Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-31
BROUGHT TO CLOSE
Graduates of Columbian University
Departments Receive Honors.
ADDRESSBYCOMMANDER WAINWRIGHT
The Degrees Conferred and Special
Prizes Awarded.
CLASS DAY E y F r CT S E 5

CLASS DAY EXERCIS E S
With the comforting of degrees upon
graduates in the Columbian College. the
,orcoran Scientific School and the School
of Graduate Studies the seventy-ninth
commencement exercises of the Columbian
University Were concluded last evening
As on the two previous evenings. the Ma
tional Theater was crowded. The greatest
apparent interes. was taken in the cere
monies and Washington's loyalty to a home
Institution of higher learning was fully at
tested.
Features of the closing evening of the
commencement exercises We're the con-
ferring of honorary degrees upon two
former Columbian students, who have at
tanned to prominence in the world of affairs,
and the address to the graduates by Com
mander Richard Wainwright. L. S. n. SUI
perintendent of the Naval Academy at An
napolis. Commander Wainwright was one
of those honored with degree. IA learned
doctorShip in law having been bestowed
upon him. Rev. William l. Mc Kinney. pre-
siding elder of the Frederick district OF the
Baltimore conference of the Methodist Epis-
COpal Church. received the degree OF doc
tor of divinity.
The valiant part played by Commander
Wainwright in current history is well
known. He executive officer of the
battleShip Maine when that vessel was de-
stroyed in Havana harhor. and later he
commanded the converted yacht Gloucester
at Santiago The fight the little craft made
aga!ns, the. torpe,!o-boat destroyers of the
Spanish fleet. ending in Their final destruc-
ton. was one of the marvels of modern
naval warfare. Rev. Mr., Mckinney has
won d high place in his profession and
church. and both gentlemen upon whom
degrees of honor Were conferred are con-
sidercd eminently fitted to boast their doc
torShirS from Columbian
The Marine Band opened the program of
the evening with an exceptionally we'll
rendered selection. after which an invoca-
uof WAS "iered d! lSef. 'haFits ~ s'akeiy.
Commander Wainwrisht.s Address.
,,,,,,,.,,.4.- I,-ei,,,r5,-b. wa. i.,,,,,,
vs. M <"
as orator oi me evening ne was sree'tu
with prolonged applause by the graduates,
students and the general body of the audi
cree tie referred TO the tact mat 1t was
hth"f''l' "d9' ana he Stid II might not De
ah.iSS Siiouid ne ch"ost. patriotism as ms
" 'itt :, 10 III ",'' n,s
sneaker declared and those who haze
learned how the forces of nature have been
utilized for the daily service of man can
+, i;lize how the circumstances governing
iht truths oi PATRIOTISM nave been changed
In the past century
IN tho early days OF our country. con-
tifued COMMANDER Wainwright, the ener-
gleS OF me people We're best utilized when
devoted TO developing our internal re-
sources Communication was slow, the
country poor. and we We're TOO far away
to be enbr"lled with or tempt foreign ma
tons. our FIRST foreign pohcy was one of
separation and Isolation Our first stretch
ing out beyond our own borders was when
the Monroe doctrine was adopted as a part
OF our national policy We then acquired
a part Of Mexico and afterward Russian
America. Under Cleveland and Olney our
interests required expand the Monroe
doctrine to tit the Venezuela case. The
%
affairs of Cuba. Porto Rico and the Philip
pine Islands We have found 1t necessary
to call upon the European powers TO join
US In keeping open the Goors of China. and
We must build the Nicaragua canal Mod
ern communication forces TO become in
terested in the affairs of our neighbors.
and the world is now too small to permit
any people 10 live in isolation.
Duty of Citizenship.
Commander Wainwright declared II TO be
the duty of every good citizen to interes:
himself in the politics of his country. The
affairs of his municipality and nation are
but wider duties almost as sacred those
of his family. In national affairs the
speaker held that PARTY allegiance is not
thing to be lightly cast aside Strong
parties are nee .sSarv 70 good government,
and a government l.. comes weak when the
parties grow diSorganized and numerous.
In municipal affairs party lines might bet
ter he discarded. if the act of doing
would result in a betterrnent to the COM
mcnity Personal feelings and beliefs must
often be sunk to follow the commands of
higher authority Two instances of this
were. uuOtcf! in Gen FitZhugh Lee a SOL
der cndc4voring to maintain peace in
Cuba and Secretary Long of the navy. a
man of peace and a believer that war IS
wong preparing, for a conflict of arms
which he knew TO be inevitable
Referring again to party allegiance. Com
rnand,.r WAINWRIGHT said II was not good
Iarty policy nor god citizenship to abuse
one OWN c0rIrtryruCu when they are en-
l..g..,l at the front II may be weil ol.auch
To- oppose Il war. but once Il country is tn-