The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-09-20
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
President AIderman's Ad-
dress to the Students.

students. with a number of the Faculty
and citizens of the village. gathered 70
hear the annual address of the President.
1t was an inspiring sight 10 see eatnerei
together 50 many strong. earnest. en-
thusiastic young men, full of desire Tor
earning and enthusiasm and loyalty Tor
the University. President Alderman
spoke to them for an hour and received
IN enthusiastic reception. He welcomed
them to the great fellowship Of the u
yersity and spoke Of the duties ana r.
sponSibiliticS that rested upon them pA
reason of this fellowship. The first part
of his address was devoted to the If" OF
college Students. The last part was Il
consideration of some lessons to be learn
ed from the recent SpanlSh-AmcricaH
war. He spoke of the increased respect
the conduct Of the war had given us III
the eyes of foreign nations. Of the hu-
mainly which har marked its progress.
and Of the elevation of the moral tone -
the youth Of the lane through the eN-
ampleS Of such young men as liobSon,
Bagley and Shipp. He discussed the
grave responsibilities resting upon the ma
ton in the new problems of the admins
~tration of the foreign lands that had
fallen to it through the might of on"
arms. He declared that the first lesson
to be learned from the war WAS the
lesson that even in military affairs the
trained mind and the raine conscience
were the determining elements of sue
cess. and that the war was not really
a war between Spain and the United
States, but between education and IL
litcracy. He concluded his speech with
the following statement of the part that
institutions of learning had to play i'll
our development:
1T is Il common tendency Of men to
think of the days that lie behind them
as the stirring eventful times. but it is
Tot wholly 50. 1t was indeed good to
have been young with Dante III Italy
III that sweet morning time of the hui
man spirit. 1t was good to have been
young with Shakespeare III England.
when the bud of our glorious race was
bursting into flower, but it is equally
good to be young now and to have OPP
portunity and to walk with knowledge
when Il new world is rounding into shape
before our very eyes and q strange new
century is calling in our ears. when the
westward march of empire has doubled
up upon itself and the stored East is
falling to pieces before the impulses of
humanity and adventure and trade. It
Is indeed something to be alive and
young and to have power when the flag
Of the great Republic has advanced so
high in the heavens that the eyes of all
peoples behold its stars and perceive.
some with dread and some with pride
through the vividness of war. the noise
less might that dwells within its folds.
lpllftlnG and expansive as all this is.
compelling us not to shirk any reSpOn-
slblllty forced upon us by the might of
our own arms, we should not be doluded
by it into following the career of an i'm
rerlal freebooter. h~owsOeyer fascinating
that career may seem.
Our manifest destiny is peace. Just
50 surely as Greece spread abroad her
beauty and her art. shall we preach the
doctrine OF human sympathy. not as a
term Of sentiment but as a political *
preston. AS the Roman cast his net-
work Of law about the world we shall
prove the fitness Of democracy as tho
1lnal form of government. BY demo-
cracy, mean equal opportunity. not
equal possessions for nature. by inpyor.
able degree, has endered that forever
impossible. And as the Englishman cs-
tabl1shed many of the primary rights Of
men. we shall devote our unmeas ,rad
strength to the problems of industry and
economies, Of wealth and poverty. of La
Dor ana capital. Has this University Sit
ING 50 still and quiet here among the
uetS' OF mas any University. a part 10
play III the vital struggle? You sbouId
KNOW that out of such quiet Ilacas have
come Inc creative movements and thn
creative men Of the world. Adam SMITH
ana Martin Luther. Isaac Newton and
'onh Wesley. Spcculatcd and STRUGGLED
'id PRAYED III such places. From such
sl"'S come the captains Of thought. IN
u'Stry. faith and enthusiasm that mouId
the world. ~
''if motto here is Lux Libortos
iiere the truth is sought whether in ma
lufe, III literature, III law or in society |
i1ere IS where sanity reigns and iudr-
mcnt Is sober and liberation prevails mi
humility seems a virtue. Here we wouId
see things straight and clear with vi.inn
"hdllnmed by passion or prejudice or
~salotfE. Hero men may meet on the low
= u 'qoal opportunity and may rise
- ne might OF merit TO the
quiet power Of Christian manhood
| University is 4 mighty niaco of
machinery. but 1t can never be an oro,n
or a propaGandist. It does not stand fnr
'ie rlch as against the poor. nor for tha
poor as against the rich. but for III
t.' poor alike. that each may know tLo
best of the other. 1t does moi et,nd -
''ld 70 any breeze Of popular doIuSion I
'ii ra'lef 7" withstand, and to lead tbo
l'"ll" IN quiet ways to the larger viar.
> GOES not exist t. lie snuoIv ,r,i
cosby IN the arms of power. bpt ,,thn.
- Ielllhd power Of its high duty. 10 an
Ii'N' Nh'h ina power is noblv usod
- ,"l'uenIh Whel UNANIMOUSLY put forth
"n''n'T ny states or individuals.
\ University is n discororo
truth. :: tDlSGrVHtGr of a..
seed. 4 missionary of do,na. u
S''rc-h"lSe Of high traditions II -
- passion save for the truth ana 49,
pel.erincht Of men. no warfare 49,
'.'lHSt ignorance, no enemies savo tbo.o
- = oark- Born Of the people no,r-
lShed by the commonwealth. if standS
u servant, but not as the slave of
~ pupllc good. fortunate if if can
lt"'n OUT strong hands Of help TO al
It1 w III