The age-herald., 1897-10-12
Was the Pioneer in ConsoIidatinq
 Railroad Companies.
HIS REQUEST TO THE uNIvL -sIrY
Which Bears His Name Remembered in A Tribute Which Will Stand for Ages "Reminiscences of the Man Who
 Admired Pluck and Push.

Nashville, Oct. 11-An immense and enthusiastic audience packed the au- ditoTium at the exposition grounds this afternoon to listen to the speech atteni- ing the dedication of the life-sized satue of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt to Vanderbilt university.
 The statue, which has been one of the nctable figures on the exposition grounds, was the gift of citizens of Nashville to the university. John W. Thomas, presi- dent of the committee of the Nashville exposition, presided, and in a fellcitious address presented the statue to the uni- versity.
 Chancellor Kirkland, of the university. made the address, acknowledging the bequest of the university.
 President Thomas then introduced Dr. Chauncey M. Depew amid chorus of college yells.
 pr. Depew and party, consisting of Mrs. Paulding, Miss Strutherid, Mrs. Vancourtland, MT. ard Mrs. H. w. Me- Vivar, after the ceremonies, were enter tdlilGd Oy &udL~f-hOT hllhldfiu dl u re- reption at his residence, attended by prominent citizens and the Vanderbilt university staff.
 MT. Depew said in part:
 Ladies and Gentleme l: The AmerI- car commonwealth is built upon the ln- dividual It recognizes neither classes nor masses. That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" are the words of the immortal Declaration of Inde- pendence. These truths are not only the language of American liberty They are interwoyen into the character of American citizens, who are taught from childhood and receive by inheritance the lesson that to secure these rights governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed" We nave thus become q nation of self-mado men. We live under just and equal laws and all avenues for a career are open. l. has become proyerb that there are but three generations from shirt sleeve to shirt sleeve" from the necessity to work to work from necessity. Neither the system of all the past by which the few were born to privilege and prop erty and the many to struggle and pri- vation, nor the advanced views of the present by which the capacity of tho weakest shall be the measure of suc- CESS permitted to the strong find any recognition in the workings Of our insti- tutions.
 Commodore Vanderbilt is a conspicu- ous example of the product and poss.- bilities of our free and elastic condi- tions. His father was 0 small farmer with a large family, and 1t beca; me nee essary for the son to look out for hin.- self when Or.linhri.E 1ia career would have been to work on until he could take a little farm for himself, run in debt for it, and labor half his life in the effort to pay off the mort gage But he knew of some and read of many who from the same beginnings had become successful in business. He was healthy and strong. His mother had confirmed him in good habits and principles. He had little education, but a marva'ously clear head and sound Judgment At sixteen, borrowing O hun dred dollars from his mother, he began the battle of life and he died the richest man in the world, with the reputation of having made more money than was ever before accumulated in a single life He had an exhaustless capital of cour- age and common sense. His motto was simple and straightforward, like every act in the wonderful drama of which he was the chief actor. What other men have done l can do," was the main- spring of his exertions.
 For sixty-six years Commodore Van derbilt was in perpetual warfare. He neither asked nor gave quarter. The same country, the same laws, the same open avenues, the same opportunities which he had before him were equally before every other man. The kesnest competition and the earnest rivalry of able and ambitious opponents met him at every step in his career. Wary ad- versaries were watching for weakness in his schemes, or a failure of his plans. Each day renewed an old fight or be- gan a new one. He was often checked. sometimes forced to retreat and take another position, but he was never de- feated. He ultimately remained master of the field and pushed straightforward to the accomplishment of his purposes. He was not the creation of luck nor chance nor circumstances.
 We must estimate the career and work of Cornelius Vanderbilt upon principles which are common to very few. He was much fmore than mere money maker: Hesqelighted in an oney making: power.s,, He said to me; T sometimes