The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-10-23
FIRST ANNUAL EXERCISES
Concentrating the One Hun
dred and Fiftieth Year
OF NEW JERSEY COLLEGE
Now Known as Princeton-Grover Cleveland
the Orator of the Day-Ris
Speech in Part.

4
nual exercises in commemoration of the
day when charter was granted to the
college of New Jersey, were held this
| afternoon in Alexander Hall. Two thou
sand people were present on that occa-
sion, which was made one of signal inn
portance by the address of Grover Cleve-
land, ex-president of the United States,
and Lord Aberdeen, encouragement
of Canada.
One hundred and fifty odd years ago
the province of New Jersey granted the
college, which afterwards assumed its
name, a charter authorizing the begin
ming of the institution of learning which
became Princeton university last Octo-
Der, and the exercises were for the two
of the College of New Jersey and its
evolution to Princeton university.
Mr.. Cleveland said in part:
Mr.. President and Ladies and Gentlemen:
In the few words / shall speak today
there shah be no attempt to lead you
into untrodden fields of thought or point
out new truths. l not only believe that
if 1 should enter upon such an under
taking l would be guilty Of bold pre-
sumption, but it seems to me we can
quite as probably improve the time we
spend together in renewing our ac-
quaintance with some old truths and
recalling their relationship to human
life and effort In following this sug-
estion we shall manifeStly find it easier
If we start from familiar ground and
take our departure from some well
known landmark.
With this Introduction I hope | may
be tolerated in the announcement that L
propose to submit on this occasion some
simple reflections concerning the self
made man. There has been SO much
said of him ait random, and he has been
so often presented as an altogether Won
derful being, that it is not strange If
there exists in some quarters an entire
Misrepresentation of the manner of his
creation and an exaggerated idea of his
nature and mission.
A romantic and sentimental glamor
has enveloped him, magnffying his pro-
portions and causing him to appear
much larger and in every way greater
than other men; and the notion seems
to be current that his size and great
ness are the direct results of the froWns
of fortune which deprived him OF edu-
cational advantages and doomed him to
travel to success by a road rugged with
obstacles and difficulties. OF course, in
this view success is a necessary factor
in the existence of this self-made man;
for, unless he accompliShes something
not altogether commonplace and usual,
he is deemed unworthy of the name.
xl,t 81 70
find that success alone, If reached after
a fierce struggle with difficulties and
disadvantages, should lead by familiar
ity and easy association to a SORT or navy
conception that these difficulties and dis
advantages were not merely incidents
but positive aids ITO such success.
l desire here to explicitly and emphat-
ically express my respect and admira-
ton for those who have won honorable
success in spite of discouraging sur
roundings, and who have made them
selves great and useful in their day and
generation, through the sheer force or
indomitable will and courage. Nothing
can be more noble and heroic than their
struggles and nothing can be more IN
spring and valuable than their exam
pie and achievements, and Whatever
NAV be their measure of success, their
Willingness to undergo hardships to win
it demonstrates that they have in their
nature the fiber and lasting qualtles
that make strong men. But while we
thus pay a deserved tribute to true
manliness, we by no means admit the
fanciful notion that the difficulties That
stood in the way of these self-made men
were essential to their success. They
were obstacles which they overcame
and thus won distinction and honor.
rThousa nds of others have been DIS
courag ed by these same eDSracieS ana
found an appropriate place among duli-
ards and drones 1t is true that many
eager men have laid the foundations or
future usefulness and greatness in s-uuy
between the hours of their ls'oor Tor
bread and by the light OF a pine Knot OF
open fire pEace, but many othSlS nave
spent the same time mot more proditably
.han in careless, sleepy indobence, ana
haye by the same Eight undermined their
mental and moral health with vile DOCKS
and companionship and In learning the
first lessons in vice. We have all seen
hia ndsorne and quite deliberately carved
articles or trinkets which wSre made en-
tirely with a pocket knife.
AS curiosities, They challenge our in
terest because of the ingenuity of their
construction with such a simple tool;
but we do not re2 ard Them as more use
full foa that reason: nor do we for a mo-
ment suppose tl1a'5 the pocket knife was
essential to their construction, or that
their beauty or merit would have been
diminished by the use of more effective
her, too, in considering those who sue
coed, Notwithstanding difficulties, that
not all successes, even though so gained,
are of that useful and tlevating kind
that should excite our admiration.
The churlish clurmudgeon, who by
sharp practices and avaricious dealings,
has alirlaissed a fortune, should not be
permitted to cajole us by boasting of
his early privations and sordid sslf-de-
NAL; We are at liberty to resent in any
case the attempt to cover multitude of
sins with the cloak of the self made
man by playing upon our regard for the
worth and labor that conqueTs ussful
and honorable career; nor should the
successful political halck he allowed to
distract attention from damaged char
aoaer by parading his humble origin,
his lack of early advantages and the
struggles of his boyhood, as ind p and;n
| and sufficient proofs that he is entitled to
our suffrage.
The truth is, THE merit of The success
full man who has struggled with difficult
ties and Disadvantages, must be judged
by the kind of success he has achieved,
by the use he makes of it and by its eff
feet upon his character and life If his
success is clean and wholesome, VI he