The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-24
ADDRESS AT ANN ARB0R
BEFORE THE STUDENTS OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN.
The Ex-President Initiated Into the
ton in His Honor mt Night.

to visit the University of Michigan and ad-
dress the students, and at last he has
found an opportunity TO accept the invita-
tion. Yesterday noon General Harrison
and his party consisting of Rev. NJ. l..
Haines. pastor of the First Presbyterian
Church, of Indianapolis; Hon II. Il. r.
Peirce. receiver of the Glover Leaf road.
and the generals private secretary. L. r.
Tibbott, reached the city and proceeded
directly to the Phi Delta Theta House for
luncheon. This fraternity, of which the
general is a member. entertained the party
during its visit. After luncheon they were
shown around the university, visiting
among other places. the Delta Chi law fra
ternity, into which the ex-President was
initiated as an honorary member. The
party ended its visit to the university
proper by attending the vesper service,
after which it went to President Angell 5
residence for dinner
A fine audience greeted the ex-President
in the evening. The students turned out
in force, many of the fraternities attend
ing in u body. With "a few well-chosen
words President Angel introduced the
speaker. Referring to the fact that wheth-
er in office or out of ii the general would
ident' Harrison. Before entering on his
address General Harrison complimented
the students of the University of Michigan
on the opportunities they here possess for
broad educational work. and also for the
privilege of having at their head one of
the greatest college presidents in the world.
This remark caused the students to burst
into enthusiastic applause.
II
General Harrison spoke in his usual
forceful manner. saying in part:
Soberness in thought. and a fingerboard,
are among the needs of educated young
men. There is Il tendency to sprint and kick
and tackle and TO high jumping that, in the
intellectual field at least needs to be re-
strained. The rush line and the flying
wedge must be used with discrimination in
moral and intellectual strifes. In them the
aim should not be to run down an adver-
sary. but to lift him up. The leader of any
great reform should combine the zeal of
a crusader with the wisdom of Solon. |
shall not attempt so much 10 indicate
needed reforms as TO point out reasons why
some needed reforms are not accomplished.
"Five-sixths of the voters of the country
favor revision OF corporation laws, limit
ing the purposes for which corporations
may be organized. supervising the issuing
of stocks and bonds, and putting other re-
straints upon them. An even larger pro-
portion of our people would give their en-
phatic support to the proposition that tax
burdens should fall equally upon all prop
erty. But they do not so every one knows.
Lands. houses live stock and impleme Is
of trade cannot be hidden. Stocks and bonds
can be and the assessor has no way of
checking the list. take these two subjects
corporation and tax law reforms-as IL
Illustrations of the nefficiency of our legis-
lative methods. Let us search out some of
the obstructive influences.
Under our loose laws corporations have
greatly multiplied We now have cor
porations engaged in conducting, not only
railroads and banks, but almost every form
of manufacturing or mercantile adventure.
and are found in every locality. This large
body of investors. managers and employees,
is composed of individuals of more than
the average influence, especially when
stirred into activity by large personal in
terest. This influence will clearly be thrown
against any unjust or destructive legisla-
ton and very much of 1t against any re-
strictive legislation. In fighting. unjust leg
islatiOn they will have many disinterested
allies. There must he fairness II the sup
port of just and intelligent men is invoked.
We must remember. first. that the people
have not only authorized but invited the
organization of and investment in these
corporations: second. that the bankruptcy
of any legitimate business is public in
jury; third that we must take things as
our unwisdom. or that of our fathers has
made them-as to the past we can do lit
tie more than mend; fourth. that the work
of reforming our corporation laws Is not for
apprentices: fifth. that corporation law
should he general-it is neither wise nor
safe to assume that a particular case is a
representative one. and TO administer the
remedy promiscuously: sixth. that in pub
lie affairs. the best attainable good Is the
thing to be sought; seventh, that the legis-
lation must be just.
WEAK POINTS IN LEGISLATURES.
''The inadequacy Of our legislatures to
deal with a systematic and congruous re-
vision OF the laws has many Illustrations.
even where they sit in unlimited sessions.
In about three-fourths of the States the
legislatures meet biennially. The sessions
in a majority of the States are limited to
an average of about sixty days. The leg
islatures and their committees sit amid po-
litical and social distractions, and the men,
bers have neither the time nor the mental
frame for great constructive work i'm legis-
lation. 1t may be said that they should de-
vote their time before the session to the
study of such questions and so they should
But such questions tax and corpora
ton reforms are not TO be solved by indi-
vidual investigators. There must be a COM
parison of views. debate and the hearing
OF all interests to be affected. If crudty
and confusion are TO be escaped. The leg
islaton will be subjected to the fire of the
ablest legal minds of the country as 10
its consttutionality and the Interpretation
of it's provisions. There must be not only
pathological skill. but a competent ac-
quaintance with the materia medca Ignor-
ance, hySterla ana spite are not the pro-
genitors of good Legislation. y convention
resolution and statute are quite different
things. our Legislators are chosen from dis
tricts. not from the State at large Each
member knows. or thinks he knows what
his district wants. brotherly reciprocity is
established and much log-rolling legislation
is enacted
THE true constitutional idea that every
senator and representative represents i'm
state legislatures the State. and in Con
greSs the Nation. seems 10 be losing its
power Consideration ought To be given 10
the information which member may give
as 10 the local status, but when the in
formation has been presented every con-
scientious member must. under his oath
vote his own convictions of the Justice or
injustice. cOnstitutionality or unconstitu-
tionality of the proposed measure In Con
gress the House of Representatives has a
leadership and a Self-imDosed restraint on
discussion. The Senate has neither The
House acts quickly-the Senate talks and
does not act at ALL IL there is an obstinate
minority. \ large legislative body i'm which
any member my at any time bring UP any
subject and speak upon II at any length
is certain 10 be impulsive. erratic and un-
safe.
According TO the last annual report of
Controller Roberts. in the State of New
York the equalzed taxable value of real
estate in 1895 was nearly four billions: that
OF personal property less than half bill
lion. and yet IL is we'll known that the per-