The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-29
AT A. AND M. COLLEGE
Commencement Exercises in Academy
of Music Last Night.
GRADUATING FxtRC,SES OCCUR TODAY
The Past Session of the College Of Agriculture
and Mechanic Arts Has B ZEN the Most
Prosperous in The History Of
the College.
the College.

ulC
This morning at eleven o'clock the di-
plomas will be presented to the grad
yates of the A. and NJ College by Gov
ernor Aycock in a short address, after
the orations and essays are delivered by
the graduates. 1t will an interesting
occasion and the graduates ought to be
greeted by a packed house. That will
close the commencement exercises for
1901.
Last night Col Carroll D. Wright U.
s. Commissioner of Labor, delivered the
annual address at the Academy of Music.
He was introduced gracefully by Mr.. d. A.
Tompkins, of Charlotte. He is one of the
ablest men in the country, and his address
made fine impression upon all whose
good fortune it was to be present.
COL. wRIGHTs ADDRESS.
Col. Wright's address abounded in
practical wisdom. From it we make
the following extracts:
You remember that the great artist
John Opie, who lived and worked hun
ed his paints in order to secure such
beautiful and artistic effects, replied that
he mixed them with brains. We must
mix an our raw material with brains.
We must understand the application of
science in every direction. We must
know how to develop. We must take the
raw pigments out of which the colors are
PRODUCED and apply the skill which comes
from a knowledge of effects. This prin-
cipie has been applied in mechanics in
agriculture, in artistic designs, but per-
haps more than in all other things in the
great engineering enterprises Of the past
half century. We do not know what
powers were used, or how they were used,
in constructing the pyramids, but l doubt
if there was skill enough in the whole
world at the time the pyramids were
built to have constructed the Mont Gents
tunnel. 1t is related of the building of
that tunnel that the workmen in France,
when they had made their way far under
the mountain, began to hear the sounds
of the Italian workmen on the Italian
side. By means of triangulationS carried
over the rough mountain sides the drills
had been directed to a central point. A
failure of very few feet in ten miles
meant disaster for the constructors At
last. when the drill holes were pushed
through and found to coincide, hands
We're shaken between two kingdoms, and
then the engineer received his crown and
the world applauded the magnificent re-
suit. l know of no grander illustration,
no more dramatic realization of the prac-
teal application of skill and science than
Al
Gents tunnel We find them again in the
steamship, in the bridges, in the tele-
graph and telephone lines, in all the adj
mirable achievements which are visible
everywhere, in the means adopted to Sc
cure sanitary effects whereby the health
Of great communities is increased, and
in the furnaces which turn out the ma
terial for all great engineering works.
do you know that our Government
expends nearly ten millions of dollars
annually and employs nearly five thou
sand persons, every dollar of which might
remain unexpended and every person I'M
employed without impairing one jot or
one title the efficiency of the Government
as a legislative power, or as an admins
trative force, or as a judicial interpreter
CT laws? And what is this vast sum and
army of men employed for? Simply and
solely to develop the utilities which go to
make UP our industry and our commerce
What has brought this country to the in
dustrial and commercial supremacy it
row enjoys, but the utilization of the skill
Of the world? This SKILL however, has
very largely been imported. We have
drawn from the schools of the Old World
We should develop it here by and among
ourselves and from our own brains, and
make it part of the home equipment
Of our varied industry. 1t should be de-
veloped along with the development of
cur nexhaustible natural resources. This
the Government is trying to do and it is
a benefcent employment of wealth and
men.
I'm the cotton districts Of the South
values are often interfered with and
crops reduced by diseases which seem
naturally to belong to the cotton plant
but the Government is finding out, has
found out in large degree, just how to
prevent or cure these diseases. 1t has
found out by long and patient scientific
study what causes the losses in the cot
ton crop. Here is a practical illustra-
ton, practical not only in the way OF
pfoductlon but in the way OF saving
wealth and of helping the cotton grow
crs to understand without much cost tt
themselves how to protect the great cot
ton crops of the South. In the tobacco
fields the Government is demonstrating
low to preserve flavor of the leaf, and
what makes the difference in fiavors, thus
scientifically adding to the value which
nature has given the rlant; it supple.
ments nature, and will ultimately give tt
the tobacco grower as well as to the to
bacco manufacturer assistance which
without science they never could hav,
gained
IAN exceedingly interesting experiment
in this matter of the application OF scen
tiiic knowledge to the products of tn
soil is found in the attempts to rails
Smyrna figs in California. The Govern