The Saint Paul globe., 1899-07-16
OLD F0GY EDUCATION,

In these days when the dangers Of 'fgnoble
peace and the glories Of the soldiers calling are
pressing heavily the public conscience it is we'll
perhaps, that Old Fogyism should have its say
Treason to the United States and lack of proper ap
probation of the advantages of effective military
system are now generally regarded as synonymous
The Outstanding and cvilizng mission of this race
must of course go steadily on. But lest there
should be those disposed to contend that we have
left the old landmarks behind without due consid
Grafton of the gravity Of the national departure we
have entered upon, it is perhaps best the old
and now obsolete standards of national greatness may
be occasionally recalled.
Thus at the gathering of the National Educational
association the past week session at Los Angeles
there was an old pedagogue possessing the funny old
name of EEphat Dram Lyle, who made a speech
Indeed, it was. nappropriatey enough, the opening
speech and. still more inapproprately Eliphat was
the president of the organzation-a fact of course
which reflects somewhat sadly on our national edu-
Gators Elphat's speech what some thoughtful
and patriotic persons might, without regard to the
age of the old gentleman, tempted to call calam
ity howl.
He went back great number Of years very fit
tngly. when the association had only thirty-eight
members Then. coming down to these progressive
times the old gentleman gave expression to the fol-
lowing altogether shocking sentiments. Said Eli
phat:
'Our history has demonstrated that have no need
Of great standing army. demonstrated that
in every state may an army ready at a mo-
ments notice to defend flag against every foe And
this army is not marshaled by military chieftains
by educational chfeftains. strong nation is made
by barracks for troops by school houses for
children; not by recruiting officers by schoomas-
ters; not by ried Mauser bullets and war
vessels but by books and newspapers and churches
That nation is strong whose citizens obey with
out seeing standing army behind the law That ma
ton is strongest whose laws law and
whose citizens obey both divine and human laws
cause they arc right
Before visiting DR.. Lyle the full measure of
their contempt would suggest to our iInperalist
friends that they make some allowance for the ev1-
dent defects of his early education AS it is hard to
teach an old dog tricks it is course hard to
teach an old gentleman like this who probably never
saw soldier in action in his life just appreciation
OF the spirit Of military which is sweeping
through the ranks of statesmen charge of the
various departments especially the war department.
at Washington
OF course the canine simie without the
remotest thought Of 0isrespect toward Dr. Lyle But
is evidently true that he is too old to appreciate
the imperative trend Of time toward militarism
and thus furnishes in his own person striking proof
OF the need on the part of rulers to naugurate
and push advantageously the only true standards
ton to just appreciation of the glorious possibilities
OF the future for itself and It's colonial possessions
Dr. Lyle doubtless after he has lived q little
longer will learn to appreciate that modern truth
that he must not indulge in such loose sentiments
unless he is willing to have the we'll earned appela-
tiOn Of traitor applied to him.