The times., 1897-04-13
Mr.. BRYAN TO STUDENTS
An Address ON the Principles of
Coed Government.
AT COLUMBIAN UNIVERSITY
The Great Democratic Leader Fel.c-
itously Introduced by Justice Har-
Orator His scholarly Exposition
OF an Important Subject.

Hon. william j Bryan fulfilled last night
his promise made last February to address
the Columbian University Law School. 1t
was intended that President Whitman, OF
the University, should introduce Mr. Bryan
on this occasion, the alternate dates OF
the nth and 14th of April having been
selected, on either Of Which Dr. Whit
man had consented TO present the speaker
The change of date to last night, when Dr.
Whitman had a pressing engagement in
Baltimore, gave the pleasure OF the intro
duction To Justice Harlan, OF the Supreme
Court.
OF course, there was as large audience
in the lecture room and its galleries as
they could conveniently hold, and the
same was true OF the inner and outer cor
ridors and the pavements near the splendid
building OF the university Each OF the
students had two tickets Ton distribution,
but the issuance of ten or more was not a
very difficult matter for law student, and
it looked very much, considering the mass
of plumes, ribbons and one thing and an
other Of Jhat kind on the floor and in the
galleries that at least 100 per cent OF the
young lawyers had over,irawn their ticket
accounts. At any rate, il was decidedly
interesting audience. There is always
room f0r ladies at the university. This
was manifest by a look at the stage, the
background Of which was a row OF Us
tTich tips and artificial Foses, mostly red,
and ribbons and trimmings, mostly green.
The committee OF arrangements, how
ever, handled all things and most OF the
people with great care and consideration
so that. Notwithstanding the immense jam,
there was no disaster. The pla torn on
which Mr. Bryan spoke has been built for
eternity, although he did ask one of the
committee if ii was "a safe platform to
stand on-that is, physically"
On the stage besides the speaker of the
evening were Justice Harlan, Justice
Brewer Prof lodge, MIR W + Mattingly,
Joseph + Daniels, Congressman Terry,
McRae, DeGaffenried, Bartlett, Ball, pro
fessorS of the law school, ANA the mothers,
sisters, and certain prospective rela-
tives Of the students OF the law school
Generally speaking, it was what the cam
paign reporter would call a Bryan
crowd" There was tremendous lot OF
sPffervesccnt Organism in the gallery, not to
ne InvidiOus to the wild cheering of the
men ana theSoprano demonstrations o n the
floor
Mr. Bryan did not come on time he
had been dining with Senator Jones, chair
man of tie national Democratic executive
committee, and that was considered a
sufficient excuse. The committee of ar
rangements, however, found Mr.. Bryan
there and brought him along in triumph
TO the hail, where he was received with
the most tumultuoas applause, including
the specialties OF the Columbian University
Before Mr.. Brvan's arrival, however, there
was tedium, as the boys kept things
1;vely, every student who came in with
q lady being vociferously cheered as he
disposed her in one Of the reserved seats.
Justice Harlan introduced Mr.. Bryan
felicitously, the introducer himself, who
is persona gratissima at the institution,
having been first given an ovation. Jus
tice Harlan said:
Gentlemen OF the Law School (great
laughter and applauseJ: ] put it in that
form because in the regular course of the I
proceedings of this institution / would
have been here at this time considering
with you OF the law department the sub
feet of torts daughter and applause) but
II gave me great pleasure to surrender my
place upon this occasion that you and
those whom You might invite here should
Lave the pleasure of hearing the diStI
guishcd gentleman who is your guest this
evening. %Applause.) We have heard in
our times great deal about silver-tongued
orators tapplause), and ] think that you
will agree with me that the distinguished
gentleman who is your guest tonight may
lay very peculiar claim to that diStinc-
tion." tApplause,)
You have asked me TO introduce him
on this occasion, but surely a man such as
he is, who has had the honor OF receiving
more than 5000, 900 Of the votes for the |
highest office in the gift OF the American
people, needs no formal introduction to AN
American audience. (applausel, and, there |
fore, all that need TO say to you is that |
the gentleman who is to address you is |
the Hon William Jennings Bryan, OF the |
State of Nebraska" {Applause and cheers |
Mr. Bryan was, as usual, received with |
the biggest kind Of enthusiasm, large |
proportion of the present kind being OF |
The particularly interesting quality above /
indicated. He began by expressing his |
peculiar pleasure in addressing the stu |
dents of this university, and stating the /
difficulty of making a special subject |
pleasing to all of the clements of an audi
ence There are some questions, however, /
he said, which concern us all, such as the /
welfare of society and the other questions
OF government on which it is based Il
want to invite your attention, therefore,
to some OF the forms of government, but
am not going TO make any application OF
general principles, because in the applica-
tion we find the difficulties which lead to |
party differences"
Such a subject he regarded as one of |
special interest to students, who were one |
day to take an active interest in public
affairs. lie was opposed to the idea that
great scholarship had no place in public
life and its affairs.
There was no danger in education If too
great a self-esteem did not usurp the place
of brain Students should bear in mind
that education was not given to them for
their use alone, but also for the use OF
those tc whom they are tied in the re-
Iations Of life. Paraphrasing Scriptural
quotation, he said that those who would
try always TO save themselves in the selfish
sense would lose their lives. In learning
and discussing the principles OF govern
meut,' he said, 1T is essential that you
should take away from your college or
proper ideas of what your gov
ernment is and ought to be.
jackson said in one OF his ffIst messages
hat there are no evils. no necessary evils
n government; that the evils exist only |
from the abuse Of government; and that
s an idea that L wish i could impress on