The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-10
WE OF THE WEST"
Mr.. NichOlsOn's Lecture I'm the Monte
fore Course.

Mr.. Meredith Nicholson gave the first lee
ture last evening in the free Montefiore
course at the Market-street Temple. His
subject was I'VE OF the West" and in the
paper. which was admirable in thought and
phrase, he pictured the people of this coun-
try, their cosmopolitan character, their
worth, their danger and their prospects
The pressure and drift of population has
always been to the West, first from the
Orient to the west shores of Europe and
then from there TO this country, where
first the Atlantic was fringed with popu-
lation which finally passed across the con-
tinent to the Pacific. The question was
asked, what have we DONE what are we
doing and what are we hoping to do to
magnify the destiny OF our country? There
are problems of peace as well as of poll
tics which demand serious attention. Amer
ica's experience is that it never begins re-
forms until the evils are crimes. The speak
er mentioned the Tammany tiger, which
was finally downed and the reforms which
have been brought about in New York by
Theodore Roosevelt. The Importance of get
ting competent men in control of the gov
eminent was another important point He
reviewed socialism, and held up to rdicule
the theater hat and other laws and said
that lit is such as these that are liable
to bring the law into contempt" The peo-
pie of this country take pride in the big
gest," and as an example he gave the il
lustration of the people in this city show
ing the monument and the Statehouse and
passing without comment churches and
other places of beauty. Mr.. Nicholson paid
a high tribute to the reporters of the press
and argued that the way to- get better pa
pers. better theaters. better hooks and bet
ter things in general is to educate the peo-
pie to better things. An earnest desire to
learn he held TO be better than a college
education and he mentioned i. Ii. Aldrich,
X. w. Glider General Lew Wallace. James
whitcomb Riley and Maurice Thompson as
noncollege men.
Mr.. Nicholson read. after speaking of
people, Written in chag 5 and OF b
Wanderer" written by Eugene Field in
1883. in both of which the touch of the
read was High Tide at Gettysburg" by
Will III. Thompson, which is full of the
spirit of a strong, brave man" Mental
hospitality is a thing TO cultivate" said Mr..
Nicholson. ''willful eccentricity is what we
must avoid. We want things pure and of
good report" There are great opportunities
in America for n full life. but study clubs
ne likened TO the squelching of individual
ism and TO a merry go-round. All get on
and ride, but do not assist anywhere. The
speaker pleaded for simpler lives. There
are fnOit tlliliSSf III lilO itpy
| laeum than were dreamed of by the
saints" he thought. Wholesome. clean lives
| are needed and in securing this. nasty pa
| pers and pictures must GO More privacy
| is needed. In a few words he pictured
| life in city fiat. where the children play
| on the roof and the father goes to his home
| in balloon. Mr.. Nicholson was applauded
| at frequent intervals for his expressions
| and for his reading of poems At the close
there was burst of long continued APP
| plause.
MIR. Charles w. Smith will give the next
lecture of the course Thursday evening.
March %, on THE Jew--by Christian"