave
a common purse, and that no one. shall
have more of this worlds good than others.
Jackson recognized there would be inequal-
tiles of merits wealth, character and abili-
ty, but he maintained 1t was the duty of
government to project, all citizens whether
great In possessions on small. He declared
that when government attempts to exag-
gerate these Inequalities 1t is abusing its
power"
He said good government would neither