The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-30
DITY AND RESPONSIBILITY OF
THE INDIVIDUAL TO SOCIETY
The President Of Dartmouth College, DR.. William
J.Tucker Declares that No Man Dare ignore
His Moral Obligations to Mankind.

Gifts of amy sort. They ask for what
have called identification-the support
that is of interest, sympathy and alltli-
fluence And it is not wise to ignore thelr
request. a young man cannot AFFORD "
leave a community long in doubt as to ms
position, in plain vital matters. a 100
politic introduction OF himself Will GER
tanly react upon him. He VIII not easily
remove that first impression OF n1orad
indifference or of calculdtlcFl. One CAR
not begin too early to establish his repu-
tait:on, to tell his fellow-mcn where ne
stands, to give them the data on WHICH
they may fix his social VafIe-
In the distribution of personal power
Law very great stress upon the value OF
personal cpiniun-opinion which has the
worth of the man in ut. Public opinion
Is in theory and in fact the ruling force IN
a. democracy Who make public opinion!
Usually those who have the most to con-
tribute &c. it. II is at no time matter or
mere numbers. Even when the MOP Is
in mower the average man on the outside
counts for moro than the average man on
the inside except as the latter is more
capable of being welded into the mass
through some strong leader. AS Carlyle
says: ut is the knowing ones VINO rule.
That is the long fact. The essential
thing is to see that it is not the merely
cunning and crafty ones who rule rms
can be prevented by making pubic opln-
ion more worthy of itself. by allowing
nothing TO be withdrawn or withheld,
which belongs to 1t.
SUFFICIENT FACTORS.
The three sufficient factors in public
opinion are intelligence, sympathy and
courage. The proportion in (which these
are needed depends of course upon the
subject on which opinion is to pc eAer-
cised, but it is seldom, If ever. that any
one can be left out-intelligeTce to dis
Germ and measure the question at ISSUE
sympathy to interpret and represent the
interests Of those concerned in 1t, and
courage to uphold the idea or principle
which may be involved. Never commit
the. error OF supposing that courage IS
nollrished and grows strong on anything
lower than an idea or principle. Men do
not fight for high things until they ideal
ize them rhey relate tlehl 10 i15iN'9'
Justice and freedom, then they do battle
for them Hampden did not fight against
the roval tax, he fought tor liberty
do not know at what point educated
men are most likely to fail in their con-
tribution to public opinion, but DOUBT
not that some of them fail at the point
of intelligence. 4 great scholar may De
grossly ignorant of current affairs, or MS
opinions may be so immature as to be ut
tarIv inon,.a cticatle. You can do nothing, say
nothing. think nothing of any public val
lie without current facts. With these IN
possession and well considered you have
the right to express yourself in criticism,
| or if need be in protest. l do not speak
| OF the expression Of approval OF puDilc
> measures, for it has come to De under-
| stood that silence is acquiescence. IL IS
| only the unexpected, or exceptional, "hlch
| is not satisfied with approval and calls
for applause
| But there are times when opinions and
words are insufficient, when the man VINO
would meet his full obligation must act.
The man whose opinions are deep enough
"a ne convictions may, and probably Will,
have occasion to test them. There are
disa greeable duties to De met an every
| community, if one is reali! In earnest
| about the public good 1t does not make
them pleasant to say that they are IN the
| interest OF reform. The way Of the re-
! former may be about as hard as the way
| of the transgressor. But it is not to De
| Stunned if it opens naturally out OF one
| Gaily path. It has been said that one
| condition of assuming responsibility is
| the capacity to bear suffering and to
| inf!lict suffering. Opini,ons which mean
| anything may become costly. They may
| reach into those values which are usu-
F, ally expressed in terms OF conscience.