The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1901-11-14
AMERICAS GREAT MEN,
College Presidents Statement De-
MED.
ALL ORIGINAL MEN GREAT.

Philadelphia Record.
The complaint of u college president
that America has produced no great
men has been quoted with apparent
relish by an English periodical, which
is just enough, however, to admit
that the rising generation in England
gives no promise of filling the places
which have been or will soon be left
vacant by great Judges, great writer's
and great preachers. 1t is easy to show
that of all countries America should
present not only the highest level of
popular trained intelligence, but also
thinkers and writer's who should COM
pare fayorably with the most consplc-
uous In any preceding generation.
Nowhere else has the expenditure for
popular education been so large per
capita, and nowhere else has the inter-
est in schools been so keen and the
originality in methods OF training so
marked as here. Back of the enter
prise of teachers, the taxes for the sup
port of schools and the compulsory ed
ucation laws has been the wholesome Q
influence of the ideal political institu-
tions of our country. From this has
come spirit OF independence and a
freedom from the iron heel of tradition.
The American youth has been encour-
aged to believe that there is hardly q
limit to his intellectual possibilities,
and he has been urged to recognize no
authority in opinion, but to bring
every question to the test Of his own
investigation. With everything SUBJ
ordinate to the matter of education !;
with vast millions for the establish
ment not only of the common schools,
but also OF special schools with labora-
tories and work benches and whatever
can give practical information to the
mind, it would be reasonable to expect
the American OF to-day to tower above
the tallest men OF the past.
In spite of the lamentation of the
college president, it is fact that the
modern American does tower. His
genius and his training have been di-
rected toward achievements of prac-
tical, material character, and not tow
ard literature and art save as they are
incidental to science and to commerce
and industry. This is our age OF ma
terial development, and it is more be-
cause of the trained Intelligence and
originality and daring Of our captains
than because of the prolific character
of the field that we haYe far surpassed
anything the world had ever accom-
plished. There are no railway gener-
ais who can compare with our own !;
Tor the man who made the great Sibe-
rian lines an assured fact got all his
training in the United States. The
| Morgans and Rockefellers are the
Shakespeare and Millions of finance
the Aristotles and Platos of commerce.
Our superlntendents and workmen in
shops have revealed an originality and
daring which have created what all
Europe calls "the American peril"
1t happens that the ambition of A.
merican greatness has not been for cul-
ture chiefly, but to master the vast
problems which an increasing popula-
ton forces on the worlds serious atten-
ton. Wealth is essential to the
achievements which Americans have
In view, but 1t is not sought for itself.
1t Is q mistake to say that We worship
money simply because we value it and
acquire it as tool for the production
of something which all the world will
profit by. It is not for money alone
that such a Snowman, say, as Buffalo
Bill" has reyolutionized the art of
showing and has amazed every conti-
nent. His Annual money transactions
| would look big to the Bank of Eng
land yet pride in his originality as q
Snowman has been his chief inspira-
ton. Our proprietary medicine men
have made millions from formulas
which are an old story to the regular
profession, and they have done it by
their genius tor and boldness in adver
Using. In this city are half a dozen
great merchants who show executive
qualities which would fit them to d.
rect the financial transactions of a
powerful nation. The Morgans and
Rockefellers, the railway managers, the
captains of commerce and industry
the great merchants, the proprietary
medicine men, the successful showmen
and the like-these are our great men
the product of the spirit of the time.
For centuries horse racing has been {
sport which has been close to the
hearts of every class in England. Derb,
day has done more than the gaming
table to demorallze the people OF thai
WELCOME AS SUNSHINE
after long storm Is a feeling OF relief
when an obstinate, pitiless cold hat
been driven away by Aliens Lung