The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-06-12
REGNANT COMMERCIALIsM
ihe Men of the Present Fall Short
OF the Stature Of the Ulden
Time.

menccment of Converse College ",
made by Dr. S. Nj. Smith, of Go unbiu
ana was the great event of the d,y
III Shi'h had not reduced his remark
10 writing, aud did not have even al
OUT me OF the address on paper, bu
.ne iollowing summary will give som
ioca o' The line of thought pursuci.
me speaker began with some re
mark reminiscent of Il visit ten wear
before, when he came to deliver In,
addr ut The fist cummencemcnt ~
the college. Conyratulatiny both the
to"n ana the college on the great ad
vance made during the ten years IN
ter'ai, ne introduced his address by q
conversation had in train going west
lew days before, when thoughtful
man asked the speaker whether or not
ne thought The men of the present day
III lhe various callings Of life measured
up 10 The standard of the former zen.
Grafton.
Starting with this question, the speak
er SAID with all icga,d to the natural
tendency to glorify the past at the ex-
pense of the pre- mt and having also
due reference to ths general elevation
OF average intelligence and ability he
ielt nevertheless constrained to the
Judgment that The men of the present
IN al departments of activity fell short
Oh the stature of the olden time. That
WIN here and there few exceptions
the leaders in politics, press, pulpit,
law, and medicine were not cqual To
those OF the generation passed aud st,ll
passing. That the dominance of per-
sonal influence seemed going; men like
the Matterhorn lifting themselves far
beyond the level plain of humanity
ana catching on their lofty brows the
noi nlnS OF each new advance long Gre
IL L. uched the vale; or standing like
weather signals among the peaks prog
nost'cating the imminent storm of her
aidihg coming calm to those who
mad long studied the sky about their
SUBMITS. That such pre- eminent men
seemed growing fewer year by year
ne reasons for this decrease might
be manifold. Among others he would
mention first of all regnant C, M
merciallsm. The great prosperity uf
The country was the theme for e,ely
tongue: the aggregate Of increasing
wealth was beyond intelligent, ade-
quate appreciation. Wealth grows so
last that the country is dominated hy
It's influence III every department of
iIie and every phase of activity. False
ideals are set up and standards prevail
"hich must rule out that type of per-
sonal grs atness to which reference has
been IN. dc. a supremely commercial
people can never be a truly great peo-
pie. The man who deems the end of
49,
make nothing eise. This spirit con-
Verts poli.ics into trade, makes pa
trotlsm natter of bargain and sale,
prostitutes tie press to pecunary adj
vantage, and contaminales even in the
pulpit and d, socrates the sacred Office
OF HIM who undertakes to speak for
God.
More than this; it instils and cult
Yates spirit of selfish indulgence and
personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT which cuts
up real greatness by the very roots,
since tn, tru' ST religion and the pro. !
foundcsl philosophy unite in declaring
that he who would be the greatest Of
all let HIM be the servant of all.
III fares the land to Fastening ills a
prey,
Wh:re wealth accumulates and men de-
cay.
The second reason for the decline of
such men was TO be found i'm the pre-
clpllate haste 10 accomplish the ends
oi life. This leads to the discount of /,
slow, careful, thorough preparation for
LIES woik. Men are impatient of the |
drudgery involved in faithful ih, l.
oughness. There used TO be a time !
when liberal education aud broad |
culture were deemed essential prerru
uisites in all calings. Then there !
came sad period when men had
neither The means nor the leisure for
euch culture. Under this dire stress
they were compelled TO enter life well
or III prepared and do their best
under the circumstances. With heroic
courage and indomitable energy they
fought life's battle to victory. Un-
fortunately their success reacted for
quite while and other men more for
tunatcly situated than they, msinicr-
l'rcted the lesson of their noble hero
ism and discounted the importance of
thorough preparation and it became
common to crowd into the various pro-
fessions and .llings by short cuts.
The laws f mechanics teach us
that the height of any structure bears
II constant proportion to the breadth
Of its base. No short cut ever leads
TO any destination really worth reach
ing.
Lives OF towering influence need
bread based foundations, such as must
be laid in patient, faithful thorough
ncss that bears the yoke in its youth
that it may wear the crown in ripper
years.
Ala'l that men should be in such
precipitate haste in the telescope
range and tclegraphic speed of Amer
lean enterprise and effort ia our mod
ern days. There is no calling or busi-
ness in life that does not suffer from
this disposition and tendency. No
man under the influence of it can
ever reach his highest and best develop
ment.
A third adverse element IS to be
found In the tendency to carry special
ism 10 hurtful extreme. This is en-
inently the day Of the sp, ,cialist. This
watch is doubtless much superior to
the one worn by my grandfather
probably several hundred men arc on.