The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-08-02

Coils p Huntington, the great rail-
WY nanager OF the Southwest. has
lately given forth some ideas about edu-
cation, which have drawn forth much
criticism, Some OF this criticism has
brought from him the explanation that
he does not consider that education is
harmful in itself; but he thinks that too
many young men spend the most valua-
BILE years OF their lives In the school room.
The mass OF boys, he declares, by carrying
the education beyond the point required
torenable them to cope with the practical
details of business, gain q positive dis
taste for labor that does not come under
tho head ''genteel" and as a result young
men are providing into poorly paid places
where they do not havs to soil their
hands er do manual labor. One thing
should be remembered about Mr.. Hunt
dngton. He Ia a practical man above all
else: and he looks at man rs a creature of
efficisncy rather than for ornament
Msny people win disagrss with his idea
tat we can have too many highly edu-
Gated men In America; aud will hold
that culture Is valuable Of itself, and
thnt we should mot k9eD our Ininds SO
much on the everlasting question OF bread
anu butter. II ali young men mad for
times from which they could be supported
it would be evident that Mr. Hunting
tons ideas are wrong. 1t Is shame for
a young man OF fortune not to have the
mental training which goes so far to
max ane useful and worthy OF the SO.
ciety of gentlemen of culture. But the
young man without fortune has q vastly
, different problem before him. There are
many definitions OF the word gentle
man. and as many ideas OF what tho
real article Is, 10 some the word sug-
gests dress end manners; to others truth
tenderness. History and fiction present to
us all sorts of gentiemen: the accom-
piished and self-denying Sidney; the
worldly Chesterfield; the delightful
Colonel Neweome; the awkward but
genuine Dobbin; the odd but generous
master of Bleak House. From such
characters current Ideas OF what Qualities
constitute gentleman ars made ap. Mr..
Huntington does not pretend to say how
kSabsCAnCi rutsAt pc cuuBtAhSQs uub yeb DlH
advice touches the very heart OF the mat
ter. For IL would seem TO be funda-
mental requirement Of ths. gentleman
that he shall endeavsr with all his in
teilsgence and might 10 meet his own
wants in the battle for exsstencs, and full
fiji thoss obligations which he assume s or
which dsvolEe upon him. 10 uss one of
the common expressions, he must carry
his and Of the log. And he must con-
scientiously endesvor to so order his life
that he can do 1t not only in the years OF
his prime, but through to the end. What
education can make gentleman of q
IMAM who dass not endeavor seriously and
earnestly to do thiss And can the lack of
sdaoatioa or the pursuit of any common
or humble employment rob the man who
dess SO eadenvor of one OF the Important
elssnents Of the title OF geataemans Mr..
Huntington's point, Ii we understand II
Alright, is that too many young men, by
teo great extravaganza Of effort to attain
tbs 'sgsnteel' places are putting them.
selves in positions where they eannot SUP,
port themselves and Inest the obligations
which lifs brings to Ksvery man. We be
Here that this view Ia correct, and thai
~ ryday experience supports 1t.