New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-23
FAITH IN NATIONS FUTURE.
PRESIDENT LOW SPEAKS ON COND1-
rroN OF THE COUNTRY.
ADDRESS BEFORE UNIVERSITY OF PENN
sYLVHNIA-PRAIsE FOR THE PHESi-
pENr-sHoULD DEVELOP SELF
GOVERNMENT IN PHILIPPINES.

phuadelnhia Feo. 0-Washingtons fShthuay
vas celebrated with exercises ct the Academy OF
rrr.,o unoer. the auspices Of the University OF
p.nnsvrvania About two thousand students
marched in procession from the university 10 'he
academy and enIivened the day'with their coHese
sonrp and class slogans.
,rhe sxercises at the academy opened with prayer
nv P,.h.p, OH w Whitaker. and the students IN
chor,. sang the National hymn. America ana
a.. university hymn. Hail Pennsylvania
The orator Of the occasion was DR. Setn Low
oresIdent of Columbia University lie was intro
H,,ced 10 the audience by Provost Charles T. HAITI
son of the University OF Pennsylvania me SUD
,.ct OF President Lows address was The United
s,.t..,,n 1899" He began with reference TO the
fact that the University OF pennsylvania was
foundedtn 1853. one year before King Coheee' no"
(,oumbiaNyniyersity. and that the Rev DIT Samuel
Johnson of Connecticut, who was the first Presl-
don't OF the latter, had been invited 10 MI lhe
same ONCE at the Pennsylvania college. lie con-
tipued with comparison OF the growth OF inc
two institutions and the corresponding INK De-
.ween New-York and Philadelphia in tho history OF
the Nation.
HOW PRESIDENT BORE THE BURDEN.
ct recall that year ago. in this place and on
This occasion" said President Low, we Were
,,s,.rirg IN the earnest and patriotic words
.. President Mckinley. 1t was only one
week after the unhappy destruction OF the
Maine in tho harbor OF Havana What page u
our National history has been written since. Inc
actin
zion year ago was characteristic or his attituoe'
- q, xea,ns TO me- during the whole OF that fateful
epring. Nothing that he could nave zone "ouiu
have contributed more Importantly 10 quietiHs 'ne
nublic mind at that juncture than MS appearance
here az such a moment to speak the calm ana
measured words which we had the pleasure OF
hearing Only one who has tried 10 meet calmly
sucb an occasion. with a great burden OF anxiety
resting upon his heart. can have the Iail'es' co',
ceution of the mastery of self called lot ny suol'
hat In owe
IN our National history so many OF Which nave
waived the intervening months. the Nation mas
had the benefit of the same self-control. the same
coo, Judgment and the same utter oe'o'ioh ~ "i0
welfare OF the country. It is not necessary 10
claim for the President entire freedom from mis-
takes in order to recognize IN MS se'iei"i O"e
n very high quality Of leadership
saThe anxeties OF the war are over ana 'ne
r-oblems Of peace resulting from the war are no"
upon us No one who has lived through II ca" to
get the exhilarating sense OF grained patr'o'isi
which marked the action Of Congress and OF people
" ~. ,ror came on The enthusiastic response
NJ the volunteers 20 the Presidents Calls the spieh-
did valor displayed by our men on lana anu sea,
The noble devotion Of good women 10 the SIGN anu
wounded-all OF these were as welcome AZ our VIC
,ories except as victories were themselves the
citing and natural reward of the qualities thus as
,,avad For these things show that the character
~ the Nation when thus tried in the hery furnace
of war shone with the brightness OF pure anu
nrecious metal and that the Nations capaci'! io'
sslf.sacrihce In a large sense Is not less than IL
used be. 800
..put this Is not ALL The mechanical skill and
xsadv sA1ctency so chara cteristc OF the American
,old with overwhelming effect in the overthrow Oh
the enemy. This capacity TO turn industrial eie0
4iveness into efficiency in war. as the swift ocea"
steamers of the merchant marine take on them-
o,,.os ,,non demand the qualities OF men-of-waT,
&c evidence that warlike power sufficient for our
need is developed In peace among people tna'
does not suffer itself be dismayed by difhcultes
or weakened by luxury.
ARMY FAILED WHERE NAVY SUCCEEDED
80 wish II could be also said that the American
genius for organization and for business mad as
nisved itself in the war to equal advantage III
~ ,avv a. did There was something As admirable
.s tts fgbting in the way in which everything that
fell 10 the lot Of the Navy TO do was dohe' quiet
w without confusion and elth absolute success
ON the Army It did not II must in all candor
he admitted that the task OF the War Department
YVES much the heavier 1t had 10 multiply the
Army tenfold and 1t had to do quickly on a large
.cale what it had only been in the habit OF DONG
slowly and on small scale. But 1t Is prec'ely
under such circumstances that genius shows ana
we are obliged 10 admit that on the side OF the
War Department the genius that has maze our
railroads the most effective in the world the genius
that is enabling our manufacturers 10 conquer the
markets Of the world was not forthcoming
"The Santiago campaign of the Army was splen-
didy and brilliantly successful ana IL the war hau
lasted longer dare say we should have had bet
ter criterion than we have now by which 10 judge
how much OF the dreadful suffering in camp and
in the field Is inseparable from war at the best
Rut the contrast between the work OF the Navy
Department and OF the War Department Is zoo
great TO be wholly explained away. II is as clear
as the MONDAY sun that the organization OF the
War Department and Of the Army is absolutely un'
friendly 20 efficiency. The Presidents Commission
of Investigation has pointed out some OF the diff
culties and he's suggested OF the remedies
II remains for public opinion 10 see that these
remedies, or Others equally effective. are promptly
enacted into law
81 am glad that the President has appointed a
court OF inquiry 20 go TO the bottom OF the griev
Gus charges that have been made against the Com
rnissary Department for Il Is hideously in con-
trast with the self-sacrifiicing heroism OF ou1
troops that such charges can be mOoted much les
made by the commanding general Of the Army
Now that the inquiry has been ordered. the people
NAV well await the finding with patience and with
an omen mind as a people at once too great 10 d.
Injustice even TO a single not known 10 be q
fault and TOO earnest 10 permit any who may b
proved guilty either OF wrons-dong or OF fals
charges TO escape the blazing fury OF their wrath
WHAT is TO BE DONE IN THE PHILIPPINES
Coming TO the Philippine question, President Low
said:
..The advocates Of ratification have been calle'
tnperialists and expansonists. and the treaty It
SELF has been said 10 be In woful contradiction
with all we stand for as 4 Nation. These ar
serious charges. and II behooves every man VIII
ioves bis country 10 consider whether they ar
well made Unless our treaty with Spain has bee
dictated by lust OF empire 1t Is not fair 10 cal
those who advocated II mperialists unless II ha
been dictated by lust OF territory II Is ncr fair
call them expansionis,s; unless a better way ca