The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-23
WHAT STRAWS SHOW
Maj. Bingham Delighted the
A. & NJ. Students.
He Spent Two Days at the College and Made
Two Very Fine Addresses That Made
Deep Impression.

Maj. Robert Bingham is one of the big
men of the State-a student, a thinker
teacher, a patriotic citizen. He has the
stuff" out of which the men who follow
ed Lee were made. and he has an origi-
nality and force i'm his public addresses
that show him to be man of thought and
wide reading.
/ have not seen a more inspiring
sight anywhere then j witnessed at the
Y. NJ. C. A. of the "A. and M. COLLEGE
Sunday afternoon. There We're an hum
dred or more of the students-all i'll uni
fOrm-gathered on the Holy Sabbath TO
hold their weekly service of prayer. Be
fore them, dressed in suit of gray
the same color he wore when he stood
with the last 1000 at Appomattox-was
Mai. Robert Bingham. looking every inch
the Christian soldier. He is of the school
of devout and war-like Calvinists that
produced Oliver Cromwell and Stonewall
Jackson, though he has quaint and deli
cious humor of which neither Of these
warriors ever dreamed. He read a chap
ter in the bible and talked about it thir-
ty or forty minutes. i say talked about
it" for he didn't take his text and scatter
all over creation as / have known some
preachers to do. He stuck to the sub
ject. and held up code of manlinesS and
purity to the bright faced and honest
hearted youths who heard him gladly.
He talked sense-old fashioned horse
sense to the boys, and talked about the
power Of the old fashioned gospel to
grid them with strength III the hours of
endurance. 1t may be that boys are not
as good as formerly-Q don't believe it,
but the sight of these boys far away from
home gathering to sing the songs of Zion
and offer their prayers in the college
chapel would have convinced the wisest
pessimist that there vet abides reverence
for sacred things and faith in God along
side of healthy athletics and faithful
study Of the text books.
Monday at noon Maj. Bingham deliv-
cred another address-this time on The
Anglo Saxon" or some such subject, and
delivered an original and strong address
1t was rather too much i'll favor of I'M
perialism to suit the anti-imperialistS and
too much in favor of DISTINGUISHING the
negro to suit the opponents of TINS
amendment, though he did not touch on
politics. Speaking of the negro. he said
that the Anglo-SaXon would never
regard him as an equal, and that his
Acknowledgement, which would soon be
effected in North Carolina, would be a
good day for the State. He said it as
calmly and quietly as he gave utterance
to other portions of his address,, but he
had hardly finished before, beginning in
the rear of the hall, the boys began to APP
plaud and to applaud vociferOusly, show
ing that he had struck a chord which
showed he was in perfect accord with the
student body. President Winston at first
looked surprised, then doubtful, and then
as there was nothing else to do. The turned
and gazed out of the window until the
applause subsidized
''Straws," it is said. "show which way
the wind blows" The amendment is
the most popular issue in the State with
white men who understand 1T.