The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-07-03
THE LAW OF ADVANCE AND THE GOSPEL OF WORK.
Commencement Day Address Delivered by Gov. J. 2.
Rogers, at Washington Agricultural College,
Pullman, Wash. June %, 1898.

u
mako himself Every man his own Gre
sLor. Waat nonsense, He comes into
the world protesting with al. his puny
might against the fate which thus thrusts
life upon him. and he leaves IL against his
vii! and Only because he must.
The law Of advance which forces man in
the mass TO go forward is the most stu
peN dous fact that can occupy the attention
OF thoughtful men. individuals may per-
ish. may fail! may become mere dust in
the Balance OF time. bat the race will go
forward is finally. in the far cons OF the
future. to become the arbiter OF its own
destiny. But ali is not yet plain sailing.
There Is beautiful story by the famous
nE. johnson. which il you have not read I
titled 'Rasselas. or the Happy Valley
] have not read II for years myself My
copy j. lost, has been stolen-or borrow
edA-which may be the same thing. / re-
rsMber, however. very wei the lesson
taught. and taught very beautifully. too.
II is the futility OK human hopes and
wishes, Rasselas was the imaginary prince
Of AbysslnIa. who. after great difficulty.
finally became the possessor of all that
HIS eyes could perceive or his heart de-
sire And yet he was most miserable. The
story II told in such way that we are
forced to see, as In mirror. our own
eager. longing. wistful selves. To see too
that the day which beho,ds us in full pos
session OF all upon which We have set our
and happiness. II Is lesson which each
nnisf~ learn for himself. And vet ii Is a
lesson which no one ever fully realizes.
To his latest day man successfully de-
ceiveS himself. That Il Is better farther
On We are convinced. That the future has
much OF good laid up for us we all be-
lieve. And It is we'll that it is So. even
though at las. we are forced to say with
the preacher: Vanity of vanities. all is
vanity. For when hope Is dead the
man has ceased to be-
The pursuit of happiness is thus the nat
nrai. and therefore reasonable and proper
occupation OF men. Indeed. presume no
thoughtful person will for a moment ques-
ton the fact that all men do seek happi-
true do this In ways which 10 us appear
shortssghted. foolish Or wicked and yet II
We examine closely We shall see that the
thief steals with the insane desire OF add
Ing to the sum of his future enjoyment.
so, too. with the se!f-denying enthusiast:
ne also desires to lay up trea:sure-some-
where.
Hope of SUCCESS OF some kind thus be-
comes the very base and foundation stone
OF all healthful mental life. And every
man lives In his thoughts Indeed will
go farther and say that every animal lives
also IN its thoughts and hopes Destroy
AL hope of the future in your horse or
your dog, and as a horse or asa a dog these
animals have ceased TO DO valuable. either
to you or 10 themselves.
Man lives TO acquire. Something more
he must have. Gradual. even though slow.
betterment OF condition il the unvarying
and absolute demand of his nature. This
mast b. met or harm results. Nothing
takes the place of this with any man.
Hope must live within Destroy THE and
the man has lost all reason for existence.
Liberty first. then opportunity for further
gain. This is the law. No matter what
place the reasonable man may occupy in
the mental or ..ocia@ scale liberty and op-
postunity satisfy and content him with
his surroundings Unparalleled hardships
oaiy serve to make the successful gold
hunter hilarious Hope buoys him mp.
Life and an opportunity to acquire
This II IL to iive And this suffices for us
is slowly Increasing his little store Is the
sure support Of that government. what
ever ia form, which assures him his small
opportunity. And such support as his is
any age or time. Founded upon anything
else II ia sure 10 fall. The scholar will con-
tent himself so long as knowledge with
him Increases The merchant is satisfied
while gains continue. RasseIas was I'M
happy because requirement had come to
an end. Alexander wcpt for more worlds
IN conquer. The natural law OF advance
deeply implanted in mans nature could
MOI lee satisfied. Nature has ever her re-
xengess In store. We cannot outwit her.
The one essential and imperative Condi-
ton which must he met In our treatment
OF ourselves. and In the settlement of the
ptobicsns of society ~ this: The law OF
advance must rule with us. We milest con
tthtie 10 acquireN-in some field. The old
and tho ignorant lose heart and interest
in life piiilcipaaly-and this la reason
cisough-bccatso unable to improve. 10 ac-
qisire. The enc absolutely essential thing
10. DC done for the great ''unaerworld"
for suffering humanity. Ia TO rscreate hope
within the hearts OF men This can he
effected IN one way only; By securing
for them the ability the opportunity 10
improve. 10 acquire IL this cannot be
done al IA uselesss
You. too. as scholars. as ambitious be-
gtnners In the work Of the World. are
hound by the same law Advance must
continue. Sgagnatton is death. When at
last The wheels Of life stand stilI all is
ovl,r end the dream Is a, an end, Move
ttnue? Answering this. ] have but one
remedy to propose. I; is an old one. Hut
vary true. preach the gospel ~ work
Work Is she exertion az physical strength
~. mental effort \ gospel is Goi-speli
or good story. \ recount of the advan-
isses Of work Is a rehearsal of glad TIL
ing~ indeed. We AL desire 80 accomplish
stsyllc hat In tho scheme ot things Ru; a
rnerc auEuid desire tn nv OF use I'm the
world awaits hat sittle- one Who is weak
~ Ia the night is In th~ events ~ the day
no ulatcA for him who. though IN the
wong, has az tnrincihie determination tn
n, ths evil Fer IN the ,irsta;a 81 things
already uD:nlied in the history ~ the past
We s.e force everywhere triumphant To
tats ther" i uo exception since tim" ae-
Il on~ nrs'-'r. Ihcr' IL the force piyS al
Ne, ~esU'stjtF So 03tns pounds ia weight
= SVEN uaeaS;i5a of ErayitatIon, tie hetv-
Ter hattsdioA~, IN" large guns And ;oo
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ftscfal ~ the I'VE th~ istter IS the rt,,F..
pewrFtul bat h"to AZ" - be - kone
Z
src tavtorS iU th" p:nhl"u5 To succeed 80
IRE s-aftle a.. Ufc. Tor Hfp IL Indeed a war
s~ W. UHst ~ Supplied win ont cr ats
oth.r. ar both of these /. We nsNt ng.tb-
80 rVr deem IS already scaled anal o3it e;,s-
- r'Ts y - y ~tften. Force. If s,,0ts kind
always 50 v"t3s N instance In t}. -ar-
ttFrN = -}s1u f.Hpft Ur ever ~iit bsr rr-
sd TIE eternal Avs az t:s~i are t.sIsa
70 'Hftfc s. 6" "a" swift and fhe strong
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apat n'i - intellectual Aei:r-.-.Ss or moral
roavr- Aut moral frrtr uet nutv MAKES
t5T iatar.-s ~4reN~ strong as steel utlt
E~seAe$s"> test sAht}e all Is,ttK t3iuz power
~H}ch 'cStirs }ts l>.~s+.~~sr 10 enter al.
fpy; eS~S ot =, ,He otN N~akve{sE 8na 3s-{-
nsajt"E has - ks Fet-- taea. Is e. rsa
in every ,t-sE~tr EEon tAl~ t1ere is 40
s>>a''s Ea sscre@-l We mast nave greater
:oHce pt e"Tse klc5 tnaa ,h4t a - oppose,
AMI ~ 'uaSt oppose he wav has no
stosaa p for t'" akat - litn ~ao hopes
- some t4Trvnk breeze upor Whost.
~Ioss hv fist l- waited fe a haven -
49, asaY A. ~ ~.sp -vtlse Further ,,~..-
tt'tar" N}it - .ratt1 }et Ns1hoa: regard
IL 7NH 81 ff f-ft tatt e~V Aa wei
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/ 2 3t- - ili oot s.ifslcv. Sou;~t1 4ng r3ore l.
re~toA x - this Az lnYi-cib3- deter.
naiAAu"n - s.cc~f1. Good resolutions
neker rNecU-s th~Gssei YES. Maay ma