The record-union., 1897-10-09
The Bradley PoIytechnicaI Institute
Dedicated.
A Great Thr0ng Witness the Interesting
Ceremonies
Secretary of the Treasury Lyman
j. Gage Delivers an Eloquent
Address on the Purposes and
Possibilities OF Polytechnic
Training.

PEORIA QlI), Oct. S.-A great throng
assembled here to-day to witness the
ceremonies attending the dedication OF
| the Bradley Polytechnical Institute, to
which a wealthy Peoria lady. Mrs. Ly-
dia Bradley, has given S250.000, and
| to listen to the various addresses. OF
these, the most noteworthy and that
which the assembled thousands natur-
ally listened to with especial interest,
was the speech of Hon. Lyman ]. Gage,
Secretary of the Treasury. 1t was par
ticularly will received, every pause
and period being punctuated with ap
plause. Mr.. Gage said in part:
THE common phenomena of the sun
lifting by it's invisible powers the wat
ers of the seas into the higher atInOs-
phere, and drifting winds pushing their
burden of moisture to the high noun
tains and hills, the falling rains, the
renewed rivulets and streams, the. fer
tilted meadows and fields through
which they run back again to their
resting place in the sea-these phe-
nomena rise in my mind as fairly typi-
cal of the series of phenomena which
receive their visible expressions here to-
day.
This magnificent institution, to-day
dedicated to posterity, is not the re-
suit Of an accident. Back of it some
where in the years may be read the
story of self denial from the effort of
industry and enterprise cooperating
with natural forces in gathering up the
elements of wealth. Here and now
this gathered force has broken in rich
blessing on our land. Fertilized by it's
benign influence, mental life will here
be quickened and new powers of pro-
ductiOn will be brought into existence
These again uniting the powers of skill,
genius and enterprise with natures
forces, will become new producers Of
wealth, and so widely used the benig-
nant round of gathering and of distri-
button may go on forever.
Compare this movement working in
true harmony with that law of ascend
ing spirals, which Mr.. Emerson graph
ically describes, with another and more
familiar movement, beginning in pow
erty and ending in waste and shame.
1t is thus described by a quondam. yet
observant philosopher: Poverty he
says, spurs to industry, industry Gre
ates wealth, wealth induces luxury,
luxury breeds effeminancy, effeminancy
ends in poverty, and so the eternal
round is accomplished
The noble endowment to-day. ded-
lcated not to ease and self Indulgence,
not to luxury and it's debiIitating con-
sequences, but dedicated to higher ends
and uses, to the educating Of the mind,
to the skill of the hand, to the forma-
ton of character, is lifted up in sub
lime contrast to the lower and self
centered round just described. Furth-
er than this, it is an eloquent protest
against the acquisition of great wealth
for the narrow and improbable use OF
it in personal aggrandizement alone 1t
is even more than this. With other
noble endowments coming more and
more into view, as the moral response
bility of accumulated fortune is more
fully realized, it constitutes a good
promise of a happier future, when the
power which accumulated wealth gives
will be joyfully exercised, not in con-
ferring benefits upon narrow group,
bearing the same family name, but will
be exercised in comforting benefits upon
all who by virtue of common ancestry
spring up; it may be far back in the
Hills of God are yet members of an
other in the great family of man."
At the conclusion of Secretary Cages
address the institute was presented to
the Trustees by the founder, Mrs. Lydia
Bradley. and accepted in their behalf
by their President, Oliver j. Bailey. An
address in behalf of the faculty was
delivered by w. r. Harper, President
of the University of Chicago, who is
also President of the faculty of the
Bradley Institute.
The building is a very handsome and
spacious one of white stone, and near
by is another large edifice of the same
material, which viii be occupied by an
Horological Institute under the control
of the same Board of Trustees. A num-
ber of prominent educators from
abroad, including college Presidents,
were in attendance.
Mrs. Gage accompanied Secretary
Gage to the city and was given lunch at
the residence of ]. B. Greenhut, Pres
ident of the Oil Distillers' and Cattle
Feeding Company. Mr.. Gage was ten
dered brief reception at the National
Hotel. After the exercises Mr.. and Mrs.
Gage departed for Nashville, Tenn.
Ex-PRESIDENT CLEVELAND.
II